Just like hunting season, you can count on the Robertson family from the hit show "Duck Dynasty" delivering an unabashed message of faith during their "Duck Commander Sundays." And just like the Louisiana ducks, this past Sunday the family didn't disappoint the faithful. From daugher-in-law Missy and grandson Cole leading the congregation in music, to Phil cracking a joke about atheists, the bearded brothers became the bearded bretheren as the masses hung on every word.
"Our attendance doubled on Sunday and I can't tell you how many visitors told me that there is just something about White's Ferry Road church that feels like you just came home," Ryan Howard, brother of Willie Robertson's wife Korie, told TheBlaze in an email. He said the West Monroe church's two Sunday morning services had over 3,000 people.
"No one ever leaves feeling unwanted or like an outcast. All our welcome," he said. "Hey Jack, after all we have camo-clad bearded burly men leading our service, all of who are more than willing to tell you their own story of redemption."
Those familiar with the show -- which considering it is cable's most popular ever means there are plenty of you -- will remember family patriarch Phil Robertson mentioning the annual event during the show's first season.
“Duck Commander Sunday is basically a redneck rendition of fearing God, loving your neighbor,” Phil said during the episode before employing his trademark line: “We all sing church songs, everybody wearing camo, and everybody happy happy happy.”
As Howard alluded to, plenty of the Robertson men have quite the redemption stories. Phil details them in his book, not shying away from talking about his past wild days, plus those of his sons Alan, Jep, and Willie. (He says Jase is the only one to have "stayed the course" and never deviated.)
Maybe that's why Howard called the services "electric."
"The truth is, it is hard to not get chills at least a few times," he said, especially of the music."Missy, did a solo during one song and you could have heard a pin drop in the room. It was beautiful."
Missy tweeted about the experience on Sunday, which she shared with her son Cole:
Missy Robertson singing during Duck Commander Sunday on Sep 1, 2013. (Source: Twitter.com/MissyDuckWife)
And as if the "Duck Dynaty" base needed another reason to fall in love with Phil, Howard offered a little insight into what the sermon was about, which included a little bit of the Founding Fathers.
"The classic Phil charge about faith, family, and the American way. It never gets old hearing his rousing speech about our Founding Fathers and to just think about how much our nation has turned from so much of what made it great," he said. "We all left feeling moved and inspired to not stand idle and make a difference."
"His message included no fluff, rather it was gut punch reality," Local blogger Royce Ogle, who attended, added on his website GraceDigest.com. "Our country has declined in direct proportion to how we have nationally forgotten God. He quoted many of the founders of our Republic and compared them to the leaders we have today, it’s not pretty. One of my favorite quotes this morning was 'Our problems don’t have a political solution, they only have a spiritual solution.'"
But of course Phil also added humor. Howard sent along this video of Phil cracking a joke about atheists. As he tells it, even a non-believer would feel comfortable if confronted by a gang of men late at night carrying Bible's instead of the alternative:
The crowd loved it, just like America is loving the show.
You can get more of the Robertsons every Wednesday on A&E at 10pm ET.
