Run with Christ: Gen Z Movement Spreads Across 80 Cities and Five Countries

A grassroots movement called "Run with Christ" is rapidly expanding across America and beyond, capturing the attention of tens of thousands of young people who gather each week to combine fitness with faith. What started as a modest idea in Columbus, Ohio, has blossomed into a phenomenon spanning more than 80 cities nationwide and five countries, marking one of the most visible expressions of spiritual awakening among Generation Z.

The movement's most recent gathering took place at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., where hundreds of young adults assembled for worship, running, and Gospel teaching. These weekly events have become a hallmark of the movement, drawing participants who might never have stepped foot in a traditional church setting but are hungry for authentic spiritual connection.

From Personal Faith Journey to Global Movement

Twenty-one-year-old Will Garinger founded "Run with Christ" in Columbus with a simple goal: to deepen his own faith. He envisioned creating a small community where participants would share a devotional message before running together. What happened next exceeded his wildest expectations.

"What we thought would be a cool little community where we did a devotional beforehand and then we ran together, ended up turning into hundreds of people gathering on a Saturday morning," Garinger recalled. On September 7, 2024, more than 200 people showed up for a single event in Columbus. "We saw people just getting saved, getting prayed for, and getting plugged into the local church," he said.

The explosive growth caught Garinger and his team off guard, but they quickly recognized they were tapping into something deeper than a fitness trend. Young people were not just coming for exercise—they were coming for community, purpose, and spiritual transformation.

More Than Just a Run Club

Organizers are emphatic that "Run with Christ" represents something far more significant than a running club. Their mission statement declares they aim to move people "from isolated to integrated through faith and fitness." The running itself, Garinger explains, is merely the vehicle for something more profound.

"You show up on a Saturday morning and you're like, oh okay. Am I coming to this competitive running group?" Garinger described. "But you show up, and then there's music and people are loving on you. You're getting hugged and you're getting energy drinks and you're like, what is going on? Running is just honestly the facade of it all to just bring people in. But then we get to share with them the love of Christ."

This approach resonates particularly well with Gen Z, a generation often characterized by high levels of isolation, anxiety, and digital disconnection. Twenty-year-old Sage Morcos, a Baylor University student planning to start a chapter in Waco, Texas, believes the movement's authenticity is key to its success.

"I think Gen Z can really recognize authenticity, and that's why this is so popular, because it's authentic and because Jesus is authentic and he's real," Morcos said. "We're tired of the fakeness, we're tired of the ways of the world. We want to give our lives to something that's bigger than us, and that is the man, Jesus Christ."

A Generation Searching for Meaning

The movement's rapid expansion reflects broader trends among Gen Z—a generation simultaneously labeled as the most anxious and the most spiritually open in recent American history. Participants describe the movement as filling a void that material pursuits and digital entertainment cannot satisfy.

"I think that there's a new fire because people are so desperate," one organizer observed. "They've been seeking every experience, every drug, every alcohol, every experience that they can experience, and realizing that's not gonna sustain them."

Twenty-five-year-old Jacob Merry from Columbus traveled to the Washington, D.C., event and described the group as an answer to prayer. "The Holy Spirit brought me here. I mean, this is a family. I prayed for this group of people for so long, and just to come here and worship and pray for the nation in the nation's capital is such a blessing," he said.

For many participants, the experience transcends words. Twenty-year-old Lauren Hilty from Texas expressed awe at gathering with strangers from different generations and backgrounds to worship together at iconic American landmarks. "I just look around, like we're looking at the Capitol, we were looking at the Lincoln Memorial, and we're sitting here worshiping in our Capitol with people that we don't even know. And the generations coming together and all the nations are coming together, and we're just in awe."

Building Community Beyond Sunday Morning

What distinguishes "Run with Christ" from traditional church models is its emphasis on immediate integration into local faith communities. Organizers work closely with churches in each city, ensuring that new believers and seekers have a place to continue their spiritual journey beyond Saturday morning runs.

The movement's mission statement—"from isolated to integrated through faith and fitness"—captures this intentional approach. Rather than creating an isolated experience, the gatherings serve as entry points into broader Christian community.

Twenty-one-year-old Cimyia Cameron from Alabama noted that "Run with Christ" brought her together with friends she never would have met otherwise and is connecting young people to community "like never before."

A Movement to "Make Heaven Full"

Organizers describe their ultimate vision as a movement "to make heaven full." This ambitious goal drives their rapid expansion and willingness to support new chapters wherever interest emerges. The decentralized model allows local leaders to launch their own gatherings while maintaining connection to the broader movement.

The growth trajectory shows no signs of slowing. With chapters already established in more than 80 cities across the United States and presence in five countries, "Run with Christ" has become one of the most visible examples of spiritual revival among young adults in America today.

As Gen Z continues to challenge conventional assumptions about faith and church attendance, movements like "Run with Christ" demonstrate that reports of Christianity's decline among young people may be premature. Instead, this generation appears to be redefining what faith looks like—seeking authenticity, community, and purpose in forms that meet them where they are, whether that's on a running trail, at a national monument, or in the early morning hours of a Saturday gathering.

For Garinger and thousands of participants, the movement represents something profoundly simple yet transformative: young people running together toward Christ, finding that the journey is just as important as the destination.