This story was produced in partnership with the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast.
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Torre → produce → podcast
In a cavernous arena in suburban Atlanta one warm day last May, I arrived at 9:00 a.m. with thousands of others to see former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow—not playing football, but as the keynote speaker at a daylong event about faith and business.
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I → arrive → faith
By the time Tebow took the stage, a racially and generationally diverse group of thousands of Christians from metro Atlanta had been sitting in the chilly, dark arena for eight hours, swaying to worship music, laughing at Christian comedians’ wholesome jokes, and listening to tear-jerking testimonials of faith-transformed lives.
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group → take → lives
It had been a long and packed day, but you wouldn’t have known it from the crowd’s rapt attention as Tebow urged us to follow “the plan that he has for you, the good works that he has in store for each and every one of you.
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he → know → you
And then when the king says go, would we just say yes?”
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we → say → ?
What exactly Tebow intended the crowd to say yes to wasn’t clear.
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crowd → intend → What
But earlier in the day, many of them had said yes to something far less metaphysical: a three-day seminar of classes on stock market and real estate investing, for the low price of $97.
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many → say → 97
As athletes go, they don’t get much more wholesome than Tim Tebow.
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they → go → Tebow
The 39-year-old retired NFL quarterback has had a legendary career: In 2007, he became the first sophomore to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy; he then went on to lead the Denver Broncos and defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs, but missed the opportunity to become AFC champs in 2011 against Tom Brady’s New England Patriots.
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he → have → Patriots
Though the latter part of his career fizzled—after underperforming for the New York Jets he shifted sports and embarked on a lackluster stint in minor league baseball while also hosting on ESPN—he remained in the spotlight largely because of his devout Christian faith.
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he → fizzle → faith
So frequently did he drop to one knee on the field that the move became known as “Tebowing.
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move → drop → Tebowing
He made frequent appearances on Christian media outlets, and in 2010 he starred with his mother in an anti-abortion Super Bowl ad sponsored by the right wing faith advocacy group Focus on the Family.
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he → make → Family
Tebow’s piety is more than just praying for a touchdown—he has used his fame and wealth for good works all over the world.
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he → pray → world
Through the Tim Tebow Foundation, founded in 2010, he has helped orphans overseas, put on events for special-needs children, and worked to combat human trafficking.
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he → found → trafficking
God “sent his son in the greatest love story rescue mission of all time because that’s how much he values people,” he said an appearance on Fox & Friends last year.
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he → send → Fox
“We get to care for people and we get to value them wherever they’re at, and that changes everything.”
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that → get → everything
In the last few years, one expression of Tebow’s love for others has included regular speaking gigs at Life Surge, the company sponsoring the event I attended.
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I → include → event
For as little as $20, attendees get a full day of Christian celebrity speakers, uplifting preaching, worship music, and advice they are told will transform their finances.
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they → get → finances
Throughout the day, members of the audience are offered opportunities to enroll in three days of “impact classes” for $97.
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members → offer → 97
Those who attend then have the chance to enroll in “SurgeU”—a series of courses promising to “surge your resources and influence through real estate and trade—for Kingdom impact.”
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who → attend → impact
SurgeU doesn’t come cheap: Packages range from about $10,000 to $40,000.
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Packages → come → 40,000
Should you want to enroll but lack the cash, Life Surge connects you with a third-party lender.
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Surge → want → lender
Founded in 2020, Life Surge hosts about 30 one-day events a year in locations all over the country.
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Surge → found → country
In 2025, according to Life Surge, 117,000 people attended one-day events.
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people → accord → events
The model is clearly successful, albeit not unique; many other companies offer motivational seminars leading to pricey financial classes.
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companies → offer → classes
What makes Life Surge stand out is its Christian messaging.
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Surge → make → ?
The company emphasizes the concept of “kingdom impact.”
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company → emphasize → impact
Basically, the more money you make, the more good works you can do, whether through tithing or Christian charity.
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you → make → tithing
Tebow isn’t the only athlete who has spoken at Life Surge; the company has an impressive roster, including all-time greats like the NBA’s Magic Johnson, and the NFL’s Joe Montana.
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company → speak → Johnson
On the day I attended, other speakers included former ESPN host Sage Steele, comedian Jeff Foxworthy, and Christian twin real estate influencers the Benham Brothers (whose HGTV show was canceled before it even aired after David Benham’s homophobic remarks surfaced).
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remarks → attend → Steele
Life Surge spokesperson Richard Lorenzen declined to disclose how much Life Surge pays its speakers, but Athlete Speakers, a speakers’ bureau, estimates that for the biggest names—including Tebow—fees can be as high as $100,000 per appearance.
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fees → decline → appearance
In 2024 and 2025, Tebow spoke at 10 Life Surge events per year, and in 2026, he’s on track to have spoken at 20 events by year’s end—putting his estimated potential total earnings so far in the neighborhood of $2-$4 million from Life Surge alone.
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he → speak → Surge
On Google reviews, out of a possible 5 stars the company has 4.8, with satisfied customers gushing about the inspiring speakers and helpful financial advice.
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customers → have → speakers
“One of the best events I have been to,” wrote one.
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one → write → events
Learned so much and the opportunities offered for continued learning was great.
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opportunities → learn → learning
Another enthused, “This was an Awesome event for my life!
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This → enthuse → life
I highly recommend going if you get the chance.
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you → recommend → chance
Knowledge, worship, inspiration and guidance you can use today!”
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you → use → Knowledge
But elsewhere—in Reddit threads, on a Life Surge Complaints FB group with 1,300 members, and in complaints to the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau—hundreds of attendees swap stories of high-pressure sales tactics infused with Christian messaging.
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hundreds → swap → messaging
“We believed that it would be a Christian-based day of like minded business people,” wrote an attendee in a complaint to the FTC from earlier this year.
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attendee → believe → FTC
…and 112 more, not listed.
The Aporia
