Sermons Offer Lessons From Mayberry

A Bixby church is featuring a series of Sunday sermons, featuring Aunt Bee, Barney, Andy and Opie.  The series is called Mayberry Moments.  The News On 6's Rick Wells reports the pastor believes the 1960's classic TV show offers endless opportunities to teach life lessons.

Who'd  thought anyone would be watching The Andy Griffith Show in church, but some people are.  Dr. Steve Greene is utilizing Aunt Bee, Andy, Barney, and Opie in his Bixby Community Church .

"You could preach a sermon on almost any Andy.  Any Mayberry if you wanted to," said Dr. Steve Greene.

Greene recalls an episode entitled, "Opie the Birdman," where Opie takes over care of three orphaned baby birds.

"What's a relevant 2008 message that was delivered in 1962 or 3?" Dr. Greene has asked.

He used the episode a few weeks ago to talk about helping others, and accepting responsibility  .He says this whole Mayberry series started after he heard the Rascal Flatts' lyric about missing Mayberry.  He realized he missed it, too.

"The exact same things are going on in our lives that's going on in Mayberry," said Dr. Steve Greene.

So, the Mayberry Moments series began.  They built a front porch complete with rocking chairs and real junk mail in the mailbox.  And, Greene says the series has been very well received and the pews are filling up.

"The story's so relevant it's as though it was written in 2007 or 2008," said Dr. Steve Greene.

Seems like he's happened on to something.  In fact, this church kind of happened the same way.  It started as bible study group a couple of years ago and has grown into a church.

Steve Greene's the pastor, but he hasn't quit his day job.  He's the chief operating officer of Camille's Sidewalk Cafes

Business during the week; teaching life lessons on Sunday.