The Dillards (a.k.a “The Darlings”) from left: Dean Webb, Doug Dillard, Mitch Jayne and Rodney Dillard.Rodney Dillard, who played one of the bluegrass-blessed but conversationally challenged Darling boys on The Andy Griffith Show, believes the values of homespun decency that marked the popular TV show still have the power to draw even skeptics to consider the redeeming message of the gospel.
Doug and Rodney Dillard“I don’t want to preach to those already saved, but to pull in those who are not,” said Dillard, who will appear with his wife Beverly at Seneca Baptist Church April 17 to talk about “Mayberry Values in Today’s World.”
For 10 years, Dillard and his wife have been touring America, presenting those values by way of humor, stories, testimonies, Scripture, songs and video. Dillard said his main goal is to get people interested in coming to church who might not otherwise be interested. “The Andy Griffith Show has given me an opportunity to reach a lot of people that maybe you couldn’t have reached,” he said.
Dillard and his brother Doug, along with childhood friends Mitch Jayne and Dean Webb, formed a bluegrass group called the Dillards in the early 1960s. In 1962, they moved to California and were offered a recording contract with Elektra Records. They landed a recurring role on The Andy Griffith Show, where they played the fictional Darling (usually pronounced Darlin’) boys. They portrayed mountain-music-playing bothers, and their sister was played by Maggie Peterson. Denver Pyle, as Briscoe Darling, was the family patriarch.
Dillard said Sheriff Andy Taylor personified the fruit of the Spirit by the way he dealt with people. “He treated everyone equally, with respect, and with human dignity that Christ taught – a practical application of how to apply [Christ’s] teachings and biblical principles to your life.”
Through reruns, The Andy Griffith Show, which ran from 1960-1968, has deeply embedded itself in the fabric of American culture for more than half a century. “It has never been off the air, which is a testimony to a good, clean show and to what people really want, rather than what is being fed to them,” said Dillard.
He said the most memorable moment of his ministry was at a wild game dinner at a church in Georgia, when 65 people came forward and gave their life to Christ. “One of my greatest passions is to talk to people about Christ,” he said.