Faith, Strategy, and Leadership Intersect at CURRENT25
Nearly 2,000 Christian CEOs Gather to Build Great Businesses for a Greater Purpose
DALLAS, Texas – Nearly 2,000 leaders from across the globe gathered at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center for CURRENT25, the world’s largest gathering of Christian CEOs, owners, and executives, hosted by C12 Business Forums.
CURRENT25 was not just another leadership event. Attendees engaged in practical business strategy, biblical principles for leadership, peer collaboration, and worship to steward their influence beyond profit and toward Kingdom impact.
C12 CEO Mike Sharrow opened the conference with a confession and a convicting challenge for attendees:
“We have to stop lying to ourselves. We have to stop postponing our destiny in Christ for some imaginary future.”
His charge set the tone for the entire event.
Over the course of two days, more than 20 speakers took the stage, including bestselling author Jordan Raynor, who called leaders to see their daily work not as mundane but as a mission.
“You can be confident that 100% of your work on Monday matters in eternity,” Raynor declared.
Unlike traditional conferences, CURRENT25 was uniquely “for us and by us,” drawing from the depth of the C12 community itself. Every breakout session was led by C12 members who are actively transforming industries, cities, and company cultures by integrating faith into their leadership and operations.
Leisle Chung, CEO of Vanguard Skin Specialists, shared her deeply personal journey marked by her parents’ sacrifice as immigrants, her academic success at Yale, and her husband’s harrowing rescue from a boat fleeing Vietnam after six days lost at sea. She reminded the room that faithfulness is not forged in comfort, but in surrender:
“God didn’t call us to be successful. He called us to be obedient,” Chung said. “It is never in my strength that God has used me—it has always been in my brokenness.”
Bertie Lourens, CEO of WastePlan in South Africa, offered a sobering testimony of ambition, repentance, and healing. He spoke of nearly losing his family in the pursuit of business success and the miracle of being declared cancer-free after turning back to God in surrender:
“Are you trading your family for your own importance? Are you willing to say no to a meeting with an important person in order to honor your commitment to your family?”
The room was silent. Convicted.
Jake Bland, CEO of Youth for Christ, brought data and hope, dispelling the myth that today’s generation is abandoning faith.
“Despite what the headlines are telling you, this is not a generation walking away from God,” he said. “The workplace is now the primary mission field of our time. Revival for the next generation starts in us.”
The event concluded with a dynamic and personal conversation between Mike Sharrow and Patrick Lencioni, bestselling author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, whose insight on faith and organizational health has influenced countless leaders.
“If we’re going to help people live their faith, work has got to be a big part of that.”
CURRENT25 was a commissioning for Christian business leaders to lead with obedience and use their influence to change the world by advancing the gospel in the marketplace. With more than 4,500 members in the US and across 5 continents, C12 is experiencing its strongest year of growth in its organizational history. C12’s expanding global footprint and the launch of the CURRENT On-Demand platform extend the reach of conference content throughout the year. Leaders are encouraged to use the content to disciple their teams, spark culture transformation, and build on the momentum of CURRENT25.
At C12, we provide Christian business leaders, CEOs, and business owners with the business tools, peer advisory groups, and executive coaching they need to thrive in business and life. To learn more about C12’s approach to Christ-centered business leadership, find a C12 Business Forum near you.
May 13, 2025
