The Expeditionary Man: The Adventure a Man Wants, the Leader His Family Needs

Coming June 2008.Christian men hear all the time that “balance” is the solution to their struggles as they juggle work, church, and family priorities. The idea of a “balanced life” sounds good at church and men’s conferences, but it doesn’t hold up in the real world. Balance deals with a man’s calendar, but it doesn’t address matters of his heart. In The Expeditionary Man, I pose a bold question: If balance does not work, how will you choose to live out your calling and fulfill your need for adventure and purpose?The pull of business success and the call to church ministries are compelling—even seductive. But if you allow your heart to be captured by career and church, you put your kids’ spiritual lives at risk. Far too many Christian children grow up with the vision of a loving Father in heaven, but live with the reality of an earthly father who seems more devoted to outside interests than he is to them. As a result, the majority of children in Christian families today drift away from their faith as they become adults. Instead, I challenge the readers of this book to take a third path.As I do so, I explain how:

• God’s design of men includes a strong need for adventure
• men are naturally driven towards solo quests for purpose and significance and away from their responsibilities at home
• a man can fulfill his need for adventure inside his family without becoming a wimp in the process
• a man’s family should be his primary mission field while his children are growing up

By choosing the path that brings hands-on leadership, unity, and direction to your family, you are charting a course for your children’s spiritual maturity, enriching your marriage, and discovering the true adventure you were created for.More info>>

The Myth of Happiness

What Is Joy? It is the Same As Happiness? And Most Importantly, How Can We Experience It? After all, don’t we all long for something lasting—a joy that goes beyond a smiley face and takes hold of the fullness Jesus promised his followers? C.S. Lewis said that he was “surprised by joy”, but the reality is that most Christians today are just plain confused by it. While paying lip service to joy, we replace it in favor of a cheap substitute—happiness.In The Myth of Happiness, I aim to dispel our misconceptions and reveals the true nature of biblical joy. He wrestles honestly with the tough questions many of us wonder but haven’t known how to ask. Is joy anything more than a plastic smile? Can we experience it while battling fear and uncertainty? Are Christians honestly expected to “count it all joy”, rejoicing in the midst of turmoil and tragedy? Can real joy possibly live up to the hype? / Joy transforms. It’s God’s most tangible gift available to believers this side of heaven. My attempt is to dispel the myth of happiness and helps us receive the unquenchable joy Christ promises.Buy at Amazon.com / Read Chapter 1 (.PDF)

The Gospel Unplugged

“Invigorating and inspiring” — Publishers Weekly

“Wagner pulls this off flawlessly…It’s an excellent read.” — 1340Mag.com

Sometimes an inspired song can rock your soul even more than a sermon. Sermons can go in one ear and out the other, but great music sticks with you, burying itself deep in your heart and shaping you on each listen. Out of all the songs you’ve listened to in the past year, which one really meant something? Which one stood out from the rest and offered you something more? The Gospel Unplugged explores the lyrics of 23 contemporary Christian songs. Use it to apply the truths of these songs to your life, gain a better understanding of your faith, and grow in your relationship with God.Buy at Amazon.com

Christianity For Dummies

Christianity For Dummies is a friendly, approachable guide that introduces readers to the Christian faith and Church, putting into everyday language what exactly it means to be a “Christian”. This book is for readers who are curious about Christianity, both people who are not Christians and those on the periphery of the Church. It will also target new and uninformed Christians who are interested in discovering more about their faith.To borrow the words of C.S. Lewis, Christianity For Dummies focuses the majority of its coverage on “mere Christianity”, the core essentials of the Christian faith that all believers, regardless of their background, agree to. At the same time, areas of difference won’t be swept under the table. When debatable topics arise, the book will highlight the differences that exist among various parts of the Church and faithfully represent these positions.Buy at Amazon.com / Read Chapter 1 (.PDF) / Download Study Guide (.PDF)

Christian Prayer For Dummies

“The people I worry about are the sanctimonious types who think they have prayer all figured out. Rich Wagner gives solid help to all of us novices in prayer.” — Philip Yancey, bestselling author of Prayer: Does It Make a Difference? 

“I’ll pray for you”. It’s a phrase that people like you and I often utter as natural response when we hear a problem from a friend or loved one. This expression, however, is far more than lip service or kind words of comfort. Instead, packed inside this deceivingly simple phrase, there is a direct line to an all-loving, all-powerful God.In Christian Prayer For Dummies, I explore how prayer is God’s “x-factor” for Christians to transform their lives in today’s increasingly complex world. You find out that prayer is not a ritual, but a dynamic conversation with a personal God, and can be practiced in many ways and styles based on your own individual needs. You also discover how prayer can bring your family, small group, and church closer together and mend torn relationships. In the heart of the book, I candidly look at the basic questions — why, when, and how to pray — as well as some of the toughest issues that prayer has to offer, such as: How can you reconcile “thy will be done” with “ask and you shall receive”? Why does a loving God not always answer your prayers in a manner you expect? What can you do when you disagree with God’s answer? How can you discern God’s voice when you pray? Does God heal in today’s world?Throughout the book, my aim is to avoid the two extremes - “touchy-feely” spiritualism and heavy theological prose - that you can so often encounter when reading about prayer. Instead, I aspire to touch a middle ground that is easy reading yet packed with substance, highly practical yet life changing.Buy at Amazon.com / Read Chapter 1 (.PDF) / Download Study Guide (.PDF)

C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies

“Greatest read of 2005″ — Artist Peter Howson (Sunday Times, Glascow) ”In this pleasingly accessible book, Richard Wagner emphasizes the underlying unity of Lewis’s life and work.” — Barnes & Noble Editors

C.S. Lewis & Narnia For Dummies is your guide and traveling companion as you journey into the life of C.S. Lewis, the enchanted world of Narnia, and his other classic fiction and Christian apologetics works. The book illuminates the underlying symbolism in Narnia and examines the many parallels between The Chronicles of Narnia and Christianity.C.S. Lewis didn’t dream up a master theological plan and then set about writing fairy tales to fit into that framework. Instead, he simply aimed to tell a good tale. However, because his Christian faith was such an integral part of him, the Christian gospel “came bounding into it.” As a result, all the major questions in Narnia are answered by Lewis’s Christian faith: How did Narnia begin? How is sin introduced into the enchanted world? How can traitorous Edmund be restored? How do the children and Narnians live “by faith” in Aslan? How active is Aslan in the lives of his followers? How is Narnia going to end? In this book, I explore these questions and many more.Beyond Narnia, the book also tackles other great fiction and apologetic books, such as The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, The Problem of Pain, and The Abolition of Man. I don’t merely survey or summarize these works. Instead, I dive into these meaty and often challenging writings and make them approachable and accessible to normal readers.Finally, the book explores the fascinating life of Lewis, his relationship with Tolkien and the Inklings, and the story on how this died-in-the-wool atheist was transformed into arguably the most influential Christian spokesman since Martin Luther.Buy at Amazon.com / Read Table of Contents (.PDF) / Read Chapter 1 (.PDF)