What happens when you blend faith, therapy, culture, self-exploration — and a little bit of holy disruption? You get Joy Bomb, the bold, truth-packed debut book from 10x GRAMMY-nominated artist and platinum-selling powerhouse Tauren Wells.
We joined Tauren in New York City on launch day as he made a full-circle moment at Barnes & Noble—where, fun fact, he used to work before touring the world with his music. Now, his name’s on the cover of a published book stocked on their shelves.
“I actually used to work at Barnes & Noble in Battle Creek, Michigan,” Tauren tells Celeb Secrets, standing just feet from a shelf featuring his first-ever book. “To see my book on the shelf is wild. They actually tried to kick me out about three or four times and I wanted to be like, ‘I’m a published author here!’”
That book? It’s called Joy Bomb: How to Unleash Jesus’s Explosive Joy for an Extraordinary Life, and it might just be the most powerful — and personal — thing he’s ever created.
Published by Zondervan, Joy Bomb: How to Unleash Jesus’s Explosive Joy for an Extraordinary Life isn’t your typical Christian living book — it’s a call to reclaim true joy in a world that’s constantly selling counterfeit versions of it. The phrase “Joy Bomb” may sound fun and punchy (and it is), but it actually has deeper spiritual meaning. The book mixes real talk with real theology, rooted in what Tauren calls “the most profound teaching on joy in human history” — the Beatitudes from Matthew 5.
“To drop a joy bomb in someone’s life is really just me echoing what I feel like Jesus was saying in Matthew 5 when He shares the Beatitudes,” Tauren explains. “It’s the most profound teaching on joy in human history, but the way He directs us to joy actually shatters all of our misconceptions about happiness.”
That’s the heartbeat of the book. Each chapter is structured as a “code,” flipping society’s idea of happiness on its head.
“Code One is ‘Happy are the spiritually bankrupt.’ Code Two is ‘Happy are the desperately sad.’ Code Three is ‘Happy are the intentionally humble’ — so on and so forth,” he shares. “It gives us almost an upside-down approach to how we experience a joy that never runs out.”
And yes, the inspiration struck from both scripture and song. If Joy Bomb had a theme song? It’s his own track, “Joy in the Morning.”
“I was singing it every night on tour, and I realized that God actually gave us the mechanism of mourning to deliver us from the grip of grief. That’s the only way joy is possible — even in the midst of our greatest pain,” he says.
For a book rooted in joy, it doesn’t shy away from pain. Tauren gets real in these pages, exploring therapy, culture, and the courage it takes to be fully known.
“The chapter that scared me the most was about being pure in heart,” he admits. “The scripture says, ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see the Lord.’ And just talking about how you have to be authentic and honest and vulnerable with your struggles — naming your emotions, identifying your issues—so that you can actually experience God’s healing.”
Writing it wasn’t easy. But finishing it? That was a spiritual breakthrough of its own.
“I learned that I can actually start a project and see it through to the very end,” he says with a smile. “As a creative type, we love to start things. It’s a little more challenging to finish them. This is evidence that even a creative, ADHD person can see a project through to the finish line.”
One of the sweetest surprises in the Joy Bomb journey? His kids. “My boys were my first test audience,” Tauren shares. “I asked them, ‘What do you think about this idea? What do you think about Joy Bomb?’ And they were into it.”
They didn’t just support him—they helped design the book cover. And his 4-year-old even gave a name to Tauren’s growing joy-seeking community: The Bomb Squad.
“They’ve owned it,” he says proudly. “And of course, the book’s dedication is to them.”
Though Tauren’s entering a new season as an author, his heart for music and ministry remains front and center. His recent EP Let the Church Sing offers a worship-forward sound with a deeper mission behind every lyric.
“Those songs really were an outflow of the time leading up to my family moving to Austin, Texas to plant a brand new life-giving church called Church of Whitestone,” he explains. “Songs like ‘Making Room’ and ‘The Room is Yours’ are about creating space for the Spirit of God to move into our lives. Songs like ‘Not Guilty’ and ‘Thank You for the Cross’ talk about the power of Jesus’ love and His blood. And then, of course, the title track, ‘Let the Church Sing’ — that’s like a fun, joyful anthem on the things we all agree on.”
He’s not afraid to challenge stereotypes around Christianity either — especially for those hesitant to show up to church.
“One taboo topic is that people think you’re supposed to get good or become better and then go to church,” Tauren says. “But Jesus isn’t primarily concerned with a moral code. He wants your heart. He wants to pour His love into your heart and let that transform you from the inside out.”
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So what’s next? A new album is on the horizon (“I’ve written some songs, they’re being recorded now”), and more Tauren-led conversations about joy, faith, and the real stuff Gen Z is navigating.
But before he left the Flatiron Barnes & Noble, we had to find out who he’d love to slip Joy Bomb on someone’s bookshelf if he had the chance to.
“Will Smith, Justin Bieber, and Timothée Chalamet,” he says. “They have joyful personas, and I think introducing them to an even deeper flow of joy would change their lives.”
Tauren Wells isn’t trying to give you a highlight reel of Christianity — he’s offering something deeper, messier, and way more liberating. Joy Bomb is an open invitation to confront pain, face your truths, and find purpose through a joy that doesn’t run dry.
“If you find a perfect church,” Tauren says, “don’t go — because you’ll probably mess it up.”
We’ll leave that joy bomb right there.
For more on Tauren’s new book and upcoming music, make sure to watch our full interview below — and don’t forget to let us know what you think of Joy Bomb: How to Unleash Jesus’s Explosive Joy for an Extraordinary Life by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
You can connect with Tauren by giving him a follow on Instagram at @taurenwells and purchase the book here.
Interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
