Please join us in celebrating the retirement of Barry Wilson after 35 remarkable years of service with the fire department, including his dedicated tenure as liaison to Andrews University. A retirement party will be held in his honor on Sunday, May 31, 1:00 PM at the Berrien Springs Oranoko Fire Dept.
The Bondage Breaker
The Bondage Breaker: Global Addiction, Global Deliverance
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonDwight 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
More In This Series
“The Bondage Breaker:
Global Addiction, Global Deliverance”
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□ Genesis 3 and Matthew 4
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Gerald G. May, MD: “I am not being flippant when I say that all of us suffer from
addiction. Nor am I reducing the meaning of addiction. I mean in all truth that the psychological, neurological, and spiritual dynamics of full-fledged addiction are actively at work within every human being. The same processes that are responsible for addiction to alcohol and narcotics are also responsible for addiction to ideas, work, relationships, power, moods, fantasies, and an endless variety of other things. We are all in every sense of the word.” (Addiction & Grace 3, 4)
- What do food, drink and sex have in common? They are all human .
- In Genesis 3:1-6 six times in six verses the words “eat” “ate” and “food” are embedded to highlight the enemy’s strategic attack on .
- The heart of is unbridled, unregulated, uncontrolled .
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American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy: “Nearly 12 million people suffer from sexual addiction in the United States. Due to the accessibility of sexual material available on the Internet, cable television and videos, these numbers are increasing.” (www.aamft.org/imis15/content/consumer_updates/sexual_addiction.aspx)
- The Internet porn industry now rakes in over billion a year.
- Online porn makes over $3000 .
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According to the Polaris Project 27 million people are in “modern-day slavery” across
the world—with 800,000 people trafficked across international borders every year— and million children “exploited by the global commercial sex trade, every year.” (www.cicatelli.org/titlex )
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Gerald G. May, MD: “I am not being flippant when I say that all of us suffer from
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□ Four Anti-Addiction Actions You Can Take:
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#1—A the P (of temptation).
- “In order that Satan might not us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)
- Therefore “avoid [even] the of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:22)
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#2—A through P (your dependence on God).
- Rick Warren: “Think of it this way: You have a small battery inside of you. It has a limited amount of energy. When it depletes, you shut down. At the same time, God offers you access to his unlimited power plant. All you need to do is plug in—and the power cord is .” (The Daniel Plan 52)
- “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the , and he will flee from you. Come near to and He will come near to you.” (James 4:7, 8)
- “ upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you; and you will glorify Me.” (Psalm 50:15)
- “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you .” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
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#3—A the P (of God’s promises).
“He has given us His very great and precious , so that throughthem you may participate in the divine nature, having the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2 Peter 1:4)
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#1—A the P (of temptation).
- “I have hidden Your in my heart that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11)
- Desire of Ages: “When assailed by temptation, look not to circumstances or to the weakness of self, but to the power of the . All its strength is yours.” (123)
#4—A to a P (for accountability).
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“Therefore confess your to each other and pray for each other so that you
may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” (James
5:16)
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“Carry each other’s , and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
(Galatians 6:2)
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“Nothing is apparently more helpless, yet really more invincible, than the soul that
feels its nothingness and relies wholly on the merits of the Saviour. By prayer, by the study of His word, by faith in His abiding presence, the weakest of human beings may live in contact with the living Christ, and He will hold them by a hand that will never let go.” (Ministry of Healing 182)
Because He won, you can.
Congratulations, Andrews Academy seniors! May the same Lord who got you here lead you into the uncharted adventure ahead! “I am with you always,” is His promise. Everyone is invited to attend graduation weekend events. Class Night May 21, 7:00 PM at Andrews Academy, Consecration May 22, 8:00 PM at Village SDA Church, Baccalaureate May 23, 11:45 AM at PMC, Commencement May 24, 11:00 at PMC.
You are invited to a Hymnsing on 23 May, 4:00 PM at The Old Rugged Cross Church, 61041 Vermont Street, Pokagon, MI 49047. Please bring your Seventh-Day Adventist Hymnal. For further information, contact Melchizedek Ponniah at 269-876-7476 or melponniah@gmail.com.
Pioneer Operating Budget
Our churches should be sanctuaries, places of safety, not only in their physical structure but also in their psychological and spiritual atmosphere. Every person who enters, whether a regular attendee or a visitor, should feel genuinely welcomed and valued. We must be careful not to judge or criticize others based on appearances or perceived shortcomings. The church is not a place for the perfect—it is a hospital for sinners in need of healing and grace. Kathryn Davis, host of the Magnify podcast and seminary teacher, reminds us that “hiding our imperfections or harshly judging ourselves or others for those imperfections can be [harmful] to our mental health.”1
Jesus Himself faced criticism for spending time with sinners. His response was clear: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17, NIV).
As a church, our mission is to reflect Christ’s love and create a space where people can grow in faith without fear of rejection. Jesus was patient and kind, while Satan, the “accuser of the brethren,” seeks to bring shame and make us feel unworthy. Yet, Jesus reassures us, just as He did the woman condemned by the Pharisees: “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no
more” (John 8:11, NKJV).
As we return our offerings today, let us also recommit to supporting a church that embodies Christ’s love—a safe and welcoming home for all.
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Join us for the “Love Like You Mean It” Series! Sessions will be held in the Pioneer Commons each Sabbath morning from 10:30 to 11:30. Everyone is welcome!
- May 23: Session Seven - Love is Virtuous
- May 30: Session Eight - Love is Honest
- June 6: Session Nine - Love is Tenacious
- June 13: Session Ten - Love Never Fails



