Old Pop-Culture Bible Study

I will stand by my statement... As preachers/teachers unless we show people how the Bible applies to them, we are not doing our job.. .we are only making future trivia show contestants...

 

When I suggested thinking about it I had in mind a little more than four minutes - something like mull it over in your mind, cogitate on it, ponder it and wonder if you were really fair to the Word and its living qualities and the Holy Spirit's teaching, convicting and convincing abilities. :thumbs:

Not saying your use of stuff is wrong, just pondering a little myself :thumbs:

 

I don't think anyone yet has "condemned" anyone for "using illustrations."

The question presented was -- are old TV shows such as mentioned in the OP suitable material for guiding and leading lessons or sermons?

I vote no, for the reasons given before, (to wit -- they were TV shows, not real life, and are only appealing to a specific generation).

 

The "Andy Griffith Show" Bible series has been circulated around the SBC now for YEARS----I've never used it---nor never will-------the way I see the AGS series is----it is giving the pupils an "instant" situation----it "borrows" situations from the show and then gives the pupils opportunity to "talk about it"

What did Opie do wrong??

How come Andy didn't use "Corporal Punishment" when Opie did what he did wrong??

What could Barnie have done different when Otis came in the Court House drunk as a skunk???




--------------------I mean-----think about it------how do I apply "The Loaded Goat" to modern life situations??----------and who wouldn't love to just "Waterboard" the Mayberry mayor?????????

IMHO----------it seems like studies have shown that modern culture demands some sort of visual illustration---------so to make it as easy as possible---we download a spot from YouTube and plaster it on the projector---and when the "segment" is complete---the preacher says---"Ya'll see my point I'm tryin' to make in this sermon???"

Nothing against illustrations-------I use 'um

I'm preaching a verse by verse series through the book of Jude on Sunday nites------and got to verse 4

"But certain men crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ"

Then I used an illustration------of an old German Army tactic that was used quiet effectively against the American units during WW2----the Germans called it "Operation Griffin"------German High Command "combed through" the German army and gathered up certain German soldiers who could speak "American" English-----who could develop certain "American" accents----who looked American----then they gave them captured American uniforms---complete with insignia----American helmets, shirts, pants, boots, canteens, weapons, ammunitions, vehicles and the such------and these "Griffin" Germans infiltrated American lines with the objective to "disrupt" and "deceive"-----Operation Griffin was quiet effective

Then I brought the point "Home"

But if you think about it---------the reason we have to use all of these so called "Bible Study" series on display at LifeWay----like Andy & Barney & Opie & Aunt Bee----is because the preacher and the people have gotten to be so cotton pickin' spiritually lazy its pitiful---can't even get up out of the front of the TV to search for an illustration!!!!!!!

 

Are you saying that he NEVER tells a story to illustrate a point? Doubtful.

The best preaching I've ever heard always applies it to life with stories or illustrations of some kind.

If I never used illustrations to connect people to the Scripture, I might as well just read the passage, close my Bible and begin the Invitation.

 

FlyForFun sez:

Well, maybe not "condemned", but I shore got a purty good "whuppin" for my comments about this exact point! (Maybe it was just my red-neck verbage??):applause: