In this episode of We Are Vineyard, Jay talks with Dr. Jim Wilder about being raised in Colombia, South America in a high-stakes religious environment, and the point at which he had to accept that God is bigger than the one he was raised to believe in. Dr. Wilder shares about exploring trauma through the lenses of faith and psychology, the difference between education and anointing (and the need for maturity in both), and some typical factors involved in ministry failure. He also talks about the role of joy in safeguarding one’s life and ministry and the need for a separation of performance and personhood in the repair process. 

Jim Wilder has extensive clinical counseling experience and is the chief neurotheologian of Life Model Works, a nonprofit working at the intersection of brain science and theology. He is also the lead developer of the Life Model, which is building contagiously healthy Christian communities through equipping existing networks with the skills to thrive.

Wilder (PhD, Clinical Psychology, and MA, Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary) has been training leaders and counselors for thirty years on five continents. He is the author of over twenty books with a strong focus on maturity and relational skills. His co-authored book, Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You has sold over 100,000 copies in eleven languages. Wilder has published numerous articles and developed four sets of video and relational leadership training called THRIVE. 

Show Notes: 

Jim’s website:  lifemodelworks.org

The Other Half Of Church by Jim Wilder and Michel Hendricks

More books by Jim Wilder