Sheffey

PROS

+ A very well made movie (especially for the 1970s); beautiful throwback in time, perfect actors, great costumes, great movie-sets, great scenery.

+ Adequate display of the elitist, organized and rather impious Presbyterian religion (back in those days and to a certain degree still today).

+ Display of a very great faith (although I do not support his denomination of Methodism).

• Min 71 Great example of how to stand up against satan.

CONS

• Robert had 6 children out of his first marriage, but the movie does not show anything from that family and how he dealt with that especially during his second marriage.

• Min 28 "We're in need of a good sermoner. You could do it." The movie does only portray the customs of that day, but it is nevertheless not a biblical example to show churches with only one pastor or 'sermoner' instead of a plurality of actively preaching elders.

• Robert is shown very often wearing partly black, up to entirely black dress in private and while preaching. I am not aware what the customs in that time might have been, but even if a custom, it should have been modified in the movie. While there is no biblical teaching against black clothing, it is certainly not adequate to wear black while teaching, going hand-in-hand with Gothicism and many of its dark facets.

• Promotion of the extra-biblical 'Christmas'.

OUTSTANDING QUOTES

Min 37 "Jesus simply went about, doing good and preaching everywhere He went, and I want to pattern my ministry after His. I don't need man's approval, as long as the sweet Lord can lead me by his Word and His Spirit. I'll be back in a few months. Goodbye, Bertha."

Min 113 "... you were right in what you said. (...) You see the new attitudes creeping in among your leaders. It's so hard to understand. They pick the Bible apart; criticize everything I believe, and they do it so smoothly. I don't know what to think. Look. What are they trying to do? They want to call themselves Christians because it's respectable, but they try to tear down everything that Christianity has ever been based upon. (...) They claim that the Bible is only a human book, but everything they know about their religion is based on it. They claim to follow Christianity and then deny everything that Christianity has ever taught. But on the other hand, there's so many other good men who still believe everything I believe. There are a good many, but they seem to have less and less influence."

Min 115 "Years ago, when I was denied a preaching license, it was a great sorrow to me. But I determined to follow the leading of the Lord anyway. In these latter years I have come more and more to rejoice that I am not obligated. I do not have to choose between my loyalty to some organization and the Word of G-d. When you put it like that, it's not really much of a choice. Doesn't seem so to me. It's more a matter of courage. Brother Sheffey, will you pray for me?"

Min 132 "Every time we give up a part of our faith to try to fit into the ways of the world, we lose it forever. We lose a precious part of G-d's promise. Sacrifice to the world, and the world will never give it back. And someday when the world tells us we can no longer have our religion except where they say, and G-d is driven from our schools and our government and our homes, then G-d's people can look back and know that our religion was not taken from us; it was given up, handed over bit by bit until there was nothing left."

There are certain people that will not "get" this movie.

People that do not understand that there are values that endure past generations.

People that do not understand how precious it is when someone is able to look past the values of his generation and see the Eternal.

People that are looking for Hollywood-type action and editing.

Others will be able to rejoice in the truth, and enjoy the way God was able to do great things with a simple man that was just willing and obedient. May we have more Sheffeys in our world today! May be have the good sense to listen to the Sheffeys we have.

For a family-safe film showing the gospel and Christian values espoused by our forefathers, this movie is great. It was produced in 1977 by Unusual Films at Bob Jones University, at that time one of the top three films schools in the nation. Although by current standards some effects are a bit cheesy, the story stands strong.

The story is to show how one man, looking for something he is missing, finds God and then finds that not all "Christians" act like one. Like many older sawdust trail preachers, he did what he was led to do and in turn touched lives all across the United States. This is his story, and the issues he had over the years as he watched those with learning try to tear down the Bible.

The new DVD version has an interesting making-of documentary that shows how the movie came about, its filming, the special effects, and shows how God blessed this movie all through its filming. For example, at the revival at the campground, some of those coming forward were not acting.

All in all, highly recommended. It is a good period piece filmed in beautiful scenery with humor and pathos, and strongly presents the gospel - but not watered down.

If you are an evangelical Christian, and you don't expect professional cinematography from a Christian movie, you may like this one.

This film chronicles the life of circuit-rider Robert Sheffey, who travelled in West Virginia, Virginia, etc. preaching the gospel.

It takes you back to the "good" old days, wishing that you were alive then, and thinking that Christianity has gone straight to hell now.

It's neat to watch, and an interesting story. Evangelicals will like it; progressives will not.

A few problems I do have with the movie: 1. Since he couldn't get licensed to preach the gospel due to lack of training, why didn't he go to school or study theology on his own? Isn't this just an example of "zeal without knowledge"?

2. Is alcohol really sinful in and of itself? Does the Bible say so?

3. Why does the fading away of the camp meeting necessarily a bad thing? Camp meetings were popular in the day when there were no radio/TV broadcasts of preachers, and many rural folks only heard a sermon once a month or so. As automobiles became affordable and radio took off, the _necessity_ of the camp meeting subsided. Just because less and less people come to it does not mean that the whole of Christendom is sliding into liberalism.

4. Why did they not identify him as a Methodist? He was.

Anyhow, there are some anacrhonisms and hokey things if you're a history buff, but overall a fun family film. Just don't walk away convinced that the Church is not still a bastian of truth.

I came across this video again the other day and watched it with great enjoyment. Having watched it in 1977 when it was first released on the big screen, I was again delighted with the quality of cinematography that is common with a productions by Bob Jones University. The story takes us back to a simple time in America when most of the Appalachian Mountains area needed gospel preachers. The story opens with a confessional confrontation between a guilty ridden young man and the preacher Robert Sheffey. We are taken into a flashback very soon of the life of Sheffey and how he eventually comes to Jesus. The acting is first class, the music fits and the editing is superb. You will enjoy the light hearted moments and might even get a lump in your throat during the compassion of the Evangelist. The underlying theme of this movie is evangelistic. For people satisfied with their lives of sin, this movie will make a plea for you to get your life right with God. For people satisfied in their lives of religion, it will make a plea for you to get closer to God. This movie breaks the boundaries that were established in the 1970's by many denomonations in that day. Watch for the symbolic meaning of the lady with the rose who comes to the revival meeting! I found this movie thrilling, uplifting, clean and honest with the human condition as it is today. Even though this movie was produced over 30 years ago, it still has great relevance today.