Jase Robertson baptizes 'Duck Dynasty' fan: Finding faith in an unlikely place

The Christian Chronicle ^ | March 2013 Print Edition. | JAMES BUCE

[thackney]

When Brandon Hooks’ mother introduced him to “Duck Dynasty,” he found the A&E reality series funny and entertaining.

But he did not expect a television show to change his life.

Hooks, 31, seldom attended church while growing up. The only time he went was when his family visited his grandmother’s house. Throughout most of his life, he gave faith little thought.

He did, however, grow to love hunting and fishing. This passion for outdoor activities would help guide him to discover his own faith and love for Christ.

In 2006, Hooks began dating his future wife, Jessica, 29, a member of the Memorial Church of Christ in Houston. He started attending services with her.

After the couple married in 2007, Hooks kept joining his wife at church. He was welcomed with his family and made many friends at the congregation. However, something still seemed to be missing. 'Hooks still felt unable to make a connection to anyone with whom he could relate spiritually.

Last year, Hooks’ mother, Shelia Hooks, introduced him to “Duck Dynasty,” which is filmed in West Monroe, La., two hours north of his parents’ home in Pleasant Hill, La.

The show — which drew 6.5 million viewers to its final episode of 2012 — follows the Robertson family as they operate a thriving duck call and decoy business while staying true to their family values.

Duck Commander Phil Robertson and his son, Al, both serve as elders for the White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe. Other family members also are active with the congregation.

Hooks said he appreciated the values that the Robertsons profess and the family meal — preceded by a prayer — which the family shares at the end of each episode.

Curious about the Robertsons, he checked into their background online. He came across a 15-minute video of Willie Robertson, CEO of the family’s Duck Commander business, speaking at chapel at Harding University in Searcy, Ark.

It was then, Hooks said, that he began thinking about God and faith.

After hearing Willie reflect on his faith, Hooks listened to several clips of Phil Robertson, the family patriarch, preaching and telling the story of Jesus.

The Gospel message began to click with Hooks.

“Phil Robertson really brought it full circle,” Hooks said.

Hooks decided that he wanted to be baptized and told his wife of his decision. Without his knowledge, she contacted the Robertsons and told them of the impact they had made on her husband’s faith journey.

To her surprise, the Robertsons responded, she said.

“Our family decided we would do our best to facilitate requests to baptize those who ask, and we do it by having them come to a Sunday or Wednesday service at the White’s Ferry Road building,” said Al Robertson, a former longtime preacher for the congregation.

“I will typically talk with them about the importance of the Gospel and response to it as well as the importance of emphasizing who they are being baptized into and not who is baptizing them.”

Brandon and Jessica Hooks, along with their 3-year-old daughter, Abby, traveled to West Monroe, about 350 miles northeast of Houston, where the Robertsons welcomed them like family.

“What you see on the show is how they are,” Brandon Hooks said. “They are all down to earth.” Kay Robertson, Phil’s wife and the family matriarch, hugged everyone, telling the Hookses, “We don’t shake hands around here.”

In front of his family and the White’s Ferry Road congregation, Hooks made his public profession of faith in Christ and was baptized by Jase Robertson.

In a small town in northeast Louisiana, Brandon Hooks’ life changed forever — not because of who baptized him, he said, but because of his decision to follow Christ.

“I know some people would say I did this just to meet them or have a famous person do it. That was not it,” Hooks said. “I wanted them to do it because I connected with them.”

After years of going to church and not feeling connected, Brandon Hooks found faith and began his journey with Christ in the most unlikely of places.

[stuartcr]

My wife and I think it’s the just about the best show on tv. There’s never anything bad, no cussing, no meanness, just wholesome family entertainment. The fact that they all say grace at the dinner table at the end is refreshing to see on tv nowadays. Hopefully there will be a few more seasons.

[thackney]

You will like hearing more of the background story then:

Faith, family and ducks: Behind the scenes of ‘Duck Dynasty’
http://www.christianchronicle.org/article2159776~Faith%2C_family_and_ducks%3A_Behind_the_scenes_of_%27Duck_Dynasty%27

[wizr]

Thank you. Never watched it. Now, I will.

[thackney]

Just don’t expect more than silly entertainment with a good ending. But it is clean fun, if a bit wasteful.

[V_TWIN]

“The fact that they all say grace at the dinner table at the end is refreshing to see on tv nowadays.”

Refreshing? Unfortunatly it’s pretty much completly unique.
Having said that, the wife and I are looking forward to the 2013 season. We also appreciate the wholsome values.

Wonder how long it’ll be before obama tries to shortcircuit the show. Can’t be having people around that have morals and values. /s/

[massgopguy]

When I first saw it listed I thought it was Scrooge McDuck.

[rktman]

Love the show. Love the values. Think they’ll turn their guns in? It’s folks like this that will suffer economically if the radical left wing extremist demokkkrats get their way and ruin the firearms industry. Oh, wait. Guns and the 2nd amendment are only about hunting. NOT! Do you suppose that ram eemanual will divest any pension funds involving these folks? Maybe if he finds out they are God loving people he will.

[angcat]

I love Jase and I love this show!

[thackney]

Think they’ll turn their guns in?

I really enjoyed the scene where Jase and Willie are practicing driving golf balls and Si and Phil are shooting them like trap.

[angcat]

My fav. one was when Jase filled up the loading dock with water to do a test with the ducks. Willie is so funny but I love uncle Si he is a pissa.

[Free America52]

I love this show, my 11 year old niece got me hooked on it.

[stuartcr]

I read some interesting stuff on them. Phil was #1 QB in front of Terry Bradshaw when they were in college. We look forward to a new season.

[stuartcr]

I can’t imagine anything else on tv that would have a family at the dinner table.

[thackney]

Duck Punt: How Phil Robertson found stardom after giving up football
http://college-football.si.com/2012/03/22/duck-punt-how-phil-robertson-found-stardom-after-giving-up-football/

In the late 1960s in Ruston, Louisiana, two Bulldog quarterbacks’ life paths diverged sharply. You might have heard of Terry Bradshaw, who went on to attain the top pick in the 1970 NFL Draft, a lengthy career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, four Super Bowl victories, a spot in the Hall of Fame and a second career in front of the camera. You might not have heard of Phil Robertson, who was ahead of Bradshaw on Louisiana Tech’s depth chart but gave up football with one year of eligibility remaining because the game and any future in it interfered with his heart’s dearest passion: duck-hunting season.

[rktman]

They will survive when the SHTF. Faith in God and skills. If it weren’t for the weather, we’d still live down there amongst the coonasses. Who would I rather hang with? The Robertsons or john f’n kerry (thurston howell III) types. I think Phil and the boys without hesitation. (Does Terry Bradshaw send Phil a thank you card every Christmas?)

[angcat]

Don’t let all that hair fool you, before the show started they were clean shaven and very handsome the three son’s that is Willie, Jase and Jep. I saw some pics of uncle SI in his younger days and he was not bad!

[thackney]

Robertson went to work as a schoolteacher for several years after graduating from Tech, obtaining his master’s degree in education via night classes, with a concentration in English. “I kinda liked ol’ Shakespeare and them guys, you know,” Robertson said. “I went back and got my master’s just in case. I thought, if I ever needed it, I’d have the sheepskin to show people no matter how dumb I looked, actually I was about half intelligent. I got the degree to let ‘em know I wasn’t as dumb as I acted.”

http://college-football.si.com/2012/03/22/duck-punt-how-phil-robertson-found-stardom-after-giving-up-football/

[smith5460]

That’s right. Phil was the starting quarterback at Louisiana Tech for the first part of Bradshaw’s junior year. While playing Delta State, Phil got knocked out of the game.

Bradshaw took over the reigns as starting QB for Tech, and the rest is history. Bradshaw became Pro Football Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl champion. Phil loved hunting more than football, so he started making duck calls and created his duck business.

[stuartcr]

I imagine he’s glad he made that choice too.