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The Christ of the Passion

The Passion of the Pacifist

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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

Does Christ's passion have anything to teach us about pacifism? When He was hostilely seized that night, what did Jesus do? Confronted with our global tensions today, what would Jesus do?
Saturday, May 08, 2004

More In This Series

03/27/2004
The Garden of Hell
In a garden humanity's hope was dashed, and in a garden revived again. What does the garden teach us about His passion? What does it hold for us and call us to?
04/03/2004
The Line Mel Gibson Left Out
The movie was bloody. The reality even worse. Why the fixation on blood in both the movie and the Bible?
04/10/2004
Till Death Do Us Part
Physical blood and gore of Christ's passion were the veneer on the face of the greater trauma. The horrendous suffering transcended anything experienced before or after. What was it, and what did it mean?
04/17/2004
Hast Thou No Scar?
Parallel to its wondrous gift runs its enormous demands. What does the cross of Christ demand of us?
04/24/2004
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
We can participate in the passion. It's both exciting and challenging. Becoming engaged, we discover that the far side of the world is not as far away as it sounds.
05/15/2004
The Six Last Words of God
You've heard about the seven last words of Christ. But have you ever heard about the six last words of God? They may be among the most important words you will ever hear. Talk about hope!
06/05/2004
As Simple as 1-2-3
A call for a not-so-surprising, but oh so comprehensive, response to the passion of the Christ. But then, wouldn't we expect the message of the cross to be at least as practical as it is theological?
06/12/2004
As Easy as A-B-C
As simple as 1-2-3. As easy as A-B-C. Yes, but also as hard as . . . Unless, that is, the passion of the Christ has indeed worked its miracle in us.
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A British Winter's Night: Wind Symphony Winter Concert

A British Winter’s Night concert will be an evening of lively traditional British tunes and ballads.  From the popular Vaughan Williams Sea Songs and English Folk Song Suite, to the rousing tunes of the Irish Washerwoman and Country Gardens, this evening is sure to delight! The Andrews University Wind Symphony, under the direction of Denisse Santos-Gooden, will once again collaborate with the Southwestern Michigan College Brass Band under the direction of Mark Hollandsworth. The two ensembles will take the stage at the Howard Performing Arts Center on January 31, 2026 at 8:00 PM. Start off your new year with toe-tapping tunes and swaying sweet melodies! Tickets are available at howard.andrews.edu.

Standout Event

Andrews University invites homeschool and public high school students to attend Standout, taking place February 20–22. This event is designed to serve as a spiritual refueling experience for students who may not have regular access to Adventist revival programs or daily religious instruction. We invite you to learn more and register for this impactful weekend at: https://www.andrews.edu/splash/standout

Offering for January 17, 2026

Religious Liberty Offering

Seventh-day Adventists have stood firmly for religious liberty—for everyone—for more than 150 years. But do you know the reason why? Part of the reason is that, when our church was founded, almost every American state had Sunday-keeping laws on the books. Adventist pastors, farmers, laborers, and others were arrested, jailed, or fined for doing “secular work” on Sunday.

Even Wille White, son of James and Ellen, was arrested in Oakland, California, in 1882 for keeping the Pacific Press Publishing presses operating on a Sunday!

But that’s not the full story. The deeper reason why we continue to stand for religious liberty—in the courts, before legislatures, and through the pages of Liberty magazine—is because we want to reflect the character of the God we serve.

He’s a God who created us in His image and who has given each one of us the freedom to choose whom we will worship. He’s a God who, in the words of Ellen White, “desires only the service of love,” which “cannot be won by force or authority” (The Desire of Ages, 22).

Today, please help support this vital ministry of religious liberty. It’s a ministry that defends not only the rights of individual conscience, but also the ability of our church to continue to do its mission. And as we face uncertain days ahead, your prayers and support are needed now, more than ever.

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries