Speaking on the Christian Broadcasting Network’s “Faith vs. Culture” podcast, Korie Robertson of “Duck Dynasty” fame explained how the family’s deep and abiding faith in God and reading of Scripture led them to think deeply about the opportunity afforded them by the chance to be on reality television and take the leap to create the show, which they used to help teach people about their Christian faith.
Specifically, Korie, wife of Willie Robertson, said that they were told, “Don’t go to Hollywood,” when they said that they were considering creating the show, but that when they considered the biblical promise of 2 Timothy 1:7, they decided to take the leap of faith and make the show. That verse provides, as translated in the NIV version, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
For context, the passage around the verse reads, “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”
In any case, Korie explained how the verse impacted the family, saying, “[God] says He will be with us wherever we go, so we just asked God’s favor on us, His protection [to be] on us. God says to go into all the world. So whenever anybody asks me, ‘Should I get into entertainment as a believer?’ I’m like, ‘Yes, we need more people in entertainment. We need more light in that [industry].’”
She continued, “The hope is that people might see our story and see our testimony and say, ‘Why is [your life] different? Why do you seem to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness?’ That’s because we have the [Holy] Spirit living in us and we can tell [people] a little more about what Jesus has done for us. It’s not because we’re so great. It’s because we have the Spirit of God living in us and we try to live our lives that way.”
Korie added, “People would come up to us with tears and say, ‘My husband now goes to church because he saw real men who love Jesus,’ and, ‘Our kids will not let us eat before saying a prayer now, because of your show.’ So we just saw so powerfully how entertainment is shaping people and is changing people and how it can move people.’”
She then connected their telling of a faith story through the show to Jesus’ use of parables to teach His followers, saying, “You look back at Jesus and He told parables, He told stories because stories do move people and people relate in that way.”
Watch her here:
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