WE’RE ALL IMPERFECT – NOT FULLY WHO GOD CREATED US TO BE. Instinctively, we all know it. So often, though, we’re not even sure where or how to begin to make changes. We need more than a self-help program where we muscle through a list of rules. We need real, lasting transformation. Transformation is change not from the outside in, but from the inside out. It happens when we connect to God and others. Life Groups and Spiritual Running Partners provide the encouraging relationships for authentic transformation to happen by moving together through our Spiritual Growth path, which includes a ton of resources to help you a long the way to becoming all that God created you to be.

Finding community where we can be intentional about our spiritual growth is going to make all the difference in our spiritual journey! Life Groups are 7-15 people who meet together weekly or every other week. We believe transformation happens as we seek to grow in a relationship with Jesus together. We aim to have real and honest conversations as we study the Bible together, all while becoming increasingly known by others who will help us walk out what we learn.

In the same way athletes train to reach physical goals, we need spiritual training partners to provide encouragement, pacing and motivation for spiritual goals. Running Partners encourage one another to become all God intends each person to be.

WHAT DOES A STRONG RUNNING PARTNER GROUP LOOK LIKE? Running Partners are most often a group of two, three or four people. Interestingly, we’ve found that the most successful partners have been groups of three. This size is still small enough to make scheduling easy, but it is large enough to give good feedback and support. Running Partners are typically of the same gender, though sometimes one or two couples may form a group.

HOW DO I CHOOSE MY RUNNING PARTNER(S)? This will sound dumb, but the best way to find a good Running Partner is simply to ask someone to be your Running Partner. Ask a friend, people in your Small Group, or people that you serve with at church. In other words, your best option is just try it out for a while with someone that shares some of your spiritual goals.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN RUNNING PARTNERS MEET? The primary goal is that you will encourage one another to grow in your relationship with God. You can meet any time and place that is convenient for you and your Running Partners. It should just be a time and place that is suitable for personal, and often times private, conversation. You should bring your Running Partner Guide and Questions for use at each of the meetings.

WHAT IF MY RUNNING PARTNERS DON’T SEEM TO BE WORKING WELL TOGETHER? Be open to talking it over with your Running Partners by asking the question, “How does this seem to be working so far?” This is a great open question to ask each other after the first meeting or two. Sometimes it just takes patience to work through some differences in personality. It will also help to regularly review the ‘Running Guidelines’ on your Running Partner Card. As the the group is newly forming remember that you are just “trying it out” together. You don’t have to make a longer commitment than a couple of weeks if you don’t want to.