Joe Johnson, founder and CEO of Life Surge, brings his unique background to the organization’s mission of helping Christians maximize their resources for greater spiritual influence. Born to missionary parents in Brazil, Johnson developed an entrepreneurial spirit at an early age that contrasted with his family’s traditional ministry path.
“When I was 12 to probably 15 years old, I was just wired differently than my family,” Johnson shares. “My family, there are a bunch of pastors and missionaries, and I thought more about money because I didn’t have any.”
Johnson’s business journey began as a teenager with a lawn care service. He hired friends to mow lawns while he focused on acquiring new customers — all before he had a driver’s license. This early venture revealed his natural aptitude for business.
The turning point came when Johnson was 21. After giving his life to Christ at 18, he initially believed his faith required him to focus primarily on church work rather than business. This perspective led to a painful lesson.
“During that time, I spent most of the time at church and not on my business,” Johnson recalls. “I had about 20 employees and I was serving my church very faithfully. Meanwhile, my business was going under and I didn’t even know it.”
His business eventually went bankrupt, leaving him $330,000 in debt. This experience transformed Johnson’s understanding of faith and business.
“The primary reason for my bankruptcy as a young businessman was because of my sacred-secular dichotomy,” Johnson says. “I really did not see my business as the thing that God called me to in terms of my ministry.”
That realization led directly to the creation of Life Surge.
Helping people understand how to create and multiply financial resources to make a difference in their lives and the community around them is a big part of Life Surge’s ethos.
Take Life Surge eventgoer Marco E., for example. He mentioned how attending gave him a new perspective on wealth.
“My mindset changed that I can actually do it and I can do it in a big way and make an impact on the world and the way that I always dreamed about doing,” he said in a video shared on Life Surge’s YouTube channel. “One takeaway is that it’s important to believe in yourself and believe that you have the capability of building wealth as well.”
The ‘Four W’s of Kingdom Impact’
Life Surge focuses on the “Four W’s of Kingdom Impact”: worship, wisdom, work, and wealth. The organization aims to help Christians understand that business can be ministry and that creating resources can advance spiritual goals.
“We want to lead a global movement of people surging their lives God’s way, by inspiring, transforming and equipping believers to do all that God has called them to do,” Johnson states.
Jeremy Nosek, Life Surge’s chief strategy officer, notes that many Christians struggle with connecting faith and financial success.
“There is just a wiring inside of so many Christians that comes from a really young age, which is to be faithful means to struggle and be poor,” Nosek explains. “To bring our Christian faith into the marketplace is really the only way we can bring faith to a group of people that don’t know the love of Jesus Christ.”
Filling a Void in Faith-Based Financial Teaching
Life Surge positions itself between basic financial literacy programs like Dave Ramsey’s and secular wealth-building platforms like Grant Cardone’s. The organization teaches wealth creation and multiplication specifically for “kingdom impact.”
“Because a lot of church leaders have been silent on the subject of wealth creation, it creates a vacuum and a void,” Johnson states. “The church goes to other people to get practical instructions on how to create more resources.”
Rob Collins, chief brand officer at Life Surge, adds, “We’re stewards of multiplying our talents and then using it for the kingdom. We talk about kingdom impact, with real practical things that we can do.”
Community-Centered Growth
Since its founding, Life Surge has continued to grow, thanks to its live, in-person events sweeping cities across the nation. Attendee reviews highlight the impact of these gatherings. Johnson believes this focus on physical community distinguishes Life Surge from competitors.
“Most of our industry or world has gone through shortcuts with a focus on technology and information at the expense of community,” Johnson remarks. “We believe in live and in-person events, not digital events, not Zoom calls, because people ever since 2020 lack community in a major way.”
This strategy proved successful despite industry trends during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many organizations abandoned in-person events, Life Surge maintained its commitment to physical gatherings.
“You could stand and see over a thousand people who were making the same decision as you’re making at the same time,” Johnson comments. “The power of community, the power of doing things together, knowing that you’re not alone … is a very transformative thing.”
