Top 5 Christian Themed TV Shows of All-Time

Television today is mostly garbage promoting all kinds of sinful activities from pre-marital sex to drunkenness.  Television applauds this type of behavior and, unfortunately, our children are being force-fed an illusion of grandeur.  We as parents and as individuals should reconsider all of the T.V. shows that we watch and ask ourselves, “Is this really beneficial to watch?  Do the cons outweigh the pros?”  Here is my list of top 5 shows of all-time that have great Christian ethics and morals in them.

5.  The Waltons

This show is based off of Earl Hamner Jr.’s life.  Many characters of the show came from people in his upbringing.  It is set in the Great Depression and WWII.  As you see the characters deal with the heartache and trials of this time, you see a family that sticks together and that loves each other.  Every episode has solid life lessons that we can all learn from.

"The Truth" Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the spirit will from the spirit reap eternal life.

4.  Little House on the Prairie

This classic show ran from 1974 to 1983 and focused on the trials and triumphs of the Ingalls family.  Although this show is based around the late 19^th century, many great moral and Christian ethics can be found in this classic show.  It centers on the lives of Charles and Caroline Ingalls and their family.  You can see the devotion that they have for each other in their marriage as they face many kinds of hardships in early settlement life.  As trials of drought, disease, famine and invading neighboring Native Americans arise, you see a family that loves each other through it all.  Granted it is an older show, but you can’t help but see what true love and devotion is from a husband and wife.

3.  7^th Heaven

This is one of the better shows of my generation growing up.  It features the Camden family, which is a large family at that.  The father, Eric Camden, is the Reverend of Glen Oak Community Church and he showcases a good, moral faith.  Throughout the show’s 11 seasons, we watched the children grow up and go through many life decisions.  This was really a great show because it showcased real problems that arise in life such as, pre-marital sex and drinking.  This show allows discussion for parents and their kids on these types of issues.  Eric always showcased a father’s love for his children and I applaud the producers of this show.  Most dads look like morons in T.V. today, but Eric looked like an intelligent, loving man to his kids and his wife.

2.  Andy Griffith

This is still one of my favorite shows of all time.  They just don’t make T.V. shows like they used to.  Andy Griffith was the sheriff of Mayberry.  He was a great role model for kids of his day.  Every time disaster hit, Andy was calm and collected.  He rarely acted out of anger, but he allowed himself to go through heartaches so his son, Opie, could learn life lessons.  He was a caring and loving man.  He always allowed Otis, the town drunk, to come and sleep in his prison cells.  If you haven’t seen the “Pickle” episode yet, I recommend it.  Aunt Bee keeps making pickles that taste horrible, but Andy keeps eating them because he loves her and doesn’t want her to feel bad.  Episode after episode showcases how to make good moral choices and each episode is geared towards family values.

1.  The Twilight Zone

Your first thought might be, “What?” but every episode of The Twilight Zone featured the moral debate.  One episode in particular called, “The Eye of the Beholder”, is perfect for this concept.  Patient 307, Janet Tyler, has gone through 11 operations that will hopefully fix her disfigured face.  As the show progresses, many questions about morality arise.  Janet says, “The state is not God!  Who are they to decide what is normal?”  Even her doctor says, “Why shouldn’t people be allowed to be different?”  At the conclusion, Janet’s bandages are taken off and you see that she is absolutely beautiful and everyone else has disfigured faces.  The moral of the episode is that everyone deserves to be human and that no one should be considered higher than somebody else.  This entire series is a must see.  There has never been a show like this one and I have a feeling there may never be.  Don’t miss out on some of the best quality programming to date.

Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed my list of television shows that promote Christian themes and ideas.  Some of my runner-ups are: Leave it to Beaver, Life Goes On and The Dick Van Dyke Show.  What are some of your favorites?  God bless!

Resources: www.youtube.com, The Holy Bible, English Standard Version

“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

photo credit: twm1340 via photopin cc