What the Church Needs to Know About the Unique Ways Women Lead | Shawna Songer Gaines
What does it mean to lean fully into embodied church leadership as a woman?
In this episode of Hear Women, host Tara Beth Leach sits down with pastor, writer, and leader Shawna Songer Gaines for an honest exchange about the realities of women’s leadership, the power of self-attentiveness, and the deep links between the body, motherhood, and ministry.
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Through youth pastoring, chaplaincy, co-pastoring, and serving as a lead pastor, Gaines reveals how her journey has been marked by encouragement, transitions, setbacks, and the need to listen both to others and her own embodied self. The episode moves through vivid moments of ministry stress, early labor, and the formative power of motherhood, exploring how embodied self-awareness can transform our practice and experience of leadership. While offering wisdom for young leaders learning to find their voice, Gaines shares how she came to see pastoring through the fresh lens of midwifery, uncovering a more nurturing, humble, and relational model.
Whether you’re a seasoned pastor, emerging leader, young mom, or someone hoping to create a more welcoming church, this conversation will equip you to more fully celebrate the gifts women bring to the church and reflect on what the church most needs to change about its approach to women in leadership.
This episode highlights the following themes:
✅ The importance of self-awareness and embodiment in Christian leadership
✅ How motherhood and crisis reshape the way women lead
✅ Why embracing newness strengthens the church
Links from this episode:
✅ Learn more about Shawna Songer Gaines (https://tinyurl.com/44e6d4aj)
✅ Read Shawna Songer Gaines’ book, The Pastor as Midwife (https://tinyurl.com/mvdsz54a)
✅ Discover more about Trevecca Community Church of the Nazarene (https://www.trevecca.church/)
✅ Learn more about Michaele LaVigne (https://tinyurl.com/2ca5s7xh)
✅ Learn more about Stephanie Lobdell (https://www.stephanielobdell.com/)
✅ Learn more about Gabby Rodriguez at Trinity
