On March 22, 2023, Shane Anderson was confirmed as lead pastor of Pioneer Memorial Church, becoming the fifth lead pastor to shepherd the campus church of Andrews University.
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.
Pioneer Media supports the local ministry needs related to classroom and teaching technology. It also creates content for and manages Pioneer's online presence and produces our broadcast television program.
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.
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.
• 64% of young people, ages 13–24, actively seek out pornography weekly or more often.
• A study of 14- to 19-year-olds found that females who consumed pornographic videos were at a significantly greater likelihood of being victims of sexual harassment or sexual assault.
• A Swedish study of 18-year-old males found that frequent consumers of pornography were significantly more likely to have sold and bought sex than other boys of the same age.
• A 2015 meta-analysis of 22 studies from seven countries found that internationally the consumption of pornography was significantly associated with increases in verbal and physical aggression, among males and females alike.
• Porn sites receive more regular traffic than Netflix, Amazon, & Twitter combined each month.
• 35% of all internet downloads are porn-related.
• The “teen” porn category has topped porn site searches for the last six years.
• At least 30% of all data transferred across the internet is porn-related.
• Recorded child sexual exploitation (known as “child porn”) is one of the fastest-growing online businesses.
• 624,000+ child porn traders have been discovered online in the U.S.
• Porn is a global, estimated $97 billion industry, with about $12 billion of that coming from the U.S.
• In 2018 alone, more than 5,517,000,000 hours of porn were consumed on the world’s largest porn site.
• The world’s largest free porn site also received over 33,500,000,000 site visits during 2018 alone.
• Denny Burk: “A growing number of young men are convinced that their sexual responses have been sabotaged because their brains were virtually marinated in porn when they were adolescents. Their generation has consumed explicit content in
quantities and varieties never before possible, on devices designed to deliver content swiftly and privately, all at an age when their brains were more plastic—more prone to permanent change—than in later life.” (in Meet Generation Z 61)
» THE TAMING
• Luke 5:17-20
• Desire of Ages: “Oh, wondrous love of Christ, stooping to heal the guilty and the afflicted! Divinity sorrowing over and soothing the ills of suffering humanity! Oh, marvelous power thus displayed to the children of men! Who can doubt the message of salvation? Who can slight the mercies of a compassionate Redeemer?” (269)
Five Steps (Maybe Six) to Overcoming Pornographic Addiction*
» Admit your .
• To yourself for honesty—Romans 7:14-15
• To God for help—2 Chronicles 20:12
» Confess your .
• To Jesus for cleansing—1 John 1:7
• To someone else for accountability—James 5:16**
» Surrender your and .
• To the Holy Spirit—1 Corinthians 6:18-20
• To the Lord—Joshua 24:15
» Worship your .
• Daily through prayer—Daniel 6:10/Psalm 55:17
• Daily through His Word—Joshua 1:7-8/Psalm 119:9-11
** ADVENTIST RECOVERY MINISTRIES: The Journey to Wholeness (269.281.1520/harelene.e.smith@gmail.com)/GROW Groups: “Sexual Purity for Men” & “Conquer”
“Friend, your sins are forgiven”
Offering for March 25, 2023
Michigan Advance Partners
I was appointed to the Conference Lay Advisory Committee as Vice Chair of Area D and last year moved to Chair of Area D. Back when the MAP concept was presented by Jerry Snowden at Cedar Lake, I was there.
It seemed like a genius idea, and I have supported MAP with my 1% offering ever since. During my time on the committee, I have personally been blessed to deliver 9 of the 10 grants for Area D. It has been a joy and pleasure visiting the churches and seeing how they are dedicated to maintaining and building up their churches to the glory of God! On these trips to deliver grants, we make an appeal to all members to focus on the MAP giving which is recommended at 1%.
Historically, there has been about .25% donated for capital improvements and unique evangelism projects through MAP giving. Funding is approved for distribution in the meetings the committee has each year, generally scheduled in March, August, and December. Your church application for funding needs to be funneled through your Area Chairperson and is due a minimum of 14 days before these meetings. You may find more information on the Lay Advisory page at www.misda.org. Thank you for your support of MAP every 4th Sabbath.
By Patricia Lykins, Chair of MAP, Area D.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Our Service People
Our SDA World Service Organization (WSO) at the General Conference ministers to SDA Military Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard. Also under its umbrella are all levels of Law Enforcement, Firefighters, EMTs, Corrections Personnel, Government Workers at all levels, and Military Veterans. All have access to WSO support resources by creating a personal profile at portal.worldserviceorganization.org. Pass the word! Questions-contact James North, Jr., at jamesn@andrews.edu or cell 269-876-2232, your PMC Servicepersons Coordinator.
Paper Crafting Together
Bring your paper crafting (card making, scrapbooking, mixed media) supplies to the Lake Union Conference Board Room on Sunday, March 26, from 1 to 5 PM. Enjoy spending time with friends or make some new ones. We will have chocolate to share. Questions, call Sherrie Davis, 269-473-8274. Email sherrie.davis@lakeunion.com to register. $5 Donation requested to help defray the cost of the rental.
“Who Is This King Of Glory?” Psalm 24:8-10
Easter Reflections 2023
April 1-9 “Who Is This King Of Glory?” Psalm 24:8-10 This is our third year of Easter Reflections. You will receive a daily email and/or a text meditation for nine days on events that happened during the Passion week. Let us reflect on what Jesus did for us. How does it relate to me today? To receive this daily short blessing, text "GLORY" to 269-281-2345 Sponsoring Organization or Ministry Name: Pioneer Women's Ministries
"Fellowship Leads To Friendship"
What a blessing! 45 Women attended the “Fellowship Leads To Friendship” event.
Our speaker, Paulette Johnson, Andrews University Dean of Libraries, encouraged us with the many benefits of friendship. Marlene Burt guided us through rounds of “Speed Friendship,” where we became acquainted with one another. And everyone enjoyed the simple lunch we prepared for them. The ladies are looking forward to the next time we can be together again.
Pioneer’s Main Office Entrance Closed Mondays to Fridays until Further Notice
Thanks to great progress on Renovate 2.0—The Elevator Project—Pioneer’s main office entrance at the canopy is now closed Mondays to Fridays until further notice. To access Reception or the Church offices, please use the entrance at the Lower Level Welcome Center. Thank you for your patience and continued support of this critical project. —Jenifer Daley, Pastor for Administration
RMES Book Swap
Ruth Murdoch Elementary School is collecting books during the month of March for their upcoming student book swap . If you have any books appropriate for grades K-8 and consistent with Christian values that you are willing to donate, please bring them to RMES during business hours between now and March 31. RMES students will have an opportunity to select a book during the week of April 3 to 7. This is a wonderful way for our church family to support our students and promote a love for reading. Please email RMESHomeAndSchool@gmail.com or speak to Kimberly Westfall if you have any questions. Thank you for your support!
Kindergarten Parent Night and Kindergarten Visitor's Day
Our Kindergarten program helps children grow in spiritual, academic, physical and social ways! Parents of children who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2023 are invited to our Kindergarten Parent Information Night April 4, 6:30-7:30 PM. Children are invited to Kindergarten Visitor's Day April 5. Please let us know you are coming by calling 269-471-3220.
Farewell Tributes for Pastor Dwight and Karen
You’re invited to send a personal message of thanks to Pastor Dwight and Karen. Selected messages will be included in a Tribute presentation to Pastor Dwight and available on this site at a later date.
-Farewell Planning Committee
On April 16, Pioneer is planning to provide beds for children in our community who don’t have any. This project, Beds for Berrien, needs your help! There are 3 main ways to assist:
First, you can donate. Our goal is to raise $15,000 to provide 40 beds to children who need a better sleeping situation in their homes. Your donations to the Pioneer Outreach fund will help us reach that goal!
Second, we need volunteers who can help us get organized on our bed distribution day, April 16. We’ll be unloading bed frames, mattresses, and bedding, sorting them into piles, and loading them into delivery vehicles.
Third, we need 40 delivery teams to transport the beds and bedding to homes, and assemble the bed frames for the families.
If you’d like to donate to the Pioneer Outreach fund, volunteer, and/or find more information, text BEDS to 269-281-2345 or visit pmchurch.org/beds. Donations to the Pioneer Outreach fund in excess of what we need for this project will be used for other service/outreach initiatives in and by our community.
