Kasey’s first foray into sports has been into the world of pickleball. She describes herself as a “novice pickleball enthusiast” that’s part of a gracious and welcoming pickleball community in Dallas. In this pickleball community Kasey has been surprised by the opportunities to talk about Jesus Christ and share her faith.
One woman named Cathy commented to Kasey that Kasey’s husband is a sweet man. Cathy asked if Kasey’s husband was always that way. Kasey proceeded to describe how her husband’s kindness stemmed from his love for Jesus and Jesus’s example of sacrificial love.
Kasey also had a unique conversation with Paul, a man she built a friendship with over many pickleball games. Paul asked Kasey about a romantic relationship he was exploring, and he was curious about how faith connects with real life. Kasey shared that following Christ means laying down all of life to follow Jesus (even if it’s difficult).[1]
Kasey’s pickleball foray illustrates the instruction that Peter gives his readers, “always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Pet 3:15, NASB).[2]
Notice the timing Peter tells us about, “always being ready.” Peter says that we shouldn’t need a piece of paper to describe our hope in Jesus. Peter says we shouldn’t need to Google our answers. Instead, we know the truth in our heart, and we should be able to share it when prompted. In the ancient city of Athens each citizen was expected to have an ability to discuss the current state affairs of the city.[3] In the same way, we should be able to engage in a discussion of our faith in Christ.
Notice also the task that Peter tells us about, “to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” The Greek word for “defense” used here is the Greek noun, apologia, and comes from the Greek verb, apologeomai, which means “to answer back” or to make “a defense (but not an excuse).” The word literally means to be “ready for an answer.”[4] Our word for “apologetics,” which means an explanation about what we believe, comes from those words.
But what do we defend? In this context, it appears to be our future hope despite present suffering. The curious person might not specifically ask about our hope, but because our hope is the source of everything we do—since Christ is consecrated in our hearts—our answers naturally stem from our hope. This was shown in Kasey’s story that I shared earlier.
Notice the tools that Peter wants us to use, “yet with gentleness and reverence.” The late Bible teacher RC Sproul once wisely stated, “When we engage in debates and arguments, we sometimes allow ourselves to be overcome with the heat of the moment and generate more heat than light.”[5] The Christian is supposed to always be a gentleman or gentlewoman, even when opposed or criticized by unbelievers. This is important for us to remember because we might be gruff instead of gentle, or rude instead of reverent. It takes conscious effort to be gentle and respectful in how we answer others.[6]
Peter teaches us that to evangelize others, we must adequately articulate the hope of our faith. I know this can be scary, but let me give you a little encouragement.
Being able to adequately articulate the hope of your faith is easier than you might think .Jesus Christ told us that the Holy Spirit will help us with what needs to be said in situations. “For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:12). Describing our faith is easier than you think because a basic understanding of the Bible and theology helps us to do this. If we have a basic understanding of the Bible being sixty-six books, that Jesus was fully God (Col 1) while also fully man (Phil 2), that the return of Jesus is future yet undated, and that we can use the Romans Road to show how someone is saved, then we have a great amount of information we can share with others.
Being able to adequately articulate the hope of your faith is also more important than you might think. Seventy-five years ago most people knew about the gospel because it was cultural to go to church on Sundays, they heard Billy Graham share the gospel at an event, they watched the gospel shared in the Charlie Brown Christmas, or they attended a Vacation Bible School put on by a local church. Those things are not as prevalent in our culture now, and as a result it’s even more important that we share our faith with others.
Training to adequately articulate the hope of your faith is more accessible than you might think. We have the ability, as twenty-first century Americans, to not just own a Bible, but we have an education provided to us so that we can read it. We have been taught methods for correctly interpreting the Bible such as the inductive Bible study method. We have the freedom to meet with others for a discipleship study. We can even take free online classes provided by Christian seminaries. It’s never been easier in America to deepen our understanding of our faith and learn how to share our faith.
Let’s return back to Kasey’s story and Peter’s letter. It’s important to recognize Peter tells us to always be ready to defend our faith. I hope Kasey’s story can encourage us to build friendships and make connections with people. This is why we must understand what we believe, know why we believe it; and be able to articulate it to others biblically, humbly, and reasonably. In this way I hope we can be ready to talk about Jesus and share our faith when prompted, just like Kasey.
[1] Kasey Olander, “Pickleball Evangelism” in DTS Magazine, spring 2025, 26–31.
[2] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.
[3] A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), “1 Peter 3:15.”
[4] Paul used this word in this way in Acts 22:1; Phil 1:7, 16. A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), “1 Peter 3:15.”
[5] R. C. Sproul, 1 Peter (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2011), 124.
[6] As we share our faith we don’t degrade others; but can and should defend ourselves. We could all benefit from Paul’s advice to Timothy, “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim 2:24–25).