Long before the Robertson clan of A&E's Duck Dynasty achieved reality TV fame, faith played a starring role in the life of the family.
For almost 40 years the Robertsons have spent many a Sunday morning and Wednesday night at White's Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, La. Oldest son Al Robertson served as a minister at the church for 22 years, and he and his father, Phil, continue to serve as elders there, so it's no surprise that father and son have teamed up to produce The Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible.
"This is just one more way that we can present, as ministers, the message of Jesus to the world around us," Phil Robertson said.
The Duck Commander Bible, a New King James version published by Thomas Nelson, will be available Oct. 28. In addition to the Old and New Testaments, the Bible also features stories and lessons from Phil and Al, as well as reading plans suggested by both men.
Al Robertson -- the only beardless brother on the hit show -- said the project focuses on the family's core values of faith, family, fellowship, forgiveness and freedom.
Robertson said the Bible project came about after his success with The Duck Commander Devotional last year. He and his father wanted to publish a Bible that would be unique, combining Scripture and personal stories that would appeal to both longtime
Christians and those who have never opened a Bible.
The Bible starts off with 30 "Lifechangers" stories that Robertson hopes will draw readers in.
"It's 30 people led to Christ by our teaching or influence," Robertson said. "To see off the bat that God's word has the ability to transform a life will hopefully speak to that reader."
Also featured are 125 "Set Your Sights" lessons on topics such as love, brokenness and healing and sin and temptation.
Faith is such an integral part of the show that some fans might not realize the loving family they see on TV wasn't always so happy.
"We were a broken family before," Robertson said. "Mom and dad didn't have a great marriage. Dad wasn't a Christian and Mom wasn't really either. It was a bad time for us."
It was in the mid-1970s and the family was falling apart.
"Faith is what brought us back together as a family," Robertson said. "Mom totally got locked in and Dad then came to the Lord. When he first talked to Mom about wanting to reconcile, he said, 'I want my family back' and Mom's retort was for that to happen something's got to change."
Phil's newfound faith transformed him, and since that time faith has been the bedrock of the family.
"That's why faith resonates so much in what we do," Al Robertson said.
It was only natural that faith would play a big role in the show. When Duck Dynasty was in its early stages, printed promotions for the show focused on "Money, Family, Ducks." Robertson said that tag line didn't really capture what the family was all about, so when they received the promotional material they decided to change it.
"We had a couple of people in the office sit down and take a Sharpie and X out Money and write in Faith," he said. "Now even the show has picked up on that. Faith transformed our show. It's not about money but about faith."
Robertson, now a regular presence on the show since leaving his full-time ministry job, said he was drawn into preaching not by a clear, divine calling but a more practical one -- food.
"I was starving to death working for Dad," he said. "It sounds crazy but it's true. It was about 1986 or '87 and I worked for the company. In the very early stages, we were barely making it. I had two young children and we were living next door to Mom and Dad and we were trying our best. We were basically supporting three families with Duck Commander but we weren't doing it very well."
Robertson said the company barely survived that era.
"I look back now and say I hated that people had to suffer for me to enter ministry, but some guys approached me and said, 'We'll support you through that process' and I did it," he said, although it took him a while to warm up to the idea of being a preacher. "I thought most preachers and pastors were weird."
His brother Jase had just graduated from high school and came along to preaching school in 1988.
"That doesn't sound very spiritual or noble but it's true. But once in there, I obviously had a great love and passion for it," Robertson said. "We both interned for the local church here and I stayed on 22 years after that. That's the only church I ever worked at -- the same church Dad and Mom were saved at. We still go to the same church ... my brothers and Uncle Si and when we're not on the road we are there on Sunday and Wednesday."
Robertson said going to their local church and being surrounded by people they've known for 30 years or more keeps them grounded. The church has also embraced the Duck Dynasty fame and welcomes fans who want to join in worship services.
"A lot of people come here to get baptized and we're all about it," Robertson said. "Why would we turn that down when they want to come turn themselves in to Christ?"
Robertson said even though he's not in full-time ministry anymore, he realized participating in the show would give him more opportunities to share the Gospel outside of his local church.
"We do get the opportunity to travel all over the country and tell our story, so it's really turned into a great thing and we're very glad we did it," he said.
As the only beardless brother on the show, Robertson said he takes some razzing from his siblings.
"It's funny because they are pressuring me not to grow a beard because they like to make fun of me for not having one," he said. "I would probably grow one but the show and everybody else says no, you've got to be true to Al. You got to be the beardless brother."
Robertson has let his hair grow longer. It's his way of rebelling.
As for The Duck Commander Faith and Family Bible, Robertson said he and his dad hope that fans of the show will see it as a way to talk about faith with their friends and family.
"This is something you can put into the hands of a cousin, a friend or co-worker who loves the show and you've been thinking of a way to put something spiritual into their lives," he said. "That's what we're hoping with this -- to definitely encourage believers to not only use it for their own encouragement but to reach out to others."
Religion on 10/11/2014