Our delivery date is Sunday, May 28. We still need people willing to help assemble the beds in the homes of recipient families on May 28. Even if you don't have a large vehicle, you can help a team who does! Please let us know you can help by texting BEDS to 269-281-2345 to register or go to pmchurch.org/beds to check out the schedule and sign up.
The Story of Martin Luther and the New Reformation
"I, a Poor, Stinking Bag of Dung"
Speaker
Dwight K. NelsonSince 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
More In This Series
"The Story of Martin Luther and the New Reformation:
'I, a Poor, Stinking Bag of Dung'"
- 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
- Roland Bainton: "The man who thus called upon a saint was later to repudiate the cult of the saints. He who vowed to become a monk was later to renounce monasticism. A loyal son of the Catholic Church, he was later to shatter the structure of medieval Catholicism. A devoted servant of the pope, he was later to identify the popes with Antichrist. For this young man was Martin Luther" (Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther 15).
- 4 Takeaways/Legacies for the New Reformation
- #1—Only .
- Luther: "I was a good monk, and I kept the rule of my order so strictly that I may say that if ever a monk got to heaven by his monkery it was I. All my brothers in the monastery who knew me will bear me out. If I had kept on any longer, I should have killed myself with vigils, prayers, reading and other work." (Bainton 34).
- James Kittelson: "Anfechtung was what Luther later called this grinding sense of being utterly lost. By it he intended the idea of swarming attacks of doubt that could convince people that God's love was not for them. Later he considered this sense of being irredeemably evil to be the work of Satan, who sought to make a Christian's sins, doubts, and anxieties too much even for the grace of God. At such moments just the rustling of dried leaves in a forest sounded like the legions of hell coming to seize one's soul.” (Luther the Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career 56)
- Derek Wilson: "Certainly Luther went through periods of black depression when he retreated into himself and spoke to no one. He never fully shrugged off this particular demon and to the end of his days would retire into a room by himself when problems weighed heavily upon him." (59)
- Luther: "I greatly longed to understand Paul's Epistle to the Romans and nothing stood in the way but that one expression, 'the justice of God,' because I took it to mean that justice whereby God is just and deals justly in punishing the unjust. My situation was that, although an impeccable monk, I stood before God as a sinner troubled in conscience, and I had no confidence that my merit would assuage him. Therefore I did not love a just and angry God, but rather hated and murmured against him." (Bainton 49)
- Luther: "Then [one day] I grasped that the justice of God is that righteousness by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole Scripture took on a new meaning, and . . . now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul ['the just shall live by faith'] became to me a gate to heaven." (Bainton 49-50)
- H. M. S. Richards once declared: "I have only one doctrine: I am a great —but I have a great ." And when asked “What is the Adventist message?" he replied, " only."
- #2—Only .
- Luther: "The wounds of Jesus are safe enough for us.” (Kittelson 99)
- Ellen White: "The lower you lie at the foot of the cross, the dearer and more exalted will be your conception of your Redeemer." (Review and Herald 10-16-1888)
- Ellen White: "The theme that attracts the heart of the sinner is Christ and Him crucified. On the cross of Calvary Jesus stands revealed to the world in unparalleled love." (Maranatha 99)
- #3—Only .
- Derek Wilson: "Within decades of Luther's death... all Europe was awash with Bibles in contemporary languages.... This was the richest part of Martin Luther's legacy. He bequeathed to the peoples of the world a collection of religious writings and invested them with supreme authority (or, as he would have said, recognized the supreme authority they manifestly possessed)."(363)
- Luther: "God's word cannot be without God’s people, and God’s people cannot be without God’s word. . . . For it is the word of God which builds the Church. . . . [W]here that is heard, where baptism, the sacrament of the altar [the Lord’s Supper], and the forgiveness of sins are administered there hold fast and conclude most certainly that there is the house of God and that there is the gate of heaven." (Wilson 364)
- Ellen White: "But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority—not one nor all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain 'Thus saith the Lord' in its support." (The Great Controversy 595)
- #4—Only .
- Proverbs 4:18
- Ellen White: "The Reformation did not, as many suppose, end with Luther. It is to be continued to the close of this world's history. Luther had a great work to do in reflecting to others the light which God had permitted to shine upon him; yet he did not receive all the light which was to be given to the world. From that time to this, new light has been continually shining upon the Scriptures, and new truths have been constantly unfolding." (The Great Controversy 148-149)
- John 16:12-13
- #1—Only .
"We are all beggars."
Update #6 for Renovate 2.0 (05/24/2023) The Project: It’s nearly done! Essentially, the only major piece of the Renovate 2.0 left to complete is the arrival and installation of the elevator itself. After the installation is the final finishing painting and flooring and its ready for use!!! Fundraising: As of 05/24/2023, there is $657,017.00 that’s been raised with $342,983.00 left to go. We are making wonderful progress. Thank You! Please remember Renovate 2.0 in your giving plans and pray for its success!
Michigan Advance Partners
For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light. Psa. 36:9 At the First Flint church we are blessed with wonderful facilities to reach out to the community and provide a place to gather for worship of our Creator. When our new pastor and his family arrived, we were excited to have them join our church family. In our eagerness, we asked him what he thought of our facilities. His answer surprised us. He said, “it just seems a little dark in the sanctuary.”
The pastor was right! It was dark, even to the point of making it difficult to read our Bibles. But we had gotten accustomed to the darkness and hadn’t realized how much we needed to bring more light into the sanctuary. So, we began getting bids to redo all the lights for the sanctuary, fellowship hall, Sabbath school rooms, hallways, youth chapel, baptistry, and community service center. The best bid came to $22,000. This represented quite a large sum for a church that was still recovering, like many, from the challenges of attending members created by Covid.
We had previously received funding from Michigan Advance Partners for our parking lot, so to start the project rolling, once again we requested assistance for the lights.
Now, with the wonderful support of MAP, we have brand new LED lights throughout our entire church and community services center. Thank you for your kind contributions to MAP that help us to be blessed with physical light, so we can bring the spiritual Light to our community. North American Division Stewardship Ministries
—North American Division Stewardship Ministries
Nurture, interact, support and create a safe and inclusive environment for children grades 1-7. Responsibilities include managing a group of children Monday-Friday, supervising all aspects of the day, leading children through a weekly schedule and participating/teaching/assisting in all activities.
June 5-Aug 18, 2023. Various shifts available between 7:30 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday Must be at least 18 years old. Competitive pay. Lunch included! https://www.andrews.edu/admres/jobs/
You are invited to join the New England Adventist Heritage Tour. On this tour you will have the opportunity to walk the ground that the Adventist Pioneers walked, sing the songs they sang and learn what their passions were. As part of this tour, lectures will be given in which lessons from Adventist history will be applied to life today. Give yourself the chance to deepen your understanding of Adventist history and have an enjoyable time while doing so!
• Dates: July 16–23, 2023 (Sunday–Sunday)
• Cost:
o Students: MDiv and MAR students pay $385 in addition to their Summer Semester Tuition
o Spouses: There are 5 reduced rate spouse seats at $799, but if the number of spouses exceeds five, additional spouses will pay the full price of $1,725.
o Community members: $1,725.
• Applications Now Accepted: Applications will only be accepted via email at carclasses@andrews.edu.
• Brochure & Application Form: See online at www.centerforadventistresearch.org/netour/.
• Courses Offered: See www.centerforadventistresearch.org/netour/.
Video about the historical tour: https://youtu.be/bklPuhasb7I
Registration is open now and forms are due by May 30 for the Andrews University Summer Camp! Our camp is 10 weeks of Bible-based educational summer adventures for children entering grades 1–7 (June 12 – August 18), is held exclusively on the Andrews University campus and features Vacation Bible School-style programming and field trips. Each week of camp highlights a different theme and Bible adventure. https://www.andrews.edu/services/crayonbox/summercamp/
We are blessed to have 34 students graduating from 8th Grade on Thursday, June 1 at Pioneer Memorial Church.
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 25, 7 PM @ Andrews Academy, Consecration May 26, 8 PM @ Village SDA Church, Baccalaureate May 27, 11:45 AM @ PMC, Commencement May 28, 11AM @ PMC.
Each Sabbath morning at both 1st and 2nd services, people gather in "The Prayer Room" to pray for the church service, the participants, and the congregants, both in-house and online. We are in need of more volunteers for both services. We pray for the prayer requests submitted each week (which are anonymous). We participate in the congregational prayer and listen to the sermon on a monitor provided in The Prayer Room. If you have a heart to pray for others or are looking for more information, please contact Deb Montcalm at greengables75@yahoo.com.
Neighbor To Neighbor, Adventist Community Service Center is looking for an Adventist Administrator. Must be caring, flexible and have great communication skills with management and public relations experience. Must have an associate or bachelor degree. Duties include management of the Thrift Store, volunteers and facilities supervision. A full time position with benefits. If interested, have questions or want to submit a resume contact: info@n2nhelps.com