Speaker

Dwight K. Nelson

Dwight Nelson served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University from 1983 to 2023. During his time at Pioneer he spoke on the “New Perceptions” telecast, taught at the theological seminary and has written books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.

Offering

Nearly 500 years ago, a young monk stood all alone before the the greatest assembly of powers, princes, and pontificates the world had ever seen. His courage would spark one of the greatest social revolutions in history. How can we tap into that same source of strength to start our own social revolution today?
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Program: 
As We Begin
Let All Things Now Living • Traditional Welsh / Michael Hopkins
Introit
Come Into His Presence
Praise
I Want Jesus To Walk With Me • Medley • In Christ Alone
Prayer
José Bourget
"By the Word of Their Testimony"
Joanna Nicolle Jones with Rodlie Ortiz
Children's Story
Alleluia • Wolfgang Mozart / Merle Isaac
Worship in Music
Praise to the Lord • Paul Manz
Sermon
“Mission Possible: Standing Alone—Living up to the Luther in You” • Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
Hymn
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God • 506
As We Depart
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God • Martin Luther / Max Reger

More In This Series

11/14/2015
The heartbreaking terrorist attacks in the streets of Paris only serve as a painful reminder that we live in a broken world. Our planet is filled with cities, and those cities are filled with hurting people who are in desperate need of a few inner city angels.
11/07/2015
Considering the Adventist Church's historical stance on the separation of Church and State, how do we respond to the increased attention and scrutiny brought on by the presidential candidacy of one of our prominent members? Where do we stand when it comes to the causes of our Evangelical nation? How can we best serve this nation that we love?
10/24/2015
In a world where we are called to follow what is popular, Christ calls us to be "uncool." If we desire to follow Christ, we are called to deny self, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24).

“Mission Possible: Stand Alone—Living Up to the Luther in You”

www.pmchurch.tv

 

  • Psalm 119
  • October 31, 1517
    • Sola Scriptura—“by Scripture alone”
    • Sola Fide—“by faith alone”
    • Sola Gratia—“by grace alone”
  • Martin Luther
    • Luther: “I was a good monk, and I kept the rule of my order so strictly that I may say that if ever a monk got to heaven by his monkery it was I. All my brothers in the monastery who knew me will bear me out. If I had kept on any longer, I should have killed myself with vigils, prayers, reading, and other work.” (Roland Bainton Here I Stand 34)
    • Luther: “I was myself more than once driven to the very abyss of despair so that I wished I had never been created. Love God? I hated him!” (Bainton 44)
    • Johan Staupitz: “When it appeared to Luther that all was lost, God raised up a friend and helper for him. The pious Staupitz opened the word of God to Luther’s mind and bade him look away from himself, cease the contemplation of infinite punishment for the violation of God’s law, and look to Jesus, his sin-pardoning Saviour. ‘Instead of torturing yourself on account of your sins, throw yourself into the Redeemer’s arms. Trust in Him, in the righteousness of His life, in the atonement of His death.... Listen to the Son of God. He became man to give you the assurance of divine favor.’ ‘Love Him who first loved you.’” (Great Controversy 123-124)
    • “Above everything else he delighted in the study of God’s word. . . . and to this he often repaired.” (Great Controversy 123)
    • Luther: “There is on earth no clearer book written than the holy Scripture, which compared with all other books is like the sun compared with all lights.” (Luther’s commentary on Psalm 37:40, SDABC 9:131)
    • “Luther translated the entire New Testament into German within 11 weeks. Like a man possessed, he worked at the rate of more than 1500 words per day. What he produced was so masterful that in time it did much to create the modern German language. He was determined to do as good a job as possible and to prove to the world that ‘German nightingales can sing as beautifully as Roman goldfinches.” (James Kittelson Luther the Reformer 175)
    • Luther: “Night and day I pondered until I saw the connection between the justice of God and the statement that ‘the just shall live by his faith.’ Then I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace [sola gratia] and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith [sola fide]. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture [sola Scriptura] took on a new meaning, and whereas before the ‘justice of God’ had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gate to heaven.” (Bainton 49-50)
    • The Diet of Worms: “The scene lends itself to dramatic portrayal. Here was Charles, heir of a long line of Catholic sovereigns—of Maximilian the romantic, of Ferdinand the Catholic, of Isabella the orthodox—scion of the house of Hapsburg, lord of Austria, Burgundy, the Low Countries, Spain, and Naples, save Charlemagne, symbol of medieval unities, incarnation of a glorious if vanishing heritage; and here before him a simple monk, a miner’s son, with nothing to sustain him save his own faith in the Word of God.” (Bainton 141)
    • Luther: “‘Unless I can be instructed and convinced with evidence from the Holy Scriptures or with open, clear, and distinct grounds and reasoning—and my conscience is captive to the Word of God—then I cannot and will not recant, because it is neither safe nor wise to act against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.’” (Kittelson 161/Bainton 144/Great Controversy 160)
    • “Had the eyes of the assembly been opened, they would have beheld angels of God in the midst of them, shedding beams of light athwart the darkness of error and opening minds and hearts to the reception of truth. [One lone man standing on the Word of God—and yet all of Heaven joined in his defense!] It was the power of the God of truth and wisdom that controlled even the adversaries of the reformation, and thus prepared the way for the great work about to be accomplished.” (Great Controversy 150 emphasis supplied)
    • “The Bible should never be studied without prayer. The Holy Spirit alone can cause us to feel the importance of those things easy to be understood, or prevent us from wresting truths difficult of comprehension. It is the office of heavenly angels to prepare the heart so to comprehend God’s word that we shall be charmed with its beauty, admonished by its warnings, or animated and strengthened by its promises.” (Great Controversy 600 emphasis supplied)

 

If you stand alone on the Word of God, you will never stand alone.

 

Help Us Welcome New Students

Many new faces will soon join us as they begin their academic journey at Andrews University. We are preparing to welcome them with our traditional Welcome Picnic on Sabbath, August 23. You can support Belong by signing up to be a table host, preparing food, becoming a general volunteer—or all of the above! Text the word “PICNIC” to 269-281-2345

Primary & Junior Sabbath School Relocations

As we begin essential pipe and HVAC renovations in the Primary and Junior Sabbath School (SS) wings, we want to thank you in advance for your patience and flexibility. To ensure all our children and young people continue to have a meaningful Sabbath School experience, several classes will be temporarily relocated beginning Sabbath, July 5, 2025:

New Sabbath School Locations During Renovations Kindergarten 5 & 6 Sabbath School will now include Grade 1 children until the Primary Grade 1 room is ready. Primary Grades 2 & 3 will meet together in the Kindergarten room used by the Something in Common class. Junior Grades 4 & 5 will meet together in the center section of the Commons. Junior Grade 6 will meet in the sanctuary end of the Commons. Young Adults Sabbath School will meet in the Youth Chapel end of the Commons. Something in Common will meet in the Board Room.

Facilities Use During Construction During renovation months, the Commons and kitchen, Primary and Junior SS rooms will be unavailable for reservations, and the central hallway will be closed under the Sanctuary. We are grateful for your continued prayers, understanding, and support during this important project. Your generosity is helping provide a safe and comfortable environment for all ages to worship and grow in faith. 

District Nine Family Camp

Register soon for an uplifting and spirit-filled weekend at Camp Au Sable. The annual District Nine Family Camp is Labor Day weekend, August 29 - September 1, 2025. For the first time this year, registration will be available online at www.midistrictnine.com,  beginning July 20, at 10:00 AM through August 17, at 12:00 PM.

Offering for July 19, 2025

Pioneer Operating Budget

Someone came to their pastor and complained, “Pastor, we can’t afford to give our tithes and offerings. We’re just barely making it from week to week. I wish we just had extra money to give, but we don’t.”

When finances are tight, it requires more faith to return your tithes and offerings. Some will rationalize, “God really does not need my funds.” That’s true, our God is wealthy. But it is especially important to remember that when funds are tight, that is when it is critical that you return your tithe and offerings. We can’t expect to steal from God and be blessed. We all need God’s blessings.

Tough times force us to demonstrate our faith that God as our Partner will come through to provide even when it seems impossible. This is His part of the covenant. Trust in the Lord that He will provide as He promised.

"The more we bring to God's treasure house, the more we shall have to bring; for He will open ways before us, increasing our substance"(Our High Calling, p. 197).

Millions of Christians have put their faith into action with God. Not once has He failed to make it possible. Let’s live in faith so that God can bless us beyond our wildest imagination!

North American Division Stewardship Ministries

God's Hands 4 Kids

 "Love on the Move" is more than just a slogan. It is a way of life. It is at least for God's Hands 4 Kids. We work closely with Berrien County Department of Health and Human Services as well as other area agencies. We extend our caring to other counties as well. There are many ways you as a caring person can make a difference in our community. Today I will suggest two ways you can make that difference. You can do respite, take care of foster kid(s) for a few hours or a few days. No foster license required. Or you could offer to drive someone to an appointment. For more information email Godshands4kids@gmail.com

Hymnsing at The Old Rugged Cross Church

 You are invited to a hymn sing on July 19 from 4:00 to 5:30 PM at The Old Rugged Cross Church, 61041 Vermont St., Pokagon, MI 49047. Please bring your Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal. A freewill offering will help support the church. For more information, please contact Melchizedek Ponniah at 269-876-7476 or melponniah@gmail.com.

Looking for a Prayer Group to Join?

Join us for the Midweek House of Prayer, held online every Wednesday morning from 7:00 to 8:00 AM. We are currently studying the Gospel of Mark. Come and see how your contributions can benefit everyone in the group! The Zoom link is https://andrews.zoom.us/j/9889172131.

Fellowship Dinner
Pioneer Commons

 There will not be a fellowship dinner during the months of July and August, 2025.