Life Surge CEO and founder Joe Johnson endeavors to keep the unity in his community of tens of thousands of Life Surge members as they worship, fellowship and encourage one another. Life Surge is a nationwide movement that’s elevating and uniting individuals in cities throughout the country with its lineup of top Christian speakers and their motivational messages of hope and faith.
“By bringing together some of the top Christian speakers, business minds, entrepreneurs, and worship teams, our hope is to create an atmosphere of transformation,” Johnson explains.
That deep appreciation for community and nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit in others has been with Johnson since he was just a boy. He founded his landscaping company at age 13 and the young businessman quickly learned that no man is an island. “I had to hire a driver to take us around to mow our lawns,” Johnson quips.
By the age of 18, Johnson says he gave his life to Christ and that God called him to serve on a different path than his missionary family. And that inspiring road led him to form Life Surge. “I really just developed a passion for people that were involved in business and that their business was a ministry,” Johnson informs.
Developing Authentic Connections
Founded in 2019, Life Surge has grown from a nascent startup to a nationwide movement. In 2024, its live, in-person events drew over 135,000 attendees to sold-out arenas, an impressive feat just five years in. Johnson credits the success to many longing for connection after years of COVID-19 isolation.
Johnson explains, “People, ever since 2020, lack community in a major way. When everybody was leaving the event world for good reason … we did exactly the opposite, and we knew it was going to be hard, we still were willing to do it. We just are built to do hard things,” Johnson says. “We’re trying to mobilize the Christian community.”
“Many attendees have not been in a large venue like that with other believers,” says Rob Collins, Life Surge’s chief brand officer “There’s power and encouragement, especially if you come from a smaller church.”
The impact of these gatherings is evident through the numerous testimonials and reviews shared by participants who have experienced transformation through the events.
Life Surge’s Faith-Based Approach
Life Surge structures its approach around what they call the “Four W’s of Kingdom Impact”: worship, wisdom, work, and wealth creation. The organization focuses on teaching practical business and investment strategies while maintaining faith-based principles.
“Our views about how to teach people how to invest in real estate, how to start a business, how to scale a business, how to invest in the markets is all led by our faith,” Johnson said.
Jeremy Nosek, Life Surge’s chief marketing officer says those aims are not for its followers to be self-serving. “This is another way that not only can we teach people how to interact and to make money and do it the right way for kingdom impact, but also bring their faith into the marketplace in a bigger way,” Nosek remarks.
In keeping with the community spirit, Life Surge distributed over 130,000 YouVersion Bibles and provided more than $31,000 in hurricane relief during 2024 alone.
“Life Surge’s community is powerful. The power of doing things together, knowing that you’re not alone… every time there is a transformational decision, you probably have another thousand people right behind you from your backyard,” Johnson says.
These community-centered gatherings have garnered positive reviews from faith-based investors who appreciate the organization’s approach to combining financial wisdom with spiritual growth.
Life Surge continues its community-centered approach with upcoming events in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on March 8 with two-time national football champion Tim Tebow, former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, and more; and Honolulu on March 29, with Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec and shark attack survivor and author Bethany Hamilton, whose riveting life story inspired the film Soul Surfer.
“Right now we’re really focused on what we call God’s people, the Christian market, and we want to really equip them,” Johnson explained.
For a deeper look at Life Surge’s impact, read this comprehensive review of their approach and philosophy. You can also watch testimonials from event attendees to get a firsthand look at the Life Surge experience.
