Out of His deep love for humanity, God changes our lives and asks us to move His love into our community and world. We are uniquely positioned at Andrews University to share the story of God’s love from the residence halls to the farthest parts of the earth. We accomplish our mission by engaging people across generations to be disciples of Jesus through the process of Connect. Grow. Serve. Go.
We have volunteer teams that help you to serve the church and the neighborhood in a variety of ways. The best place to serve is where you’re using your God-given gifts, talents, and passions the most.
Your financial gift helps support ministry here at Pioneer. From local to global ministry, keeping our facility safe and clean, to outreach and family growth activities, it all provides a space to worship, learn, and grow together. We invite you to Give Purposefully, Give Faithfully, and Give Joyfully.
To purchase a DVD of this sermon please visit our online shopping cart. Proceeds go to support the New Perceptions media ministry.
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Speaker
Dwight K. Nelson
Since 1983, Dwight Nelson has served as lead pastor of the Pioneer Memorial Church on the campus of Andrews University. He preaches on the “New Perceptions” telecast, teaches at the theological seminary and has written some books, including The Chosen. He and his wife, Karen, are blessed with two married children and 2 granddaughters.
• The promise: You will sit with Me on My one day.
• The condition: You must first today.
• Sigve Tonstad: “Awareness of conflict changes the way we construe victory and defeat. While Jesus makes promises ‘to everyone who conquers,’ with no object in the sentence, the tenor of conflict is better preserved if we translate it ‘to everyone who overcomes .’ It is not wrong to say that the believers ‘overcome’ or ‘conquer,’ but it is implied throughout that they are engaged in a .”
• Revelation 12:7-9, 12, 17
• “If the curtain could be rolled back, and each one could discern the constant activities of the heavenly family to preserve the inhabitants of the earth from Satan’s seductive
wiles, . . . [t]hey would see that the armies of heaven are in continual warfare with satanic agencies, to obtain victories in behalf of those who do not sense their danger, and who are passing on in unconscious indifference. Angels are belting the world, refusing Satan his claims to supremacy. . . . We hear not the voices, we see not with the natural sight the work of these angels, but their hands are linked about the world, and with sleepless vigilance they are keeping the armies of Satan at bay.” (In Heavenly Places 98)
• “To the one who overcomes as I .”
• John 16:33— “‘In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have the world!’”
» Why don’t more Christians live victorious lives?
• Reason #1—We do not fully appreciate the sinfulness of .
• Vaughn Allen: “We do not realize how utterly detestable sin is; we do not comprehend how contrary sin is to God’s character and how terribly offensive it is to Him. We have lived with sin and its results so long and toyed with it so much that for us it has lost much of its horror and repugnance.” (The War Is Real: And So Is the Victory 71)
• Steps to Christ: “We shall not renounce sin unless we see its .” (23)
• Vaughn Allen: “The absolute horror of sin can be seen only when we look at the . It would be well for us each day to pray that God would give us a genuine abhorrence of sin and a for it because of what it did to the Son of God and because of what it does to us.” (71)
• Reason #2—We are not convinced that sin is possible in this life.
• Great Controversy: “If those who hide and excuse their faults could see how Satan exults over them, how he taunts Christ and holy angels with their course, they would make haste to confess their sins and to put them away. Through defects in the character, Satan works to gain control of the whole mind, and he knows that if these defects are cherished, he will succeed. Therefore he is constantly seeking to deceive the followers of Christ with his sophistry that it is impossible for them to overcome.” (489)
• Signs of the Times: “Without Christ we cannot subdue a single sin or overcome the smallest temptation.” (August 10, 1891)
• Jesus: “‘Without Me you can do nothing.’” John 15:5
• Philippians 4:13—“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
• Jude 24—“Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.
• Selected Messages: “He who has not sufficient faith in Christ to believe that He can keep him from , has not the faith that will give him an entrance into the kingdom of God.” (3:360)
• 1 John 2:1, 13-14; 5:3-4
• Revelation 3:20
• Before Jesus commands Laodicea to “ ” the devil, He invites us to “ ” the door.
• Selected Messages: “John pointed the people to the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world. He said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.’ There is a great deal in that ‘taketh away.’ The question is, Shall we keep on sinning as though it were an impossibility for us to overcome? How are we to overcome? As Christ overcame, and that is the only way. He prayed to His heavenly Father. We can do the same....When tempted to speak wrong and do wrong resist Satan and say, I will not surrender my will to your control. I will cooperate with divine power and through grace be conqueror.” (3:195)
“Faith is the Victory”
Adult Sabbath School Resumes November 6
Four vital elements of the early church’s growth are still very much in season: teaching, fellowship, prayer and sharing meals (see Acts 2:42). They were Love on the Move “in the beginning”—and they still capture our mission of Love on the Move today.
The good news is after a long pandemic hiatus, these four vital activities resume for the adult Sabbath School program and classes at Pioneer—Sabbath, November 6, 2021, 10:30 AM in the Sanctuary.
Whether you once belonged to one of the Bible study classes or you would like to be part of a new class, you’re invited to join Melchizedek Ponniah and his team of leaders and teachers in a new season of mid-morning study and fellowship.
If you were one of the regular pre-pandemic adult class teachers and are interested in leading a study group again or if you are new and interested in assisting or leading a new Bible class, please contact Melchi Ponniah (melponniah@gmail.com) or Heidi Ha at the church office (269-471-3133).
Love on the Move may yet be masked—but it will not be stopped. Invite a friend to join you in a new beginning November 6.
Offering for October 23, 2021
Michigan Advance Partners — McMillan Church
In early 2020 the McMillan Northwoods church began considering how they might reach into the community and also have a way to draw the community in. They wanted to begin having a bigger footprint in their district.
As the world began to shut down due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the desire to have a stronger digital presence and the need for equipment to present, prepare and distribute digital media became stronger. The only thing standing in the way was a severe shortage of funds. Times had been hard, and special appeals had been made to help get the church back on a good financial footing.
Many were the projects that needed attention. With work needed on the roof, the need for a ramp, and the changes taking place in the world, was this what the Lord wanted them to do? Prayer and several meetings later, the consensus came that if the Lord would provide the way, the church would move forward.
A request was made and MAP was able to be the answer to their prayer. Now the church has internet access, a streaming computer and has participated in both Hope Awakens and Revelation NOW! Members have been blessed, the worship experience enhanced, and the online videos and DVDs they are sharing with their friends and neighbors are helping the Gospel look even more attractive.
Several connections have been made in the community and Bible Studies have been initiated.
This is the mission of MAP, giving opportunity for every member to be able to help expand the reach of the gospel thru local projects. Whether it is maintaining the current facilities or current projects, or beginning something new, your gift to MAP is going to help keep the Gospel fresh and relevant and take it to the world. Thank you for your support, as Michigan continues to Advance through Partnering together to spread the gospel until Jesus comes.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Jean Drive: Give Your Jeans a Second Life By Giving Them to a Woman In Need
Pioneer Memorial Church and the Center for Faith Engagement are partnering with Paris' Purse to sponsor a jean drive. On November 6, during either church service, you're invited to bring in a pair of jeans. Your jeans will be given a second life by helping a woman in need. They can be jeans for men or women. We'll have donation bins by the entrance awning, the welcome center in the children's wing, and the narthex. If you forget to bring in jeans on that day, you can also bring them to the Center for Faith Engagement. You can also give a financial donation to Paris' Purse (501c3) at www.parispurseinc.com
Memorial Service for Dr. Steven Tarangle
A memorial service for Dr. Steven Tarangle will be held in the Sanctuary on October 30, 2021, 3:00–5:00 PM
PAUSE: Prayer, Remembrance, and Healing for our AU Family
AU Wind Symphony Fall Concert
The AU Wind Symphony presents its fall concert, "Hands Across the Sea" on Saturday, October 23rd, at 8:00 PM in the Howard Performing Arts Center. The international theme of this program includes the titular march emphasizing the friendship of nations, as well as music from Russian, Scotland, Armenia, Norway, the Andean region of South America, Japan, Korea, and even the planet Jupiter. You won’t want to miss this concert as the Wind Symphony performs its first full concert of the 2021-2022 season. Audience members in attendance will be required to wear a mask, but there are no limits on seating capacity, so please join us in-person to experience live music once again!
The Darkness Will Not Overcome Series Archives
The Darkness Will Not Overcome series archives are now available at pmchurch.org/overcome. Videos and podcasts are now available on your favorite podcast provider. Start sharing today!
–Pioneer Media Department
Helping Neighbor to Neighbor
Did you know that Neighbor to Neighbor provides clothing, furniture, food, supplies for infants, counseling services, and so much more to people in need across Michiana? That's why we're excited to invite you to be a part of a very special project. On Sunday, October 24, a group of volunteers led by contractors and experienced roofers are going to put new shingles on the original Neighbor 2 Neighbor building and we invite you be a part of this. For more information and to register, text N2N to 269-281-2345. We’ll see you there.
Vacancy - Thrift Store Associate
Neighbor To Neighbor is looking for a Thrift Store Assistant. If you are interested please submit a resume to Laura Meyer at lauram@n2nhelps.com
Howard Series Presents: Chi Yong Yun
Pianist Chi Yong Yun is an exceptional artist whose stellar abilities as a performer are recognized internationally and to critical acclaim. Whether as a soloist, collaborative musician, or master teacher, her skills as a pianist are exquisite. Listening to a concert performed by Chi Yong Yun is an experience not to be missed. Go to http://howard.andrews.edu for ticket prices.
