With a Pickle on the Side Evangelism Evangelism

By Elizabeth Anderson

The words “evangelism” and “witnessing” might resurrect memories of knocking on strangers’ doors, clanking ingathering cans and distributing tent revival or Revelation Seminar invitations. Those traditional methods of sharing the Seventh-day Adventist message still have their place, however, some members from the Columbia Union Conference are learning that being the “salt and light” can show up in different flavors—from pickleball and visual art to the world of tabletop games. These members are allowing Christ’s love to breathe through their hobbies and passions to bring about organic, yet intentional friendships.

Pickleball Flavor

Pickleball, a paddle sport laced with elements from tennis and badminton, has grown exponentially during the past three years, according to a recent Sports and Fitness Industry Association report.

When Jay Alignay, aka “Coach Jay,” a member of Chesapeake Conference’s New Hope church in Fulton, Md., was introduced to the sport last year, he was hooked after playing just a couple of games.

“I played a 15-year-old and an 85-year-old, and lost to the both of them,” he says.

“From that experience, I realized that pickleball was an amazing sport that was inclusive … no matter who you are, what age, what gender, what belief, what background,” noting the sport’s inclusivity also enables those with certain disabilities to also take part.

Alignay dove into the sport, eventually earning a USA Pickleball Certification and becoming a certified coach and referee. Excited to share this newfound passion, he wondered, How can I get my friends and my family involved … and also my co-workers?”

Since his career as a technology architect occasionally involves cross-country travel, he looked for places to play the sport and found opportunities via Facebook and Instagram.

“[People] welcomed me with open arms,” Alignay says. “I could just basically parachute [in] and play pickleball” in any location.

The inclusivity sparked more questions about pickleball’s potential for connecting with the community, church and even the world. Alignay searched for and made connections with other Adventists who had established or operated pickleball programs.

Back at home, in January 2023 Alignay garnered interest in a pickleball ministry with members at Potomac Conference’s Beltsville (Md.) church. A group started playing weekly across the parking lot inside Beltsville Adventist School’s gymnasium.

Since then, Alignay has lauched pickleball groups in six other churches and schools: Olney (Md.) church; Southern Asian church in Silver Spring, Md.; Far West End church in Rockville, Va.; Spencerville church in Silver Spring, Md.; Takoma Academy Preparatory School (TA Prep) in Takoma Park, Md.; and Frederick Adventist Academy (FAA) in Maryland.

With an average of more than 30 members who play at each location, Alignay says he plans to launch 25 more pickleball ministries by the end of the year.

“I’m already getting sponsorships from certain paddle manufacturers and makers who are actually donating and providing paddles for our church programs at no cost,” Alignay says. “It is amazing how the Lord is working every day for us.”

Getting Schooled

By focusing on exercise, pickleball ministry gives churches another pathway to be active stewards of the Adventist Church’s health and education pillars, which ties into the participation of schools.

When Alignay approached principals Drechelle McCray and Jake Villanueva about starting pickleball programs at their schools to extend their community outreach, they responded that they already had the equipment.

“I found out that my current athletic director had already taught some of our students how to play pickleball,” says McCray, principal of Potomac Conference’s TA Prep. “We’re hoping to be able to start [the program] this summer.”

Villanueva, principal of Chesapeake Conference’s FAA, says, “I think everything starts with building a relationship and not with ulterior motives. Our goal is just to build a relationship with someone and get to know them,” he says of the pickleball ministry, run on Tuesday evenings at the school.

This form of ministry not only connects churches and schools with their communities; it also helps link church members who don’t often get the opportunity to interact with each other outside of church.

That’s what Rebecca Abraham is learning from her involvement with the pickleball program at Chesapeake Conference’s Spencerville church. She also plays with friends at the Beltsville and Olney churches.

“I see these church members at various events … and now I might just holler out their nickname,” she says. “I’m connecting with all kinds of people of all ages, of all backgrounds, and mostly a lot of kids, like the students that go to Spencerville [Adventist Academy].”

Luis "Spike" Oms, a Beltsville church member, and his grandson, Alonso Benitez, a student from Olney Adventist Preparatory School, play a pickleball match against D'Jahna Thomas, Takoma Park church Health Ministries leader, and Coach Jay.

Frictionless Intentionality

Alignay says one of his main goals is to make the pickleball experience as “frictionless” as possible for participants. Even though the goal is not overt witnessing, that doesn’t mean intentionality is thrown out the window. Quite the opposite.

“We don’t do an altar call” Alignay says, but certain traditions remain part of the experience.

It′s Your Turn to Serve

• Find an accountability buddy at your gym

• Polish your foreign language skills with a conversation exchange partner

• Volunteer at an established nonprofit

• Lead a book club at your community library

• Organize a pet parade at your local dog park