Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow is facing scrutiny over his association with Life Surge, a for-profit Christian organization accused of using religious messaging and high-pressure sales tactics to steer customers toward debt. Life Surge has rejected those allegations.
‘I am so devastated that Christians like Tim Tebow made me trust in something that has taken so much money from me,’ one complainant wrote in a filing to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), reported by Mother Jones. ‘This is evil, especially because I’m disabled on a limited income.’
The FTC has not publicly announced enforcement action against Life Surge.
Company spokesman Richard Lorenzen denied the claims, telling Mother Jones that Life Surge ‘does not condone using a person’s religious faith, fear, or spiritual beliefs to pressure that individual into purchasing a product.’
However, a dozen Life Surge customers interviewed by Mother Jones, along with other people who filed FTC complaints, said the organization draws attendees with inexpensive event tickets before promoting far costlier programs. Customers who pay as little as $20 to attend are reportedly invited to sign up for $97, three-day ‘impact classes.’ Those sessions then promote SurgeU, whose packages range from $10,000 to $40,000, according to the report.
Customers unable to pay five-figure prices for the faith-based investment courses were allegedly directed to outside lenders, sometimes amid intense sales pressure, Mother Jones reported. One former customer said Life Surge helped her obtain an American Express card carrying a $25,000 credit limit.
Tim Tebow is facing criticism over his connection to Life Surge, a for-profit Christian organization
Former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow and his wife, Demi-Leigh Tebow, walk across the field before the Mississippi State Bulldogs played the LSU Tigers on September 16, 2023
‘I was pretty hesitant,’ Karen Neal, a 61-year-old former Life Surge customer, told Mother Jones, as featured in a recent episode of Pablo Torre Finds Out. ‘I was like, “We don’t, you know, we don’t have the money to do this.”
‘They brought in an outside, like, I guess a loan company or a company that would find credit cards, for you to use a credit card with 0-percent interest for a certain period of time.
‘So they told us, “Why don’t we get you a credit card for more than the $13,000 so that that way you’ve got some extra money on the credit card that you can use that for business stuff.’
‘Okay, that sounds like a great idea,’ she continued. ‘So, they got us approved for like $25,000 on an American Express card.’
Mother Jones also reported that Life Surge speakers allegedly encouraged some customers to borrow against the value of their homes to pay for the courses.
‘”You have your own house,”‘ Neal said, recounting what she claimed Life Surge representatives told her. ‘”Don’t you have equity in your own house? Go use some of the equity in your own house.”‘
Neal now says she is reconsidering the sales methods she experienced while dealing with Life Surge.
‘I see many of these strong Christian artists and strong Christian people that are up there speaking at the Life Surge conferences,’ Neal told Mother Jones. ‘And it’s like, do they know what’s happening to some of these people that are getting into this?’
Her account resembles complaints gathered by Mother Jones and discussions on a Reddit forum asking, ‘Is Life Surge Christian Conference a scam?’
‘We believed that it would be a Christian-based day of like-minded businesspeople,’ another customer wrote in an FTC complaint. ‘We did not expect a bait and switch and the pressure to purchase investing classes. We are very disappointed but also concerned by the amount of people bought into this.’
Tebow and former ESPN host Sage Steele are among the speakers scheduled to appear at a Life Surge event in Charlotte
Alongside the FTC complaints cited by Mother Jones, The Daily Mail has identified several complaints filed with the Better Business Bureau.
‘I attended a Life Surge event recently on June 20, 2026 with my partner,’ read one complaint reviewed by The Daily Mail. ‘We were excited for this event, having believed it would be a night of worship and hope as believers. Instead, we were moved into high pressure sales tactics advertising trading and real estate courses for 97$, a supposed 4000$+ value, or so they said.’
The individual claimed to have bought two courses before changing their mind and asking for a refund. A response from Life Surge is also shared on the Better Business Bureau website, purportedly showing the customer had been refunded.
Another dissatisfied customer was trying to regain $30,000 they claimed to have spent on courses.
‘On March 18 and 25 of 2023, my husband and I attended the “Business Surge” classes,’ read the complaint. ‘We were taken in by the strong Christian messages and trusted the renowned speakers to represent only a trustworthy business. We listened to how we could “generate kingdom wealth” and “create a legacy” for our kids and grandkids. We were continuously assured that “with the right tools and support ANYONE can be successful online.”’
They claimed to have ultimately spent $30,000 on a website design course, only to discover they could have learned the same material for closer to $2,000, according to the complaint.
A response from Life Surge is also included on the website, showing the company’s attempt to contact the dissatisfied customer.
The Broncos recently welcomed Tebow back before a game at Mile High Stadium
The organization does not preach the prosperity gospel, which teaches that God rewards strong faith and financial donations with material wealth, but rather the concept of ‘kingdom impact’: The more money one makes, the more they can do for God.
A popular public speaker since ending his NFL and minor-league baseball careers, Tebow is described by the organization as a ‘Kingdom Ambassador’ and spoke at 20 Life Surge events between 2024 and 2025, according to Mother Jones, which reports he’s on pace for that many in 2026 alone. Life Surge’s upcoming schedule lists Tebow speaking at five of its next eight events.
As a result, Mother Jones puts his estimated potential total from Life Surge somewhere between $2 million and $4 million.
The Daily Mail has sought comment from the Tim Tebow Foundation and Life Surge, which had its full response to Mother Jones posted online. Tebow did not respond to Mother Jones’ request for comment.
Not all of the reviews of Life Surge are negative, Mother Jones reported. Many described the experience as life changing, while encouraging others to partake.
Lorenzen told Mother Jones that headline speakers are not asked to promote or endorse Impact Classes or any other advanced training programs, but nevertheless, the website still unearthed footage of Tebow doing exactly that: ‘o I know that many of you today have probably signed up for classes, have probably signed up to take the next step. I want to encourage you to finish that, to follow through on that commitment, to finish strong.’
Denver’s Tebow (No. 15) is seen praying on the field after a game against the Patriots in 2011
For its part, Life Surge has defended itself against claims of high-pressure sales tactics, saying the company ‘does not train its representatives to pressure customers into borrowing or taking on debt they cannot afford.’
Mother Jones also reported the periodic disclaimers shared with the crowds, warning about the inherent risks of investing, and Lorenzen stressed that Life Surge doesn’t promise wealth to its customers.
But one concerned Life Surge employee explained things far differently on the condition of anonymity.
‘You’ve heard all about the people who are losing thousands and thousands of dollars and just are being asked to cash in their 401Ks and piggyback credit cards in order to pay for these classes,’ the employee told Mother Jones. ‘It just doesn’t seem like something a good Christian motivational speaker or pastor would want to be a part of.’
Tebow has now been out of the NFL for five years after a failed attempt to make the Jacksonville Jaguars as a tight end in 2021. These days, the 39-year-old former University of Florida and Denver Broncos star works as an analyst for ESPN and the SEC Network, while continuing his extensive philanthropic work.