Prominent Christian figures like Tim Tebow are distancing themselves from Life Surge.
This comes after an investigation raised allegations that the Christian organization used high-pressure sales tactics to persuade attendees to spend thousands of dollars on financial education programs.
A celebrated athlete known for speaking about his Christian faith, Tebow won the 2007 Heisman Trophy at University of Florida, played quarterback in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and had a stint in professional baseball.
Tebow, who is also a sports broadcaster, has paused his relationship with Life Surge, the organization confirmed in an online statement on Sept. 25. Also on Sept. 25, Tebow made his first public comments about the allegations while speaking to
Gainesville, Florida-area media ahead of ESPN's "SEC Nation" broadcast of the Florida-Ole Miss game.
"The allegations are extremely, extremely serious, and it’s something that we take very serious," Tebow said, according to the Gainesville Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network. "And so, for us, we’re having our team do an investigation, but also pausing our relationship until we can learn more about the facts to be able to understand more."
Tebow said he was unaware of Life Surge's alleged sales practices and learned about the investigation from his team Sept. 24 as he was leaving an anti-human trafficking conference and flying to Alabama for an event.
"I was kind of caught off-guard with all of it, and I think that’s why we’re really trying to understand more of the facts," Tebow said.
Here's what to know about the allegations.
What are the allegations against Life Surge?
Life Surge, which was founded in 2020 and held its first event in 2021, holds one-day Christian events around the country featuring prominent athletes, entertainers and other celebrities. Tebow has been a regular speaker at the events, and the Gainesville Sun reported that he was originally scheduled to speak at more than 20 Life Surge events in 2026.
The allegations against Life Surge were detailed in a Sept. 24 investigation by investigative news organization Mother Jones and the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast.
According to the investigation, attendees at Life Surge events are offered introductory courses in areas such as stock trading and real estate. The courses reportedly cost more than $10,000, with some reaching $50,000.
People interviewed as part of the investigation said they faced pressure to purchase programs they could not afford. The reporting also alleged that Life Surge encouraged some customers to use home-equity lines of credit or credit cards to finance the courses.
USA TODAY reached out to Life Surge for comment on the allegations and Tebow's decision to pause his relationship with the organization.
Torre and Mother Jones reported that some attendees saw little or no return on their investments and that some people were subjected to intense time pressure when deciding whether to purchase the programs.
The Gainesville Sun reported that Torre's investigation also found Tebow was paid between $50,000 and $100,000 for each Life Surge appearance.
Life Surge has denied wrongdoing and disputed the characterization of its business practices. In a statement responding to Tebow's decision, the organization said it has "extensive compliance infrastructure and safeguards" and that the reporting did not give equal weight to the experiences of thousands of its students.
What did Tebow say about Life Surge?
Tebow said his purpose in participating in Life Surge events was to share his Christian faith.
"My heart is getting to share there was to be able to share something that I love to share, which is the love of Christ and the good news of the gospel," Tebow said, according to the Gainesville Sun.
He said he wants to understand the allegations before deciding what comes next.
Tebow was scheduled to speak at another Life Surge event in Charlotte, North Carolina on Oct. 10. USA TODAY has reached out to Tebow's publicist for comment on his decision to pause his relationship with Life Surge, as well as whether he still plans to appear at the Charlotte event.
Other Christian figures taking step back from Life Surge
Tebow is not the only prominent figure to step back from Life Surge following the allegations.
Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has cut ties with Life Surge, while Life.Church Senior Pastor Craig Groeschel will no longer speak at upcoming Life Surge events, according to ChurchLeaders, a Christian news website. USA TODAY reached out to representatives for Mazzulla and Groeschel for additional comment on their decisions.
Life Surge said it respects Tebow's decision to pause the relationship and that its "respect for Tim has not changed."
"We stand behind our people. We stand behind our mission. And we stand behind the work we have done alongside Tim Tebow for years," the organization said.
Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tim Tebow, others distance themselves from Christian organization
