My Source:
THE REMINDER
October 3, 1999
Author: Roger D. Campbell
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MAYBERRY MORALITY
by Roger D. Campbell
ganroger@juno.com
This is the title of an article that I recently read in a periodical. The article was written over a year ago, but the practices mentioned in it continue until the present hour, even in the state of Tennessee. There are some relevant matters in this article that deserve our attention.
In June 1998 a congregation of the Lord’s church in Huntsville, Alabama “began a weekly Bible study based on episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.” A recent article in the Cleveland (TN) Daily Banner (9-1-99) indicated that a denominational “ministry” called “Heart of Atlanta Network” has also started using “The Gospel according to ‘The Andy Griffith Show’“ approach. In addition, the newspaper article said some 50 “church congregations” have contacted the Huntsville, AL church about using this form of “study.” The original article that our brethren published last year about the church in Huntsville reported that the class “begins each week by watching a 20-minute episode of the classic sitcom.” Then, the class discusses moral issues, based on the TV show they watched. At one point the article’s author spoke of the actions of sheriff Andy Taylor in one of the episodes and made this observation: “This is a Christian example, admit it.”
First of all, though some of the characters in this often hilarious TV series may at times have acted in harmony with the teaching of Jesus Christ, to my knowledge there is no indication in any of the episodes that any of the characters portrayed were Christians. Thus, it is certainly out of place to refer to their behavior as “a Christian example.” The New Testament uses the word “Christian” in three passages (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16). We must be certain that we use the word “Christian” only in reference to those who are truly in Christ (Galatians 3:27), and thus members of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). To apply the word “Christian” to individuals who are not in Christ is to fail to speak “as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11).
Second, this “Mayberry mentality” shows us that some brethren have simply lost track of what attracts people to Jesus Christ. “Mayberry Morality” smacks of trying to draw people by the ways of the world (1 John 2:16). One can come to the Christ only if the Father draws him. How does God draw or attract men to His Son? “And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me” (John 6:44,John 6:45). Through what do men hear and learn from the Father? Through the teaching of the Scriptures. Thus, God draws or attracts men to Christ through the Bible. The early church continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42). Have we “advanced” so far that we cannot see the difference between Barney and the Bible, or Andy and the apostles’ doctrine? What does it say about our hearts when we want to turn to a secular program instead of the Book?
Third, spiritual shepherds of the flock of God have the God-given duty of feeding or tending the flock (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1,1 Peter 5:2). With what must the elders do this feeding? With that which makes the sheep (members of the church) grow. What is that? The word of God. “But desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Paul’s exhortation to first century overseers is still appropriate for bishops today: “I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). The design of “Bible classes,” which are under the oversight of elders, is to teach and study the Bible, not watch some sheriff smile and laugh at a drunk man in jail!
Fourth, all the foolishness that is taking place in the church today under the guise of building up or edifying the church ought to make us all renew our commitment to a serious study of the Bible. Jesus charged the Jews of His day to “search the Scriptures” (John 5:39). Our Lord constantly prefaced His remarks with “It is written” (for example, when He was tempted, Matthew 4:4,Matthew 4:7,Matthew 4:10). It is he who meditates in the law of the Lord day and night that is blessed (Psalm 1:2). These passages and scores of others point us to the word of God, and not to some modern invention of men, for our guidance and strength. It is time for all of us to give more diligence to be people of the Book.
Fifth, it is high time for a number of congregations seriously to analyze what is being taught and just what goes on in those periods that are supposed to be devoted to Bible study. True, most congregations of the Lord’s church are not yet ready to begin using Andy Griffith episodes in their classes as an attraction to draw a crowd. But the fact remains, some materials published by supposed “Christian” publication houses contain error. It is just as wrong to teach error by using a textbook as it is to preach it from the pulpit. Elders need to be certain that the Bible class materials that are being used are sound. Yet other material that is used in Bible classes is extremely weak, and is just not very challenging to those in the class.
Also, I can tell you from the experience of my children, that even in some of the teenage classes of sound churches, on occasion there is time wasted and time spent talking about non-biblical topics. My kids have sat in Sunday morning or Wednesday night classes in which a lot of time was spent talking about Michael Jordan and sports, or some other modern entertainment. I personally do not take kindly to turning my kids over to a teacher, fully expecting him to teach them the Bible during the whole class period, and have him “fiddle around” in class. If our young people turn out to be imitators of those Israelites who lived after the death of Joshua (“And there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel,” Judges 2:10), then surely part of that ignorance is going to be because some of our Bible classes have not done an effective job.
Are we totally against television, and Andy Griffith in particular? Not at all. But in our search to find what pleases Jehovah, we are to hear Christ, not Andy (Matthew 17:5), the gospel, not Aunt Bee (Romans 1:16).
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Note: All quotations in this article re: “Mayberry Morality” are from WINESKINS (July-August, 1998, pages 20-22). At the time the above-mentioned “Mayberry Morality” article was published, this periodical was co-edited by Mike Cope and Rubel Shelly, two outspoken “change agents” who have done extensive damage in the church.