Think Local, Act Global:

Reversing the Polarities of the Third Millennial Church

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.

Offering

As Christians, we've never called this world our home. We are as exiles in a foreign land. But how do we reach a culture that is so wholly secular, so different from what we have been called to? How do we engage this culture without conforming to it?
Saturday, May 09, 2015
Program: 
As We Begin
This Is My Father's World
Franklin Sheppard
Praise
Lord, Reign In Me
Enough
Christ Is Enough
Prayer
Sabine Vatel
Welcome New Youth Pastor!
Ben and Briana Martin
The Tent
Jack Proctor
Children's Story
Hope Everlasting
James Swearingen
Worship in Music
Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
Todd Phillips
Sermon
“Think Local, Act Global: Reversing the Polarities of the Third Millennial Church”
Dwight K. Nelson
Connect Card, Tithes & Offerings
Hymn
The Church Has One Foundation • 348
As We Depart
Built on the Rock, the Church Shall Stand
Ludvig Lindeman

More In This Series

06/27/2015
Is God a farmer? After all, it's one of the most common comparisons Jesus made in His parables. If so, what does that mean for those of us He's asked to bring in His harvest?
06/20/2015
When Christ prayed His last and longest prayer in the book of John, He made four petitions to His Father. How can those petitions guide our church today?
06/06/2015
When the Apostle Paul saw Peter refuse to sit with the uncircumcised Gentiles, he set in motion one of the great theological debates of his time. When faced with divisive issues of our own, how will we respond? What can we learn from the example of the Early Church?

“Think Local, Act Global: Reversing the Polarities of the 3rd Millennial Church”

www.pmchurch.tv

 

  • 1 Peter 1:1; 2:9-11 
    • Lee Beach, The Church in Exile: Living in Hope After Christendom: “. . . there was a time in the history of most Western nations when Christianity held court as the de facto religion of the empire, and the church stood at or near the center of political power. In this cultural setting the church had a significant role to play in the shaping of culture and the determining of the overarching moral structures of society.” (33)
    • Beach: “If these trends continue at their current pace, religious ‘nones,’ as they are often called, will outnumber Christians by 2042.” (35)
    • Beach: “Christianity has been gradually losing its status as the lingua franca in Western culture for some time and has increasingly tended to become a local language used only by those who are professing Christians, not understood by others. . . . As we enter into the twenty-first century and the dust from the cultural upheaval of the previous century begins to clear, it is apparent that the church no longer functions at or near the center of things any more. . . The church must now function within a framework that precludes any kind of cultural authority.” (34-36)
  • Implication #1—we must find new ways to engage and penetrate the culture and world in which we are exiled.
    • Daniel vs. Esther
  • Implication #2—our modus operandi for doing so must be “engaged nonconformity.
    • Beach: “Exilic holiness is fully engaged with culture while not fully conforming to it. Living as a Christian exile in Western culture calls the church to live its life constructively embedded within society while not being enslaved to all of its norms and ideals. Sometimes holiness has a personal cost and demands taking a stand that draws attention to oneself. At other times holiness is not defined by dramatic action but by the day-to-day choices we make.” (183)
    • Walter Brueggemann, Cadences of Home: Preaching among Exiles: “The metaphor of Babylonian exile will serve well for my urging. . . . The great problem for exiles is cultural assimilation. The primary threat to those ancient Jews was that members of the community would decide that Jewishness is too demanding, or too dangerous, or too costly, and simply accept Babylonian definitions and modes of reality. And surely Jews in exile worried that their young would see no point in the hassle of being Jewish. . . . We ourselves [as Christians] surely know, moreover, about the next generation that too readily decides that discipleship is not worth it. As Jews disappeared into the woodwork of Babylon, so Christians now, as never before in the West, disappear into the hegemony of secularism.” (41)
    • Philip Yancey, Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened to the Good News: “These three statements provide a neat summary of the gospel story. We are loved by God, forgiven by God, and invited to the banquet table. In the midst of a planet marked by brokenness—violence, natural disasters, ruptured relationships—the gospel is truly good news. Like an iPod listener dancing in a subway station full of glum commuters, a Christian hears a different sound, of joy and laughter on the other side of pain and death.” (71)

 

“Supper’s ready!”

(Flyer, TV, Google search, name of person who invited you, etc.)
Fruit Delivery Next week

If you ordered fruits during the Pathfinder Fruit Fundraiser and requested shipment to PMC, the orders are anticipated to arrive on Tuesday, December 5th. The fruits may be picked up between 6 PM and 8 PM in the PMC Commons.

Fellowship Dinner

There will be a fellowship dinner, following the second worship service in the commons on the lower level. Visitors are always welcome.

Offering for December 2, 2023

Pioneer Operating Budget

December starts off the Christmas season in earnest for many people, even if merchants have been pushing the need to buy gifts for weeks already. What makes the Christmas season special for you? Is it the music, the decorations, special foods, family gatherings, or the gifts—what you might receive, as well as what you might give?

Gift-giving can be problematic. What if someone gives you a gift, but you don’t have one to give in return or vice versa?! Which matters more: the amount of money you spend on the gift or giving a “perfect gift” to a particular person? Let’s reverse that; what if someone gives you a gift and it’s not something you’ve ever wanted or will ever use? Should you put on a happy face and say something like, “How can I ever thank you enough for this gift?”

Each Sabbath we collect an offering as you give your gifts to God. We don’t limit this to the Christmas season because Christmas happens every time we come to church. We come to worship the greatest gift of all time—the gift of God coming to this earth in the form of Jesus Christ.

Our gifts, whether they are wrapped in beautiful Christmas paper or given as cash or checks or through online giving with a credit card, show our thankfulness to God.

So, “Merry Christmas!” And let’s take this opportunity to give our gifts to God.

—North American Division Stewardship Ministries

Soup for Students

Pioneer Young Adult Ministries is hosting Soup for Students. All Collegiate-aged individuals are welcomed to attend and enjoy soup and a touch of home while studying for finals.  Volunteers can contact Prescott Khair (prescott.khair@pmchurch.org)

You Visited Me

Jesus said, "When I was in prison, you visited Me."  If you have a heart for reaching out to a lonely person in need of encouragement while incarcerated, have I got a person for you!  Please contact Sue Wein (whitewsu@andrews.edu).  I will give you the details and help you in connecting with her.

Bring a Toy, Spread some joy.

In just a few weeks, on December 9, we will be having our annual Children’s Celebration of Christmas. This is the worship service every year where we bring a new unwrapped toy for a child up to age 16. These gifts will go to families in our community who are not able to purchase gifts. This is yet another way that Pioneer can be Love on the Move!

4th Annual "First Advent" Reflections

It is time to join the 4th Annual "First Advent Reflections". This Christmas season the Pioneer Women’s Ministries Team is delighted to invite you to reflect on Handel's "Messiah".

A daily email and a text will be sent to the ladies who sign-up. To register text the word "Hallelujah" to 269-281-2345

Wind Symphony Christmas Concert: Christmas Through the Ages

Bring in the sounds of the season with the Wind Symphony’s Christmas concert, “Christmas Through the Ages” on Saturday, December 2nd at 8:00 PM at the Howard Performing Arts Center. The program will feature familiar holiday tunes that will have you tapping your toes and singing along! Selections include a lively version of Carol of the Bells by Sean O’Loughlin, a fun arrangement of a famous John Philip Sousa march, Christmas and Sousa Forever by Julie Giroux, the ever popular Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson, as well as a few other surprises. We look forward to having you join us as we begin to celebrate the Christmas season.

Love on the Move - GH4K

Would you like to show "Love on the Move" to foster, adoptive, kinship families in our community? This is your invitation to join God's Hands 4 Kids in doing just that. Could you make a pan of lasagna for GH4K's Connect Support Group Christmas Celebration on December 8 delivering ready to serve. For details and to sign up go to our website GH4K.org There will be more opportunities to give shared there. Godshands4kids@gmail.com

Howard Center Presents "Welcome Christmas: Peace on Earth"

The award-winning Andrews University Singers and Chorale conducted by Stephen Zork collaborate with the Andrews University Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marc Élysée in the 25th annual presentation of Welcome Christmas. The theme of the concert is “Peace on Earth” and comprised of a festive garland of heartwarming and endearing sacred and secular symphonic choral works and carols. The variety of musical offerings encompass Giacomo Puccini’s “Gloria” to Harry Simeon’s choral setting of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Join us for this special concert featuring special guest soloists and presenters.

Pages