What is “Running the Way”
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
—Hebrews 12:1–2
Running the Way began with a simple conviction: to follow Jesus is not to check a box or wear a label. It is to pursue and practice the Way of Jesus—day by day, step by step, together.
I love how Hebrews 12 talks about faith as a race, not a status. Races are dynamic. You can’t spectate your way to the finish. You lace up, you breathe, you sweat, you stumble, you get back up, and you keep moving. Discipleship is like that. It’s not just what we believe; it’s what we practice—how we live, love, forgive, serve, and show up in the world. Running the Way is an invitation to that kind of life.
Why “running”?
Because movement matters. Faith grows in motion.
Hebrews gives us three anchors for the journey:
A cloud of witnesses. We don’t run alone. Saints and mentors, grandmothers and neighbors, prophets and friends line the course and cheer us on. Their stories steady our pace.
Laying aside weights. There are burdens that slow us down—shame, cynicism, hurry, fear, and habits that fray our attention and compassion. Part of discipleship is learning to set them down.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus. He is the course-setter and pace-setter. The Way of Jesus shows us how to be human: grounded in love, courageous in truth, generous in mercy, fierce in justice, and joyful in hope.
Running the Way brings these anchors into the rhythms of ordinary life—work, family, friendships, neighborhoods—so that following Jesus becomes less about a moment and more about a movement.
Practice, not perfection
We say physicians practice medicine and attorneys practice law. Why? Because mastery isn’t a switch you flip; it’s a craft you learn. The same is true of faith. We practice the Way of Jesus.
Practice looks like small, repeatable steps:
Choosing presence over distraction.
Asking better questions before forming judgments.
Making space at our tables for people at the margins.
Reconciling instead of rehearsing resentment.
Speaking peace into tense rooms.
Telling the truth with kindness.
Serving without needing to be seen.
You don’t need a spiritual growth spurt. You need faithful, small steps—daily acts that train your heart toward love.
The Way of Jesus in three movements
Running the Way focuses on three core movements that shape our life together. They’re simple enough to remember, deep enough to spend a lifetime exploring:
Hospitality (Welcome).
Jesus ate with people others avoided. He welcomed children, dignified the poor, and made space for the weary. To run in his Way is to turn tables into places of belonging. It’s learning to say, “There’s room for you here,” and to mean it.Peace (Shalom).
Peace is not the absence of tension; it is the presence of right relationships. It looks like repairing what’s broken—within us and between us. It resists violence, domination, and contempt. It builds bridges. It tells the truth. It listens well.Healing (Wholeness).
Jesus heals—bodies, minds, memories, and communities. We join his work by tending to what hurts, by becoming people who can hold pain without becoming hard, and by creating cultures that do the same.
These three movements give us a roadmap. They’re not boxes to check but ways of being that transform our homes, churches, workplaces, and cities.
Laying aside weights
Hebrews names something we all know: some “weights” are heavy. Maybe it’s the news cycle that leaves you numb. Maybe it’s a script you learned—“I’m not enough,” or “nothing will change.” Maybe it’s hurry, scrolling, or an old wound that keeps talking.
Here’s good news: you don’t have to fix everything at once. Identify one weight you can set down this week. Replace it with one practice that points you toward Jesus. Small steps are how endurance is born.
Try one:
One-table practice: Share a meal with someone you don’t usually eat with. Listen more than you speak.
One-peace practice: Before responding to a frustrating message, take three deep breaths and ask, “What does love require of me?”
One-healing practice: Name one worry out loud to God or a trusted friend. Ask for help. Receive it.
Eyes on Jesus
The heart of all this is not our effort; it’s our focus. We fix our gaze on Jesus—the one who “for the joy set before him endured the cross.” He shows us that love is stronger than fear, mercy deeper than failure, and hope sturdier than despair. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—not as a slogan but as a path you can actually walk.
Running the Way is about learning that path together. It’s about creating simple, repeatable practices that train us to love like Jesus in real life. It’s about forming communities where hospitality, peace, and healing are normal, where people are seen and safe, and where we keep cheering each other to the finish.
How this space will help
Here’s what you can expect from Running the Way:
Short reflections that ground practice in Scripture—especially the Gospels—and make it doable.
Simple tools (questions to ask, conversations to try, weekly rhythms) that help you take the next faithful step.
Stories of ordinary people practicing the Way in kitchens, classrooms, boardrooms, and neighborhoods.
Guides for groups—so small groups, book clubs, and teams can run together.
This isn’t about spiritual achievement. It’s about faithful movement. Together.
Ready to start?
Pick one step this week:
Invite someone to your table.
Apologize first.
Speak blessing over a person you find difficult.
Take a slow walk and pray the names of people you love.
Read Luke 10:25–37 or John 13, and ask, “How can I practice this today?”
And as you do, remember the promise of Hebrews 12: you’re not running alone. A great cloud of witnesses surrounds you. The Spirit strengthens you. Jesus runs beside you and before you.
Let’s run the Way—eyes up, hearts open, step by step.
