Faith in Public Spaces: Sports Aren’t Neutral

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 neutrality is still a discipleship choice

For many people, sports represent one of the last remaining places where people from vastly different backgrounds can gather, compete, cheer, and belong.

Sports provide recreation, positive distraction, hope, and community. They give us common ground in an increasingly divided culture. Whether it’s a neighborhood little league game, a high school rivalry, or a professional championship, sports have a unique ability to bring people together around a shared experience.

Part of me wants to protect that.

I don’t want sports to become another battleground where every event carries the weight of the latest cultural debate. I don’t want every game, every jersey, every social media post, or every postgame interview to become a platform for political or ideological messaging.

At the same time, I have a hard time accepting the idea that sports have ever truly been neutral.

Sports teach us things and they shape our understanding of success. Sports influence how we view sacrifice, identity, loyalty, perseverance, and purpose. They communicate what deserves celebration and what deserves criticism.

Athletes wear symbols. Teams host themed nights. Organizations raise awareness for causes they care deeply about. Even when messages aren’t explicitly communicated, sports still shape us.

Competition rewards discipline.
Playing time teaches priorities.
Parents model behavior.
Coaches disciple athletes through every correction, every encouragement, and every response to adversity.

Sports don’t simply develop athletes. They help shape people.

This is one of the reasons we believe spiritual formation belongs in community sports. We’ve written previously about how sports can become one of the most influential environments in a young person’s life. Competition reveals character. Adversity exposes priorities. Relationships create opportunities for discipleship.

In other words, sports are already forming us.

The question isn’t whether discipleship is happening. The question is who—or what—is doing the discipling.

Many Christians understandably desire sports to remain an escape from the tensions of modern culture. There is wisdom in wanting places where people can simply enjoy the game. But disengaging from spaces that shape people is itself a discipleship decision.

Neutrality isn’t always neutral.

Sometimes neutrality simply means choosing which voices are allowed to speak and which voices are expected to remain silent.

As followers of Jesus, we should be thoughtful about whether stepping back from influential spaces is truly an act of neutrality, or simply a decision to allow other influences to occupy those spaces without our presence.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…” Romans 12:2

Paul wasn’t encouraging believers to retreat from culture.

He was reminding them that they would inevitably be shaped by something. The invitation was to intentionally pursue transformation through Christ rather than passively accepting whatever values surrounded them.

I believe the same principle applies to sports.

The answer isn’t for every Christian athlete, coach, or parent to turn every game into a sermon.

Nor is the answer to pretend that sports exist in a vacuum untouched by deeper questions of identity, purpose, and meaning.

Perhaps the better response is faithful presence.

To show up.
To participate.
To compete.
To coach.
To cheer.
To serve.

And to recognize that the environments we occupy are helping shape people whether we acknowledge it or not.

Because sports aren’t neutral.

And if sports are helping form hearts, minds, and habits, then followers of Jesus should consider what it means to faithfully occupy those spaces.

Not to win culture wars. Not to dominate conversations. But to ensure that while sports teach lessons about competition and perseverance, they might also become places where people encounter encouragement, integrity, humility, grace, and love.

The question isn’t whether sports disciple people. The question is who gets the opportunity to do the discipling.