Faith in Public Spaces: Displaying Jesus or Bringing Jesus?

Faith in Public Spaces is a reflection series written by Jason Best, Founder of Paladin Sports Outreach. Drawing from experiences in professional sports, youth athletics, coaching, and ministry, these articles explore what it means to faithfully engage sports, culture, and public life through the lens of Christian discipleship.

Why faithful presence requires more than public profession

In Part 1 of this series, we explored why sports aren’t neutral.

Sports shape values. They influence identity. They help form our understanding of success, sacrifice, perseverance, and belonging.

In Part 2, we took a more personal look inward.

If we’re going to publicly express our faith, we should first examine our motives. Christianity has always been public, but it was never intended to be performative.

If sports are already shaping people and if our motivation matters, then another question naturally follows:

What does faithfully bringing Jesus into sports actually look like?

At Paladin, we often use the phrase: Bring Jesus. It’s become something of a mantra for our ministry. But over the years, I’ve realized something. There is a difference between displaying Jesus and bringing Jesus.

Those two things aren’t opposed to one another. But they aren’t always the same thing.

There is nothing wrong with wearing Christian apparel. There is nothing wrong with sharing Scripture. There is nothing wrong with praying publicly, talking openly about your faith, or giving glory to God after a game.

Followers of Jesus should never be ashamed of the Gospel.

The Apostle Paul writes:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16

Public expression of faith has value. But these expressions should never become substitutes for faithfully living out the character of Christ.

Anyone can wear a shirt.
Anyone can quote Scripture.
Anyone can post a Bible verse.
Anyone can put “Follower of Jesus” in an Instagram bio.

Bringing Jesus looks different.

It looks like the coach who refuses to belittle a struggling player.
It looks like the athlete who congratulates an opponent after a difficult loss.
It looks like the parent who models grace instead of anger toward an official.
It looks like encouraging the teammate who isn’t getting playing time.
It looks like apologizing when you’ve lost your temper.
It looks like serving families who have nothing to offer in return.
It looks like competing with integrity when nobody else is watching.

These moments rarely make headlines and they don’t generate likes or comments. But they communicate something far more powerful than a slogan ever could.

When Paul describes the evidence of a life transformed by Christ, he doesn’t point us toward outward symbols. He points us toward inward transformation.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” Galatians 5:22–23

Notice what isn’t on that list. But the fruit of the Spirit is…

A Christian T-shirt.
A social media post.
A Bible verse on a wristband.

None of those things are wrong. But none of them, by themselves, are evidence of spiritual maturity.

Love is.
Patience is.
Kindness is.
Self-control is.

Those things can’t be screen-printed, they can’t be posted, they have to be lived.

I think that’s what Jesus meant when He said:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

He didn’t say people would recognize His followers because they wore the right message, He said they would recognize us by the way we loved.

As coaches, parents, athletes, and leaders, we should absolutely be willing to speak about our faith when the opportunity comes. But perhaps our greatest testimony isn’t found in what we say. Perhaps it’s found in how we live before we ever speak.

Years from now, most kids won’t remember the shirt you wore. They’ll remember how you treated them and they’ll remember whether you believed in them.

Whether you were patient.
Whether you were gracious after a loss or a mistake.
Whether you celebrated them instead of yourself.
Whether they experienced something different because you were there.
Whether they experienced Jesus through you.

That’s why “Bring Jesus” has become such an important phrase for our ministry. It isn’t a marketing slogan, it’s a challenge.

A reminder that wherever we go, we carry the name of Christ with us.

Into practices.
Into games.
Into team meetings.
Into conversations.
Into victory.
Into defeat.
Into every public space we’ve been given.

Because bringing Jesus isn’t about displaying a message, it’s about faithfully representing a Person.

In the final part of this series, I want to explore one last thought: Many people know exactly what Christians are against. But do they know what we’re for?

Because perhaps our greatest public witness isn’t found in winning arguments, perhaps it’s found in the quiet consistency of a life marked by love.