{"product_id":"the-pastor-as-midwife-shawna-songer-gaines-9781514012444","title":"The Pastor as Midwife: Life-Giving Leadership for the Healing of the Church","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLessons from Midwives for Pastoral Leadership \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe find ourselves in a moment in which the church is in great pain. Congregations are dwindling, denominations are fracturing, and church scandals have become all too common. \u003cb\u003eWe need a new imagination to capture the hopefulness of God birthing something new in the midst of the pain of the old creation. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eThe Pastor as Midwife\u003c\/i\u003e, Shawna Songer Gaines brings her pastoral experience alongside her research on the vocation and practices of midwifery to explore a vision of pastoral leadership that is shaped by the wisdom of those who walk alongside expectant mothers. Learning to pastor like a midwife helps us embrace what God is doing in our pain and see new life in unlikely places. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book gives pastors a ministry paradigm that embraces change and pain as part of God's salvific work in the world. Gaines helps pastors embrace a new, life-giving posture for ministry marked by advocacy, listening, and letting go of control. Like the apostle Paul in Romans 8:22, pastors who long to witness the birth of God's new creation are invited to imagine their work like a hopeful midwife. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWith \u003ci\u003eThe Pastor as Midwife\u003c\/i\u003e, you will: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003elearn how the practices and wisdom of midwives offer a new way of approaching pastoral leadership, a way that begins and ends with a hopeful view of God's work in birthing new creation; \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eengage with thought-provoking reflection questions to explore your own leadership patterns; and \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ereenvision ministry to see change and pain as integral to God's life-giving work in the world. \u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003eWherever you are in your journey as a pastor, \u003ci\u003eThe Pastor as Midwife\u003c\/i\u003e offers a thoughtful and hopeful perspective on ministry in a changing and often challenging world. Learn to witness and partner with God in the birth of new creation with \u003ci\u003eThe Pastor as Midwife\u003c\/i\u003e, trusting in the Spirit of God who brings new life to a fallen but beautiful world. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Shawna Songer Gaines\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1514012448\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781514012444\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e IVP Academic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/02\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 144\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback","brand":"Shawna Songer Gaines","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48066660106495,"sku":"9781514012444","price":24.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_c150cce8-a982-40d6-8f92-35c6581e611a.jpg?v=1768679745","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-pastor-as-midwife-shawna-songer-gaines-9781514012444","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}