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