Rich Wager grew up in the inner-city of Chicago in a home that was less than ideal for cultivating a spiritual growth. At an early age he attended Sunday School, became a Christian and began a journey that would eventually lead him to be able to write, teach and organize opportunities for children to hear and respond to the Good News that rescued him from the irrelevant, self-centered life he was headed into.
He started in ministry at the Northside Gospel Center in Chicago where he became the first employee of the newly formed AWANA Youth Association. He was instrumental in providing vision and leadership at an early age. He eventually felt the call of God to become a youth pastor and moved to another city church, Mid West Bible Church where he taught and served for several years.
Pastor Richard Wager felt the call to leave the youth pastorate and take the senior pastor position at a church in the Lawndale area of Chicago. He hesitated to leave because of the fruitful ministries he had started which included the founding of an inner-city school in Chicago (Mid West Christian Academy), and a camp, Phantom Ranch, in southern ...
