Could brain science be the key to spiritual formation? Why does true Christian transformation seem fleeting? And why does church often feel lonely, Christian community shallow, and leaders untrustworthy? For many Christians, the delight of encountering Christ eventually dwindles—and disappointment sets in. Is lasting joy possible? These are some of the questions Michel Hendricks has considered both in his experience as a spiritual formation pastor and in his lifetime as a Christian. He began to find answers when he met Jim Wilder—a neurotheologian. Using brain science, Wilder identified that there are two halves of the church: the rational half and the relational half. And when Christians only embrace the rational half, churches become unhealthy places where transformation doesn’t last and narcissistic leaders flourish. In The Other Half of Church , join Michel and Jim's journey as they couple brain science with the Bible to identify how to overcome spiritual stagnation by living a full-brained faith. You'll also learn the four ingredients necessary to develop and maintain a vibrant transformational community where spiritual formation occurs, relationships flourish, and the toxic spread of narcissism is eradicated. Praise for The Other Half of Church "This book is genius. It will soon be a standard among discipleship experts. If you have ever been frustrated at the hit-or-miss success of the church’s ability to guide people into real life change, this book is for you. It not only explains why traditional discipleship has struggled; it offers practical advice for creating a truly transformational discipleship culture. Jim’s expertise along with Michel’s experience and easy reading style make this book a game changer in discipleship ministry." — MARCUS WARNER , President, Deeper Walk International "This masterfully crafted book about God’s design for our brains and how it influences spiritual growth unmasks left-brain dominance in the church and skillfully shows that the right brain is the primary driver of character change and spiritual formation. Biblical teaching, measurable strategies, and practical exercises unfold how to nurture right-brain graces of covenant love, joy, gratitude, and group identity, resulting in the goals of personal and congregational transformation. In decades of ministry, I haven’t engaged a book with such spiritual potential and power. Enthusiastically recommended." — BRUCE DEMAREST , Author and Senior Professor of Christian Formation at Denver Seminary "Jim Wilder’s years of work in brain science are now paying off for all of us who have struggled with how to renew the mind for lasting transformation. I am grateful for this gigantic step in grasping the even better news of the gospel." — DUDLEY HALL , author of Grace Works, Orphans No More , and other books targeting spiritual growth and Christian discipleship; founder of Kerygma Ventures "Few men have seen the church as has Jim Wilder as both a theologian and psychologist. This book is a treasury offered to you. Regardless of your age you will find food for thought that you can taste and see that God is good. goodness of God shared with us so we can pass the basket of bread on to others." — JIM HYLTON , pastor, author, and conference speaker from Fort Worth, TX "I don’t think I’ve read a more important book on discipleship in the past twenty-five years than this one. The church is starving for this book. It grows out of an understanding of the kingdom of God and impacts what that means to live it on a daily basis. This could be a game changer because it doesn’t deal with the “disciplines” of discipleship as much as it does the framework of how we grow and live in community. It’s not the kind of book you’ll read and put down and forget—it will stay with you as you grow in the truth it teaches." — BOB ROBERTS JR ., Global Senior Pastor, Northwood Church, Keller, TX; founder, Glocal.net "Every time I read a new book written by Jim Wilder, my learning curve is satisfied and blessed with teaching and tools that enable me to practice new habits and relational skills that I am eager to share with clients, friends, seminary students, identity groups, all my friends on Facebook, and everyone in the world if I could." — JOE JOHNSON , founder and director of Heart of the Father Ministries "The Other Half of Church opens a path out of the concrete structures of established churches to go into a living garden." — THOMAS GERLACH , pastor, Hagen, Germany "Michel Hendricks and Jim Wilder take you on a journey that may sound familiar—knowing biblical truths but not knowing how to genuinely live them out in relationship. What they find in wrestling with this reality leads to surprising places like combining neuroscience and early church spiritual practices. If you have a sense of dissatisfaction in your scriptural knowledge compared to your ability to live these teachings out in authentic caring relationships, read on. Michel’s story is a goo