Articles by Rev. Thorin Anderson
Christian, Do Your Duty: Vote!
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   03.15.24
Every American citizen has, among other things, the right and responsibility to vote. If too many fail to take this responsibility seriously, it allows for a few, with bad intentions, to transform the state into an oligarchy or dictatorship!
Israel and Hamas: No Middle Ground. Christians, Where Do You Stand?
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   03.02.24
America is divided, but you already knew that.  There is no place for coming together in many of its disagreements.  The differences are polar opposites, and neither side is willing to yield ground.  This presents a very serious, if not existential, threat to the nation.  Abraham Lincoln, quoting Jesus Christ noted that, “A nation divided against itself cannot stand.”
Christians, Stop Living Like You’re Lost Part 2
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   02.19.24
In my last article I addressed the reality that many born-again Christians have been thinking and acting too much like the non-Christians around them.  I pointed out particularly the willingness of so many to lie, or misrepresent the facts, when it appeared to benefit them.  Sadly, abandoning truthfulness is not the only similarity between many of God’s people and the world.
The Importance of Being Married. Some Thoughts About Love on Valentine’s Day
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   02.14.24
If there is one thing that our cultural leaders are not very earnest about anymore, it is marriage. There is much ado made about dating and the wedding ceremony itself, but how to succeed in marriage itself is given little attention. Statistics indicate that approximately half of marriages end in divorce. This is more than scandalous, it is destructive to the nation and dreadfully harmful to children, to say nothing about how God vies such things!
Christians, Stop Living Like You’re Lost!
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   02.03.24
“Amazing grace! how sweet the sound-that saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost but now am found. . . .” These opening words from John Newton’s famous gospel song acknowledge the reality of our lost condition without Jesus Christ.
Repentance! Not Resolutions!
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   01.13.24
January first is often considered the time for “New Year’s Resolutions,”  “turning over a new Leaf,” or launching a new “self-help program.”  Such things may have some benefits but have generally been nothing more than filler for newspapers and TV shows during the slow time following the holiday season. However, because I see our country floundering and confused, divided and drifting, I have a recommendation: How about a change of hearts in America where, for starters, we make truth normative, and children loved? 
The Ignored Part of the Christmas Message
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   12.23.23
No one likes to talk about cancer.  I lost both my parents to the killer as well as numerous friends. My wife and I are now praying for several who are fighting for their lives against it. We hate it, but we talk about it virtually every time we get together with those who are dealing with it, partly because you can’t ignore the “elephant in the room” and partly because you will never defeat it by ignoring it! 
The Irony of Contemporary Christmas
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   12.20.23
As a Christian and a pastor, I have spent a lot of time getting to know God. It goes with the territory! But the more I understand the goodness of God, the more difficult it is to understand the hatred so many have for God, especially as we consider that Christmas, “the most wonderful time of the year” is rooted in a knowledge of God’s grace.
O, Give Thanks!
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   11.23.23
Social graces, such as saying, “please” and “thank you” are the “Oil of Civilization,” but they are far more than that. They are not just a matter of being nice. Gratitude, being genuinely thankful, carries with it blessing, maturity, and even spiritual growth and strength. Most important, it is a matter of obedience to God!
Mike Johnson and the Separation of Church and State
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   11.11.23
With Mike Johnson’s selection as the new Speaker of the House, the attacks were instantaneous. One criticism directed at the new Speaker was that he routinely violates the “separation of church and state.”  If the accusers had any knowledge of American history, they would not quickly raise such an issue against a Baptist.
The Pastor
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   10.24.23
You may or may not know that October is “Pastor Appreciation Month.” Because I have pastored for thirty years, I am hesitant to write on this topic, but I also believe that it is an important issue. A number of surveys have revealed that there is a significant attrition occurring within the ranks of pastors which threatens the future of churches across the United States. These studies show that in recent years over fifty percent of the men who enter the pastorate drop out before achieving ten years of service. 
Anti-Semitism: This Present Darkness
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   10.17.23
Words cannot express the horror and disgust that have been aroused by the recent surprise attacks on Israel by Hamas.  The wanton torture, slaughter, and kidnapping of innocent children, youth, and elderly by Hamas terrorists cannot be justified, and witnesses declare that the unspeakable atrocities they committed are reminiscent of the Holocaust! And to top it off, those despicable acts have been met with praise and applause by some!
Cancelling Christianity (Part 2)
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   10.14.23
Americans should be dismayed by the fact that the single most effective force for good in the West, which has done so much on behalf of the powerless and weak, referring to Christianity, is under virulent, relentless attack from the Left!
Cancelling Christianity (Part 1)
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   10.07.23
Immigrants have long swarmed America’s shores because of the opportunities afforded to all who arrive here. Historically, a person could start a business with all the potential risks and rewards involved or take the safer route of being employed by someone else. Employment and educational opportunities have been virtually unlimited, and the choice was yours to make.
The Feminist’s War on Women
By Rev. Thorin Anderson   |   09.19.23
Self-loathing is a peculiar and tragic phenomenon.  The Bible states that “no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it,” (Ephesians 5:29 NKJV), so there is something particularly ugly about radical feminists fomenting self-hatred in young women. The Bible is correct.  We do love ourselves, but a conflict arises when we see things in ourselves that we don’t like, even though those things may be phantoms of Leftists’ corrupted imaginations.
Rev. Thorin Anderson
Rev. Thorin Anderson

Rev. Thorin Anderson is a member of the Advisory Council to Illinois Family Institute and the former pastor of Parkwood Baptist Church on the south side of Chicago. Pastor Anderson has faithfully pastored at Parkwood Baptist Church since September, 2000 until 2022. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Central Seminary. He and his wife Toni have seven children and 19 grandchildren.

Pastor Anderson also serves on the board of directors for Men for Christ, an association that organizes annual weekend men’s rallies in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois on a rotating basis. For more information on these events, please visit MenforChristRally.org.

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