In this conversation, hosts Paul Brandes and Bill Gorman are joined by wife, parent, and photographer Allie Coyle to dive into one of the foundational concepts from the Bible: the cultural mandate. Together, they explore what it means to be invited by God into his creation, tasked with being fruitful, multiplying, and cultivating the world around us.

Allie shares thoughtful insights on how the cultural mandate extends beyond just having children, touching on work, creativity, and spiritual growth—reminding us that every person, regardless of their season of life, is called to participate as an image bearer of God. The discussion weaves through the joys and challenges of parenting, the beauty of daily faithfulness, and even how a creative vocation, like photography, fits into God’s original calling for humanity.

This episode also gets real about facing the hardships brought by the brokenness of the world, offering practical wisdom on finding rest, modeling faith for the next generation, and living intentionally whether you’re at home, at work, or in community. There are personal stories, laughter, and encouragement for embracing the ordinary and extraordinary ways to live out the cultural mandate right where you are.

3 Main Takeaways:

1. The Cultural Mandate Is For Everyone
   Genesis 1’s "be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it" (often called the cultural or creation mandate) is not limited to biological parenthood. It applies broadly to all people, whether single or married, parents or not. Fruitfulness includes both family life and the creative, meaningful work we do in the world as God’s image bearers.
2. Intentional Living and Work as Cultivation
   Allie gives practical examples of intentionally living out the cultural mandate in everyday life, both as a parent and a professional photographer. The heart of the cultural mandate is to faithfully steward and creatively contribute in whatever context God has placed us.
3. Rest and Dependence in a Broken World
   The conversation acknowledges the realities of Genesis 3—that work and life are often hard and marked by struggle, the importance of honest dependence on God in all areas, and the need for practices of rest to help handle the challenges of life while remaining faithful to the cultural mandate.

Resources:

• The New City Catechism - Tim Keller: https://newcitycatechism.com/
• The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin: https://a.co/d/6pk023c
• The Intentional Father - Jon Tyson: https://a.co/d/6pk023c
• God's Design for Sex Series - Stan and Brenna Jones: https://a.co/d/htzj2YI
• How and When to Tell Your Kids About Sex: A Lifelong Approach to Shaping Your Child's Sexual Character (Parent's Guide): https://a.co/d/1J9rIxK
• Good Pictures, Bad Pictures: Jr. Christian Edition: https://a.co/d/8GIdD1V
• POD 043 | Parenting Insights: Embracing Faith and Family Life with Dan and Mindy Ott: https://youtu.be/2CbfSlx2Qug?si=MK_e48lZofnWngU1

Timestamps:

00:00 "Understanding the Cultural Mandate"

03:29 "Be Fruitful: Make Disciples"

06:57 "Faithful Steps for God's Glory"

12:29 "Intentional Parenting Through Faith"

14:42 "Intentional Milestones for Growth"

16:55 "God's Design and Personal Connection"

22:01 "Capturing God’s Beauty Within"

23:51 "Photographs as Timeless Treasures"

29:22 "Let God Lead My Work"

31:52 "Parenting, Faith, and Letting Go"

35:18 "Prayer as Rebellion Against Darkness"

36:59 Dream of Travel Writing

Hosts Bill Gorman and Paul Brandes talk with Dr. Charles Yu, a biblical scholar and pastor, about the rich complexities of Genesis 1. They explore how ancient Israelites would have understood the creation account, emphasizing that the text was written for us, but not to us. Dr. Charles Yu unpacks the historical, cultural, and theological context behind Genesis 1, offering fresh perspectives on perennial questions like the age of the earth, scientific evolution, and the meaning of the "days" of creation.

If you’ve ever wrestled with how to reconcile the Bible's creation story with modern science—or debated young earth versus old earth interpretations—this episode is for you. Dr. Charles Yu discusses how Genesis 1 focuses less on scientific details and more on profound truths: God’s sovereignty, intentional design, and humanity’s identity and purpose. The conversation also addresses how to navigate differing views within the church with humility and grace.

3 Main Takeaways

1. Genesis 1 is About Identity, Not Science
   Dr. Charles Yu emphasizes that Genesis 1 was written to help the original audience—the ancient Israelites—understand who their God is and who they are, especially in contrast to the surrounding cultures. Rather than a scientific account of how the world was created, Genesis 1 is more a theological declaration that Israel’s God is the true creator, utterly distinct and superior to other gods. The text’s structure and language were aimed at identity formation, not addressing modern scientific questions.
2. Modern Science and Genesis 1 Aren’t in Conflict
   The episode highlights that apparent conflicts between science (e.g., evolution, the age of the earth) and Genesis 1 largely arise because modern readers bring their own questions to the text—questions the original audience wasn’t asking. Dr. Charles Yu encourages readers to focus on the timeless truths Genesis 1 is teaching: God is the creator, creation is intentional and ordered, and humanity is the culmination of God’s creative purpose. Genesis 1 doesn’t address modern scientific theories, so it need not be threatened by them.
3. Charity and Humility in Debating Interpretation
   Throughout the episode, the hosts and Dr. Charles Yu stress the importance of holding charitable, humble conversations with fellow Christians who may interpret Genesis 1 differently. Multiple faithful readings are possible (e.g., young earth, old earth, framework hypotheses), as long as they recognize God as creator. The episode encourages listeners not to create unnecessary divisions and to support those struggling with faith and science, especially students navigating these questions.

Resources:

• Old Testament Theology for Christians: From Ancient Context to Enduring Belief: https://a.co/d/4z9otRQ
• Evangelical Convictions (EFCA Statement of Faith): https://www.efca.org/sof

Timestamps:

00:00 "Genesis, Science, and Theology"

05:40 "Modern Questions, Ancient Context"

08:17 "Genesis and Modern Science Conflict"

12:09 Ancient Cosmology and the Firmament

14:43 "Timeless Truths from Genesis 1"

16:27 "Structured Creation and Divine Planning"

22:07 "Week's Origins and Interpretations"

24:40 "Interpreting 'Days' in Genesis"

29:15 "Primary History's Purpose Explained"

33:17 "Young Earth vs. Genesis Interpretation"

35:28 "Genesis, Numerology, and Meaning"

37:59 "Biblical Numbers: Precision vs. Accuracy"

41:04 "Faith, Science, Genesis Explained"

45:31 "theFormed.life Podcast Recap"

Poem:

Lord,

Dine with us,

Sit with us,

You are welcome here.

Stay with us,

Speak with us,

You are welcome here.

Laugh with us,

Cry with us,

You are welcome here.

Pray with us,

Think with us,

You are welcome here.

Be still with us,

Your will with us,

You are welcome here.

~ Esther Huhn, You Are Welcome Here

Poem:

O come, O come, and be our God-with-us

O long-sought With-ness for a world without,

O secret seed, O hidden spring of light.

Come to us Wisdom, come unspoken Name,

Come Root, and Key, and King, and holy Flame.

O quickened little wick so tightly curled,

Be folded with us into time and place,

Unfold for us the mystery of grace

And make a womb of all this wounded world.

O heart of heaven beating in the earth,

O tiny hope within our hopelessness

Come to be born, to bear us to our birth,

To touch a dying world with new-made hands

And make these rags of time our swaddling bands.

~ Malcolm Guite