Last November we reported on the South Africa launch of Run With Christ (RWC), a run club ‘movement to make Heaven full’. RWC SA co-leader Zandeli Gamble brings us up to date with developments in the movement in 2026
Over January, the various branches of RWC South Africa — Pretoria, Cape Town, and Despatch — gathered together, joined by Derek Brice and Will Quiliana from RWC USA. Leaders and members spent time in fellowship, worship, prayer, and seeking the Lord together.
More than anything, we were reminded of a truth that must remain at the centre of everything we do: this is not about building a brand, establishing an organisation, or creating a movement through human effort. The Church has never been sustained by strategy, charisma, or ambition. It is built by Christ Himself and empowered by His Spirit.
Jesus is the focus. Jesus is the centre. Jesus is the goal.
The book of Acts reveals a people wholly dependent upon the Holy Spirit — waiting on Him, listening to Him, obeying Him, and allowing Him to direct their steps. They understood that the power of the Church was never found in human ability, but in the presence of God. Their gatherings became places where heaven touched earth because they made room for the Spirit to move.
This is our heart for RWC.
Our desire is not simply to organise runs or create Christian social spaces. Our desire is to cultivate environments where people can encounter the living God, where hearts are transformed by His presence, where the Holy Spirit is free to convict, heal, restore, empower, and draw people to Christ.
One of the most significant moments of our gathering was our time of worship and ministry together. As leaders and members from across the country came together with one heart and one purpose, there was a tangible sense of the Lord’s presence among us. The message shared centred around returning to our First Love, echoing Christ’s words to the church in Ephesus: You have forsaken the love you had at first (Revelation 2:4). It served as a timely reminder that ministry, leadership, outreach, and service can never replace intimacy with Jesus. Before we are leaders, servants, or ministers, we are first called to be lovers of Christ.
As the Word was preached, many believers were deeply convicted by the Holy Spirit. Hearts were stirred, priorities were realigned, and many were reminded of the reason they first surrendered their lives to Jesus. In a season where it can be easy to become consumed with responsibilities, vision, and ministry itself, the Lord lovingly called His people back to simple devotion and wholehearted affection for Him.
In response, many came forward to the altar, laying down burdens, distractions, and misplaced priorities.
There was a genuine hunger to return to that place of first love — to delight in Christ again, not for what He does, but simply for who He is. It was a beautiful picture of believers responding to the invitation of the Holy Spirit and renewing their commitment to walk closely with Jesus.
What followed was a powerful move of God marked by repentance, joy, unity, and refreshing. There was a deep sense of harmony among the Body of Christ as believers worshiped, prayed, encouraged one another, and ministered together. The atmosphere in the room was not driven by emotion or human effort, but by a shared awareness of God’s presence. It felt as though the Holy Spirit had taken hold of the gathering, drawing hearts toward Christ and knitting His people together in love. Many left strengthened, refreshed, and reminded of the privilege of serving Jesus and building His Kingdom.
RWC Stellenbosch recently had its first official launch, and we are currently in the process of launching RWC Potchefstroom and RWC uMhlanga. As these communities develop, we are committed to moving only at the pace of God’s leading, prayerfully seeking His direction every step of the way.
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The vision for RWC South Africa is simple: to create spaces where the presence of God is welcomed and where people can encounter Jesus. Whether in a parking lot, on a running path, in a coffee shop, at a worship gathering, or during a conversation after a run, our prayer is that every environment would become an altar where God can meet with His people.
What began as something called a “run club” has increasingly become a community marked by the presence of God. As we have intentionally chosen to prioritise waiting on the Lord rather than rushing ahead with our own plans, we have witnessed His faithfulness in remarkable ways. We have seen people surrender their lives to Jesus in parking lots, prodigals return home to the Father, believers revived in their faith, and lonely individuals find genuine biblical community and family in Christ.
Every branch may look different, and we believe that is a strength rather than a weakness. Throughout Scripture, God often works uniquely in different places and among different people. Our commitment is not to replicate a formula, but to remain sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Some communities gather for fellowship and discipleship in parks, others run weekly, others engage in outreach and service. Yet, beneath every expression remains the same pursuit: obedience to Jesus and surrender to the Spirit.
We believe one of the greatest dangers in ministry is substituting God’s presence with human effort. We do not want to manufacture what only the Holy Spirit can produce. We do not want activity without anointing, growth without surrender, or influence without intimacy with Christ. We want to be a people who minister from overflow rather than obligation, from communion rather than performance, and from the leading of the Spirit rather than the wisdom of man.
The testimony of Acts was never that believers built something impressive for God. It was that ordinary men and women became fully yielded to the Holy Spirit, and God moved powerfully through them. They devoted themselves to prayer, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the apostles’ teaching. They shared life together, carried one another’s burdens, and witnessed the Lord add to their number day by day. We believe God is still looking for communities like this today — people who are willing to decrease so that Christ may increase, people who make room for His presence and trust Him to build what only He can build.
As we move forward, our prayer is that RWC would remain deeply rooted in humility, love, holiness, and dependence upon God. May every gathering point people to Jesus. May every branch remain sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. May we never lose our first love. May we continue to pursue His presence above platforms, intimacy above influence, and obedience above success. And may lasting fruit come not from our efforts, but from His Spirit working through surrendered lives.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer… And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42,47)
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