What began as a blend of business training and faith expression has grown into a nationwide movement drawing thousands of people to commit or recommit their lives to Christianity.

Life Surge, a faith-driven business and leadership event series, has seen rapid growth and sparked a wave of spiritual conversions across the United States since its launch in 2021, CBN reported.

Founded by entrepreneur Joe Johnson, Life Surge started in just two cities but expanded to over 30 by 2024. The organization teaches attendees how to generate and multiply financial resources to make a lasting impact on their faith communities.

Faith and Finance Brought Together on National Stage

Johnson, who previously founded real estate firm Welfont, identifies strongly with his Christian beliefs and designed Life Surge around the principle of combining biblical truths with practical financial instruction. He views the idea of being "fruitful and multiply" in a business context as a key philosophy of the events.

Each Life Surge gathering features presentations from well-known faith-based entrepreneurs and public figures. Recent events have included speakers like former NFL star Tim Tebow, worship leader Chris Tomlin, entrepreneur Robert Herjavec, and author Priscilla Shirer, among many others.

At a recent event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, over 5,000 attendees took part in a full-day experience filled with worship, teaching, and vocational tools aimed at helping them steward their financial lives for religious purposes. The event also led to over 1,000 public decisions for Christ, according to the organization.

Significant Response in Grand Rapids Event

Speakers at the Grand Rapids gathering included motivational figures such as Nick Vujicic, Calvin Johnson, Anne Beiler, and Ed Mylett, among others. Worship music was led by Paul and Hannah McClure, contributing to the spiritually charged atmosphere of the event.

Shawn Marcell, president of Life Surge, called the turnout and spiritual decisions in Grand Rapids “nothing short of a move of God.” He added that his hope was for the revival to continue, not just locally, but in cities across the country.

“Seeing thousands of people worship together and over a thousand respond to the Gospel in one city,” said Marcell, “is not something we anticipated when we launched these events.”

Spiritual Transformation Across the Country

The Grand Rapids event was part of a summer tour that has included stops in major urban centers across the United States. In Anaheim, California, more than 1,200 people responded to a Gospel message, a number that represented more than a quarter of the total audience.

Similarly, events in San Francisco and Portland, Maine each drew over 1,000 individuals to make similar faith commitments. Life Surge officials described what they are seeing as a “spiritual revival” and acknowledged that this level of response was not part of their original event format.

Initially, Life Surge did not include specific Gospel presentation moments, as the events were largely promoted to a Christian audience. Marcell noted that they assumed attendees already held similar beliefs, but the overwhelming interest in faith decisions led to a shift in their approach.

Newfound Emphasis on Gospel Invitation

After noticing consistent conversions at early events, Life Surge began explicitly including time during each packed session to provide a spiritual invitation. Marcell said this change was driven by what he called “an awakening” and further emphasized that they will no longer host events without including this moment.

“To be honest, the responses caught us by surprise,” he said. “But now we will not do an event without giving people an opportunity to express their faith in Christ.”

This renewed focus on evangelism has not detracted from the business and leadership components of the Life Surge experience. Instead, it has created what organizers see as a balance between purpose-driven financial growth and faith outreach.

Marketplace Framed as the New Mission Field

The organization continues to emphasize its broader mission of integrating faith with business success. Attendees are encouraged to pursue excellence in their careers as a way to reflect their values and serve as positive examples in the professional world.

Marcell stresses that this model supports the idea that the Christian Great Commission can be effectively expressed outside of church walls, including in the business environment. “The Great Commission is not just for pastors,” he said, adding that most people’s mission field is in fact the workplace.

A Life Surge press statement framed the events as a way to help believers align their financial practices with Kingdom-conscious priorities. This includes discussions on building businesses, wealth management, and purpose-driven investing.

Future Outlook for the Life Surge Movement

With continued geographic expansion and growing attendance, the organization appears committed to evolving both its format and reach. Leadership remains optimistic that the impact will continue to ripple outward into local communities across the country.

“There’s a general awareness among believers that they’ve been placed here for a purpose,” said Marcell. He believes that through business and leadership, attendees are recognizing their capacity to make a difference.

Looking ahead, Life Surge plans to maintain its dual emphasis on marketplace empowerment and faith-based invitation, convinced that spiritual renewal and entrepreneurial growth can go hand in hand.