It has been six years since Duck Dynasty has been on the air, but Phil and Alan Robertson have yet to slow down.
As the patriarch of the family, 78-year-old Phil has set a legacy his son Alan shares. He has no problem looking up to his dad and mom. In an interview with Baptist News Global, Phil and Alan reminisced about their times on the show and their love for teaching the Bible.
They don’t linger long on their past success, knowing a lot has changed in six years. One of these changes is their popular podcast, “Unashamed,” which is one of the top-rated podcasts in the nation. Phil also has authored four successful books since the show aired. His latest is I Could Be Wrong, But I Doubt It: Why Jesus Is Your Greatest Hope on Earth and in Eternity, a title many of Phil’s avid podcast followers find both fitting and recognizable.
Phil co-wrote the book with his brother-in-law, Gordon Dasher, whom he credits greatly for his contributions.
Jesus is the only one worth following, Phil says. “There are lots of people who claim to have the answers for a better life. Politicians claim they can fix our nation. Scientists and technology experts trumpet the latest and greatest discoveries that’ll make everything right. Self-help gurus offer one pathway to peace after another. But it’s no secret that our world is increasingly divided and broken, and we’ve got the anxiety and hopelessness to prove it. Jesus alone can make good on the promise of lasting peace, real peace, real freedom, and life eternal.”
In his plainspoken manner, Phil believes hope in Jesus is what people need most right now. “I have no hope without Jesus of Galilee,” he said. “None of us do.”
Alan Robertson
Alan, who co-hosts the podcast with Phil, shares that hope.
Phil is the father of three sons and one daughter. He understands his own time on earth will be winding down, yet he is assured his legacy will carry on through his children and grandchildren.
Alan explains that his father’s background and transformation came in large part because of his mother. “The thing with my family — and especially dad — is, I think, about legacy, consistency in Jesus. I’ve seen it in Dad over the course of his whole life.”
Alan wants podcast listeners to see his dad in action.
“The reason people love the podcast so much comes down to two reasons,” Alan muses. “One is, it’s just a Robertson Bible study. I mean, you know, the things people loved about us from the show and all that — just we’re authentic. We’re real, and we love the Bible. And so, I think they love that, because that’s our guide. We just do Bible study, and we tell some funny stories along with what’s going on in our lives. The Bible’s the driver.”
“It’s not like we’ve just fell off a truck and opened up the Bible.”
And second, “when you put the four of us together, you have about 120 years of Bible teaching if you combined all our years together. So, it’s not like we’ve just fell off a truck and opened up the Bible. We’ve been teaching and studying and sharing the word of God for all those years combined together. Dad first, and then all the rest of us. And so, I think you’re getting those different perspectives. And it feels like to our audience, that they’re in our living rooms having a Bible study.”
Phil and Alan are authentic, which keeps their audience coming back, but they realize not everyone may like what they’re offering. That doesn’t bother them. They intend to remain true to God and their audience, while keeping their message simple.
“It’s very simple, but it’s profound because in our culture, some don’t want that Bible stuff,” Phil said. “I don’t know where I would be without (God), and his word.”
Related article:
What I learned from spending three days with the ‘Duck Dynasty’ family | Opinion by Maina Mwaura
