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Missional Motherhood: The Everyday Ministry of Motherhood in the Grand Plan of God
There's no such thing as "just" a mom.
Despite the routine tasks and mundane to-do lists, motherhood is anything but insignificant. God has designed motherhood as part of his greater plan to draw people to himself--instilling all women, whether called to traditional mothering or not, with an eternal purpose in nurturing others.
In this book, Gloria Furman searches the Scriptures for the mission of God in motherhood. She opens our eyes to God's life-giving promises--promises intended to empower each and every woman as she makes disciples in her home, in her neighborhood, and around the world.
Despite the routine tasks and mundane to-do lists, motherhood is anything but insignificant. God has designed motherhood as part of his greater plan to draw people to himself--instilling all women, whether called to traditional mothering or not, with an eternal purpose in nurturing others.
In this book, Gloria Furman searches the Scriptures for the mission of God in motherhood. She opens our eyes to God's life-giving promises--promises intended to empower each and every woman as she makes disciples in her home, in her neighborhood, and around the world.
215 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2016
578 people are currently reading
6052 people want to read
About the author
Gloria Furman
31 books290 followersGloria Furman (MACE, Dallas Theological Seminary) is a wife, mother of four, cross-cultural worker, and writer. In 2008 her family moved to the Middle East to plant Redeemer Church of Dubai where her husband, Dave, serves as the pastor. She is the author of Glimpses of Grace, Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full, The Pastor’s Wife, and Missional Motherhood.
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September 12, 2017
In her book Missional Motherhood, Gloria Furman says there's never such a thing as "just" a mom. She writes about how God has designed motherhood as part of his greater plan to draw people to himself.
I was so excited to read this book! I was expecting perhaps a study on motherhood in Scripture, perhaps even specific moms who effectively pointed their children to the gospel, salvation and Christ. She could have studied Hannah and her prayers for her child, or Mary's love of Scripture, or Lois and Eunice passing on a heritage of faith. Or, I thought perhaps she would give a reminder of the spiritual importance of motherhood and then give biblical and practical ways to build into our children spiritually, to do so much more than meet their physical needs and make it through the day with our sanity more or less intact. Any of these would have been such a great book idea, so needed, so powerful, so encouraging!
But that's not what this book is at all. And, if like me, you expected this book to really dig deep into motherhood itself, you might be surprised by it also. The first half of this book is simply a metanarrative of Scripture. Now, if you really are interested and looking for a brief overview of the Old Testament, go for it! This book is exactly what you're looking for !
I wasn't expecting or wanting a biblical survey, though,and I didn't need an overview of the Old Testament. I would have been okay with it if the overview was particularly insightful or fresh or if she made incredible connections to mothering in Scripture and God's big design (like the book title implies). But that wasn't true here. To be clear, I was not expecting "fluff" or a meaningless pep talk about being a good mom and how what I do has value. I was looking for so much more than that. As I was reading and feeling disappointed, though, I kept thinking, "maybe I just don't understand her point..." but I did understand it! She wanted to fit motherhood into the grand vision of Scripture, but she got so wrapped up in the grand story of Scripture that she failed to connect the motherhood part. She made occasional, brief mentions of parenting and periodic asides with some quick thoughts that ended up feeling disjointed and like an awkward fit.
Also, while giving her "flyover" (as she calls it) of the Old Testament narrative, she would occasionally begin an account and then say, "You know the rest of the story." Well, actually, yes, I did know the rest of the story and was happy she cut it short. But that's because I didn't really need an Old Testament overview and would have been quite happy if she'd cut the entire first part of the book. On the other hand, women who would need an Old Testament review and might like her Part I, would actually need to be told the whole story. I've heard readers complain often about authors who say things like, "You know how the story goes..." and make assumptions that aren't fair and leave the reader feeling judged and confused. It's really a matter of identifying your audience and making sure the book content fits what the audience needs. Either her audience needed to be told the biblical stories (in which case they needed the whole story) or they didn't need the overview at all (in which case Part I was unnecessary).
I also didn't love how she constantly writes, "I'll talk about that in Part II" or "In Part I, I'm writing about..." Personally, I prefer a writer to just write with clarity and power and let the language and the organization of the content stand on its own.
How you feel about this book probably depends so much on what you are expecting. I would have preferred if her editor helped the author a bit by suggesting that Part I either needed to point more consistently to mothering or it needed to be left out. Then she could have worked on digging deeper on the content in Part II and actually connecting it more with everyday motherhood as the title suggests. She could have gotten practical. She could have shown what missional motherhood actually looks like. She could have studied mothers in Scripture. In the introduction, Furman tells the reader that she's not going to provide practical application. She leaves that up to the reader. Maybe if she had focused more on the book's suggested topic instead of surveying the Old Testament, she could have built the application into the book that I felt it truly needed.
Plenty of other books tell you straight out that they are connecting the dots of Scripture's story and do that well ( Seamless by Angie Smith comes to mind). If that's what Furman wanted to do, then the book's title and marketing could have reflected that better so readers would know what to expect. On the other hand, there are so many other books that give motherhood a biblical context and give you practical and spiritually-rooted ideas and encouragements (I'm thinking any book by Sally Clarkson, for example). So many other books can remind moms of their powerful mission to root their children in the gospel and then send them out to share Christ with the world. This book isn't that.
I think the best advice about this book is just to know what to expect. Looking for an overview of the Old Testament? Great! Read this book! Looking for a study on God's design for motherhood and how we can effectively parent with the gospel in mind? Maybe find another book to read.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I was so excited to read this book! I was expecting perhaps a study on motherhood in Scripture, perhaps even specific moms who effectively pointed their children to the gospel, salvation and Christ. She could have studied Hannah and her prayers for her child, or Mary's love of Scripture, or Lois and Eunice passing on a heritage of faith. Or, I thought perhaps she would give a reminder of the spiritual importance of motherhood and then give biblical and practical ways to build into our children spiritually, to do so much more than meet their physical needs and make it through the day with our sanity more or less intact. Any of these would have been such a great book idea, so needed, so powerful, so encouraging!
But that's not what this book is at all. And, if like me, you expected this book to really dig deep into motherhood itself, you might be surprised by it also. The first half of this book is simply a metanarrative of Scripture. Now, if you really are interested and looking for a brief overview of the Old Testament, go for it! This book is exactly what you're looking for !
I wasn't expecting or wanting a biblical survey, though,and I didn't need an overview of the Old Testament. I would have been okay with it if the overview was particularly insightful or fresh or if she made incredible connections to mothering in Scripture and God's big design (like the book title implies). But that wasn't true here. To be clear, I was not expecting "fluff" or a meaningless pep talk about being a good mom and how what I do has value. I was looking for so much more than that. As I was reading and feeling disappointed, though, I kept thinking, "maybe I just don't understand her point..." but I did understand it! She wanted to fit motherhood into the grand vision of Scripture, but she got so wrapped up in the grand story of Scripture that she failed to connect the motherhood part. She made occasional, brief mentions of parenting and periodic asides with some quick thoughts that ended up feeling disjointed and like an awkward fit.
Also, while giving her "flyover" (as she calls it) of the Old Testament narrative, she would occasionally begin an account and then say, "You know the rest of the story." Well, actually, yes, I did know the rest of the story and was happy she cut it short. But that's because I didn't really need an Old Testament overview and would have been quite happy if she'd cut the entire first part of the book. On the other hand, women who would need an Old Testament review and might like her Part I, would actually need to be told the whole story. I've heard readers complain often about authors who say things like, "You know how the story goes..." and make assumptions that aren't fair and leave the reader feeling judged and confused. It's really a matter of identifying your audience and making sure the book content fits what the audience needs. Either her audience needed to be told the biblical stories (in which case they needed the whole story) or they didn't need the overview at all (in which case Part I was unnecessary).
I also didn't love how she constantly writes, "I'll talk about that in Part II" or "In Part I, I'm writing about..." Personally, I prefer a writer to just write with clarity and power and let the language and the organization of the content stand on its own.
How you feel about this book probably depends so much on what you are expecting. I would have preferred if her editor helped the author a bit by suggesting that Part I either needed to point more consistently to mothering or it needed to be left out. Then she could have worked on digging deeper on the content in Part II and actually connecting it more with everyday motherhood as the title suggests. She could have gotten practical. She could have shown what missional motherhood actually looks like. She could have studied mothers in Scripture. In the introduction, Furman tells the reader that she's not going to provide practical application. She leaves that up to the reader. Maybe if she had focused more on the book's suggested topic instead of surveying the Old Testament, she could have built the application into the book that I felt it truly needed.
Plenty of other books tell you straight out that they are connecting the dots of Scripture's story and do that well ( Seamless by Angie Smith comes to mind). If that's what Furman wanted to do, then the book's title and marketing could have reflected that better so readers would know what to expect. On the other hand, there are so many other books that give motherhood a biblical context and give you practical and spiritually-rooted ideas and encouragements (I'm thinking any book by Sally Clarkson, for example). So many other books can remind moms of their powerful mission to root their children in the gospel and then send them out to share Christ with the world. This book isn't that.
I think the best advice about this book is just to know what to expect. Looking for an overview of the Old Testament? Great! Read this book! Looking for a study on God's design for motherhood and how we can effectively parent with the gospel in mind? Maybe find another book to read.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
June 25, 2016
I was excited to review the audiobook of Gloria Furman's Missional Motherhood. This is Furman's newest book, and though I haven't read through an entire book of hers before now, I have heard people speak so highly of her.
This book was not what I was expecting, and I have mixed feelings. However, I will tell you what I do not have mixed feelings about - the doctrine presented in this book is all sound, with a solid biblical foundation that is clearly explained. That is not always easy to find these days, and I loved that this book was chock-full of Scripture!
What I didn't love about this book was the title. That may sound trite at first, but from the title I was expecting a book of encouragement about how being a mom is also being a missionary to these little lives that God has given us to steward. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed, but I thought the book would be about the "mission work" of teaching our children about the Lord.
Instead, I would say this book is mainly a theological overview that is slightly geared toward moms. Slightly. It almost felt like the motherhood element was thrown into the chapters as an afterthought.
The first half of the book was a recap of the Old Testament - I was not expecting this, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Furman does a beautiful job of giving you an overview of God's grand story from the Fall to Jesus. It was at this point I was very glad I was listening to the audio instead of reading the book - these chapters could have gotten a bit tedious since I have already read through the actual Old Testament several times, but I enjoyed the narrator and getting the whole picture all at once.
However, I have to admit, the fact that the book was entitled "Missional Motherhood" made me a bit impatient to get to the parts about...you know, mothering.
Finally in the last five chapters Furman actually speaks to how the gospel affects how we do our jobs as moms. However, I don't think I was able to enjoy these chapters as much as I could have, because the writing seemed wordy and a bit redundant. I felt like Furman could have gotten the point across in half the chapters. I honestly think after reading this book that Furman's writing style is just not for me. Her train of thought sometimes seemed disorganized and I had to remind myself what the main point of the chapter, or book, was. I like books that have a clear outline, and her style is too messy for me.
Though I thought the narrator did a wonderful job and was a great fit for this book, it was in these final chapters that the narration style also started to get to me. The narrator reads in a tone that imparts the importance of each sentence - but I find that when each sentence is emphasized with such gravity, I start to get emotionally drained through the listening. I would have taken this book more in pieces, but I had to finish it in one chunk for this review, and I was just tired by the time it was over.
Overall, I think the book ultimately got the point across, to view our mothering in light of God's grand plan of Salvation - but the point was made in a very round-about way, through the overview, and then reviewing the gospel again with a slant toward motherhood. I think this book would have been more appropriately titled "An Overview Of Theology And The Gospel For Mothers". I would have been more prepared for the way the content of this book was presented if that was the title - but it's not as catchy. I would recommend it, but I would recommend taking it in pieces (and ideally listening to the first half of the book on audio, and reading the second half). Each chapter made more sense to me individually than the book did as a whole.
Note: I received the audio version of Missional Motherhood from christianaudio in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
This book was not what I was expecting, and I have mixed feelings. However, I will tell you what I do not have mixed feelings about - the doctrine presented in this book is all sound, with a solid biblical foundation that is clearly explained. That is not always easy to find these days, and I loved that this book was chock-full of Scripture!
What I didn't love about this book was the title. That may sound trite at first, but from the title I was expecting a book of encouragement about how being a mom is also being a missionary to these little lives that God has given us to steward. Maybe I shouldn't have assumed, but I thought the book would be about the "mission work" of teaching our children about the Lord.
Instead, I would say this book is mainly a theological overview that is slightly geared toward moms. Slightly. It almost felt like the motherhood element was thrown into the chapters as an afterthought.
The first half of the book was a recap of the Old Testament - I was not expecting this, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Furman does a beautiful job of giving you an overview of God's grand story from the Fall to Jesus. It was at this point I was very glad I was listening to the audio instead of reading the book - these chapters could have gotten a bit tedious since I have already read through the actual Old Testament several times, but I enjoyed the narrator and getting the whole picture all at once.
However, I have to admit, the fact that the book was entitled "Missional Motherhood" made me a bit impatient to get to the parts about...you know, mothering.
Finally in the last five chapters Furman actually speaks to how the gospel affects how we do our jobs as moms. However, I don't think I was able to enjoy these chapters as much as I could have, because the writing seemed wordy and a bit redundant. I felt like Furman could have gotten the point across in half the chapters. I honestly think after reading this book that Furman's writing style is just not for me. Her train of thought sometimes seemed disorganized and I had to remind myself what the main point of the chapter, or book, was. I like books that have a clear outline, and her style is too messy for me.
Though I thought the narrator did a wonderful job and was a great fit for this book, it was in these final chapters that the narration style also started to get to me. The narrator reads in a tone that imparts the importance of each sentence - but I find that when each sentence is emphasized with such gravity, I start to get emotionally drained through the listening. I would have taken this book more in pieces, but I had to finish it in one chunk for this review, and I was just tired by the time it was over.
Overall, I think the book ultimately got the point across, to view our mothering in light of God's grand plan of Salvation - but the point was made in a very round-about way, through the overview, and then reviewing the gospel again with a slant toward motherhood. I think this book would have been more appropriately titled "An Overview Of Theology And The Gospel For Mothers". I would have been more prepared for the way the content of this book was presented if that was the title - but it's not as catchy. I would recommend it, but I would recommend taking it in pieces (and ideally listening to the first half of the book on audio, and reading the second half). Each chapter made more sense to me individually than the book did as a whole.
Note: I received the audio version of Missional Motherhood from christianaudio in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
November 7, 2016
Can I just say first of all that I love Gloria Furman's heart? This girl knows and loves the word of God and her zeal is apparent on every page. I heard her speak at TGC Women's Conference 3 years ago, and she spoke with passion and brought new life to old texts of scripture. I've thoroughly enjoyed her shorter essays posted on various blogs around the web.
But this is my first experience with her book-length material, and this book is just plain over-written. I have a feeling if she did not already have a name and a platform, her editor would have held her to a higher standard of clarity in her writing because she breaks every rule about clarity and concision on almost every page. Her ideas lack focus and lose the main thread (which is, according to the title, supposed to be motherhood.) I lost the thread several times and took to skimming over vast portions of material to get to the next point. I fear she may have lost sight of her audience in her enthusiasm.
I generally underline or mark lines that I want to keep, but in this book I kept marking entire paragraphs because it often took her several sentences to fully work out an idea. Her writing is not filled with those maximum-impact, unforgettable phrases that beg to be shared. I liken these passages to seeds--once planted, they must bear fruit and in that fruit contain more seeds, perfectly compact packages of information without any excess that can then be planted somewhere else and bear fruit. I hope she will give herself more time between books to let her ideas ripen and produce those perfectly compact ideas that will be seeds that ripen in her reader's imaginations.
But this is my first experience with her book-length material, and this book is just plain over-written. I have a feeling if she did not already have a name and a platform, her editor would have held her to a higher standard of clarity in her writing because she breaks every rule about clarity and concision on almost every page. Her ideas lack focus and lose the main thread (which is, according to the title, supposed to be motherhood.) I lost the thread several times and took to skimming over vast portions of material to get to the next point. I fear she may have lost sight of her audience in her enthusiasm.
I generally underline or mark lines that I want to keep, but in this book I kept marking entire paragraphs because it often took her several sentences to fully work out an idea. Her writing is not filled with those maximum-impact, unforgettable phrases that beg to be shared. I liken these passages to seeds--once planted, they must bear fruit and in that fruit contain more seeds, perfectly compact packages of information without any excess that can then be planted somewhere else and bear fruit. I hope she will give herself more time between books to let her ideas ripen and produce those perfectly compact ideas that will be seeds that ripen in her reader's imaginations.
September 23, 2016
I was so excited to read this book and came away really disappointed. It was split into two parts, the first being a meta narrative of the entire Old Testament. Furman writes that she's trying to give the reader a flyover of the grand plan of God and how it connects to Motherhood. That connection, however, was lost on me. There was a TON about God and the reason for missional living. Not much, if anything at all, about how that relates to practical motherhood.
August 24, 2021
I think I was supposed to like this book. It has all the elements that myself, a new mother, who wants to share the gospel with her children, should want to read about. And yet I had the hardest time pushing through it. It was really hard for me to nail down the points she was trying to make, and felt that it didn't follow through on much practical advice on how to be a "missional mother."
I'm giving it three stars because I appreciate the author's heart and obvious love for the gospel and making disciples. Also, her theology is very good though I had some small disagreements, especially with her interpretation of 2 Tim. 3. Otherwise, very solid theologically. I would recommend to a new believer who has little foundation in theology.
I'm giving it three stars because I appreciate the author's heart and obvious love for the gospel and making disciples. Also, her theology is very good though I had some small disagreements, especially with her interpretation of 2 Tim. 3. Otherwise, very solid theologically. I would recommend to a new believer who has little foundation in theology.
February 7, 2018
This book was more theological than practical and the first half of the book is a retelling of almost the whole Bible, which I guess would help if you weren’t familiar with it. I was expecting more, however the last few pages were the best and she had some great things to say. Like mothers get so wrapped up in feeding healthy food to little tummies, feeding knowledge to growing minds, but how much are we feeding their souls with the truth of the Gospel? And being a mother is truly being a discipler of a young heart whether towards Christ or away from. Some good thoughts, but took too long to get to the meat of the book.
August 7, 2017
Not just for moms. I found this book to be packed with gospel truths, cultural observations, and Biblical helps on womanhood.
April 9, 2018
It's all about Christ. Our mothering (and discipling) is because of and for Him. Gloria Furman digs into the Scriptures - specifically the Old Testament - to find the mission God has laid out for our nurturing. This needs to be read and digested in short segments. There is a lot packed into this little book.
2018 - A book of theology
2018 - A book of theology
July 2, 2016
For God to be the supreme deity, he MUST value his glory above all things. For him to do otherwise would be idolatrous. God does this by satisfying us with himself forever. He wants us to see that he is the supreme beauty to admire and the supreme person to love. And he doesn't want us just to see these things, but also to taste these truths. What good is it only look at honey? You have to eat to fully enjoy it.
What does the above statement have to do with motherhood? I am glad you asked...It has to do with the gospel. As a mother that nurtures her children and others, we display this statement when we live out the gospel. Jesus invites us to a missional motherhood - to follow his pattern, to trust his promises and to nurture others by the power he provides. It is in this mission, that our selfishness is exposed and the hope of real gospel of not what we can obtain and do but who God is. Our need for a right relationship with God becomes our priority and all other needs become secondary that we are compelled by grace to nurture those that God puts in our path. Our children or anyone we disciple. This book is not just for mothers but for women who desire to nurture others in faith because of who God is and what he has done. God has given this gift to women with our emotions good and bad. The opposite of course, is we can become self-serving and fearful.
Gloria Furman is one of the most gifted in teaching the gospel. She is different in her teaching than some of the popular women teachers that she always puts God attributes in balance. She does not pit one attribute to another.
This study comes in two parts. Motherhood in the Grand plan of God. Where she invites the reader to the Old Testament and the looking forward to the hope of Jesus. Part two is the ministry of motherhood. Where Christ is center in motherhood. Christ the Creator, Christ the Redeemer, Christ the Prophet, Christ the Priest, and Christ the King. How each of Christ role brings life to what we do.
I encourage you that the reminders of the Gospel is what we need in the people God has given us to love. It keeps us from being the center to Christ who satisfies in perfection.
A Special Thank you to Crossway and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
What does the above statement have to do with motherhood? I am glad you asked...It has to do with the gospel. As a mother that nurtures her children and others, we display this statement when we live out the gospel. Jesus invites us to a missional motherhood - to follow his pattern, to trust his promises and to nurture others by the power he provides. It is in this mission, that our selfishness is exposed and the hope of real gospel of not what we can obtain and do but who God is. Our need for a right relationship with God becomes our priority and all other needs become secondary that we are compelled by grace to nurture those that God puts in our path. Our children or anyone we disciple. This book is not just for mothers but for women who desire to nurture others in faith because of who God is and what he has done. God has given this gift to women with our emotions good and bad. The opposite of course, is we can become self-serving and fearful.
Gloria Furman is one of the most gifted in teaching the gospel. She is different in her teaching than some of the popular women teachers that she always puts God attributes in balance. She does not pit one attribute to another.
This study comes in two parts. Motherhood in the Grand plan of God. Where she invites the reader to the Old Testament and the looking forward to the hope of Jesus. Part two is the ministry of motherhood. Where Christ is center in motherhood. Christ the Creator, Christ the Redeemer, Christ the Prophet, Christ the Priest, and Christ the King. How each of Christ role brings life to what we do.
I encourage you that the reminders of the Gospel is what we need in the people God has given us to love. It keeps us from being the center to Christ who satisfies in perfection.
A Special Thank you to Crossway and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
March 21, 2019
I LOVED this book! It gives the details of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! It explains how we, as women, are nurturers of the Gospel. It’s for all women, not just women with children. It’s so full of the “why” God created us in these specific ways of loving and nurturing others.
July 23, 2025
This book is for all women! Gloria writes to all women who are spiritually and physically nurturing others, not just those raising children. As the wife of a pastor and missionary overseas, her perspective is challenging in all the best ways. I was convicted many times with what I am prioritizing especially when I think of those that I am nurturing.
I was initially hoping for something a little more practical as a new mom with a newborn, but I was reminded time and time again that the Gospel is more than enough when it comes to tips and tricks.
"Are we parenting in such a way that our children [disciples] will one day not hesitate to say 'I think Jesus is calling me to follow him into [fill in the blank: a hard place, a risky ministry...etc.]?' Will we celebrate the kindness of God to lead our children to take risks and make sacrifices for his mission, to spread his glory over the face of the earth?"
I was initially hoping for something a little more practical as a new mom with a newborn, but I was reminded time and time again that the Gospel is more than enough when it comes to tips and tricks.
"Are we parenting in such a way that our children [disciples] will one day not hesitate to say 'I think Jesus is calling me to follow him into [fill in the blank: a hard place, a risky ministry...etc.]?' Will we celebrate the kindness of God to lead our children to take risks and make sacrifices for his mission, to spread his glory over the face of the earth?"
April 8, 2021
I read this book years ago and it will forever sit on my shelf as one of the best books I’ve ever read on motherhood. You’ll be encouraged that your mothering is nurturing life in the face of death, your homemaking is shaking the gates of hell, your infertile womb is a vessel to show His glory, and so much more in this Christ-centered, scripture-drenched treasure of a book. Can’t recommend it enough.
November 12, 2020
Honest disclaimer: I did not finish this.
I couldn't bring myself to do it. In a technical sense, the book was well written. However, I found it unengaging and difficult to relate what I was reading back to the topic.
As was written in another review, the book was split into two halves. The first half seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with missional motherhood. It was a summary of the Old Testament. As far as summaries go, it was fine. I'd even recommend a young Christian to read it so that they can get an overview of the meta-narrative of the Old Testament. But it was not related back to the main topic of the book. You cannot have a book about a very specific topic (namely missional motherhood) and then spend over half of said book talking about something else that is not even in the vaguest sense related back to it.
It lost me, I lost interest, and I wouldn't recommend it.
Also, I'm not really a fan of lumping everyone who has two X chromosomes into the category of "your calling is a mother, even if that's not in the literal sense". Not all women are nurturing or will take on a role where they mother people, even if that is not their own children.
I couldn't bring myself to do it. In a technical sense, the book was well written. However, I found it unengaging and difficult to relate what I was reading back to the topic.
As was written in another review, the book was split into two halves. The first half seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with missional motherhood. It was a summary of the Old Testament. As far as summaries go, it was fine. I'd even recommend a young Christian to read it so that they can get an overview of the meta-narrative of the Old Testament. But it was not related back to the main topic of the book. You cannot have a book about a very specific topic (namely missional motherhood) and then spend over half of said book talking about something else that is not even in the vaguest sense related back to it.
It lost me, I lost interest, and I wouldn't recommend it.
Also, I'm not really a fan of lumping everyone who has two X chromosomes into the category of "your calling is a mother, even if that's not in the literal sense". Not all women are nurturing or will take on a role where they mother people, even if that is not their own children.
October 18, 2023
Good content? Kind of confusing writing. Also surprisingly boring for trying to be an encouraging reminder that GOD HAS SAVED THE WORLD AND YOU IN IT, and you have life Everlasting to share with your children and everyone…. like, my literal entire life’s purpose, and it was, hard to get through. (I might try to read it again at a slightly different season of life 😴🤮👶🏻)
It was also hardly about motherhood honestly. She said missional motherhood a lot, but never in a clear concise sense. But my understanding is that we have been commissioned to live godly lives and share the gospel, not just with our children, but everyone. I think she might have even mentioned you can be called to missional motherhood even if you don’t have kids…? I could be misremembering, it’s taken me a while to finish. Anyway, I still don’t get it I guess.
It was also hardly about motherhood honestly. She said missional motherhood a lot, but never in a clear concise sense. But my understanding is that we have been commissioned to live godly lives and share the gospel, not just with our children, but everyone. I think she might have even mentioned you can be called to missional motherhood even if you don’t have kids…? I could be misremembering, it’s taken me a while to finish. Anyway, I still don’t get it I guess.
Read
January 24, 2022Mother or not, everyone should read this book. Reminds us of the plan God has to reconcile sinners to Himself and how our daily lives fit into that plan.
October 10, 2019
Well written, and thought provoking. It took forever to read, but that's because I had to chew small sections at a time.
August 25, 2025
I had a very hard time with this book. I generally have a hard time with female theology writers because they tend to ramble on and on, flutter from topic to topic with no coherent center thought or argument, and add in a lot of personal stories that are unnecessary and very un-funny humor. These were all the case with this book unfortunately. If this was a book that was written for the purpose of giving you a quick overview of the Bible, it would have done a great job fulfilling that task, but it was supposed to be a book on mothering, remembering Gods overarching plan, and sharing the Gospel in that and in all phases of life (I think?). I found about one or two sentences that were good points and helpful, but other than that, I had a hard time trying to see what her goal with the book was. It seemed like the whole book was one big filler chapter for a big enough word count.
I think this book would be perfect for a brand new mother who was saved yesterday and knows nothing of the Bible yet, as this is a great look at God’s big story. But for someone who is familiar with these stories in the Bible, I had a hard time finding anything new, helpful, or applicable.
I think this book would be perfect for a brand new mother who was saved yesterday and knows nothing of the Bible yet, as this is a great look at God’s big story. But for someone who is familiar with these stories in the Bible, I had a hard time finding anything new, helpful, or applicable.
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July 24, 2025I haven’t been able to figure out how to rate this book, because it does have so much truth in it.. but it was not what I expected, and didn’t address motherhood in the way I thought it would. I do feel like the writing was a little flowery, and I probably could have done without the OT overview in all of part 1.
October 5, 2024
Wish I had known the first half of the book is just a narration of the Old Testament. The second half had some good things to consider reminding us that our call in motherhood is also to disciple our children and encourages us not to lose sight of the main priority in raising our children, which is to bring them to the Lord. The book became a little receptive after a while.
October 24, 2025
“The Great Commission is what missional motherhood is all about”
I’ve been very encouraged by this book and the reset its given me. Definitely not a book for just mothers but for all women.
I’ve been very encouraged by this book and the reset its given me. Definitely not a book for just mothers but for all women.
January 3, 2018
I was excited about doing this book with our women’s doctrine study: a systematic theology with a Jane Austen cover-yes!
But, if I could sum it up in two word I would use, overwritten and patronizing. Ouch, I know. She could have said what she had to say in half the time without such meandering and lack of focus. The patronizing came with all of the ridiculous metaphor about her and her reader sitting down to coffee together, flying over the Bible narrative together etc. etc. This kind of thing always makes me feel like the author believes that what he/she is ‘selling’ isn’t compelling enough to stand on its own.
One of the biggest flaws in the current reformed ladies’ movement is pandering. I’m all for being gentle with the weak and those who should be eating solid food, (but are still drinking milk), but no one should be talked down to. Ladies-women can handle the truth and they must handle it. Please don’t talk to me like I’m simply a massive ball of blubbering estrogen with a serious case of ADD; instead speak to me like I need to be enlivened by how good and vast and relevant Christ the King is. He sells himself.
Sadly, this book is a case in point on why I prefer to learn from men.
That all said, I like Gloria Furhman and I think she should continue to focus her writing. A bit of unsolicited advice-usually, I think the sweet spot for most reformed women who choose to write and speak is testimonial, mainly because their first and main calling demands so much of their time that they can not do justice to exegetical teaching, nor do they need to, it’s just not their role or call. Gloria-tell me what you have learned about God’s goodness in your life as a wife and mom! You are an expert in your craft, explain what you have learned.
But, if I could sum it up in two word I would use, overwritten and patronizing. Ouch, I know. She could have said what she had to say in half the time without such meandering and lack of focus. The patronizing came with all of the ridiculous metaphor about her and her reader sitting down to coffee together, flying over the Bible narrative together etc. etc. This kind of thing always makes me feel like the author believes that what he/she is ‘selling’ isn’t compelling enough to stand on its own.
One of the biggest flaws in the current reformed ladies’ movement is pandering. I’m all for being gentle with the weak and those who should be eating solid food, (but are still drinking milk), but no one should be talked down to. Ladies-women can handle the truth and they must handle it. Please don’t talk to me like I’m simply a massive ball of blubbering estrogen with a serious case of ADD; instead speak to me like I need to be enlivened by how good and vast and relevant Christ the King is. He sells himself.
Sadly, this book is a case in point on why I prefer to learn from men.
That all said, I like Gloria Furhman and I think she should continue to focus her writing. A bit of unsolicited advice-usually, I think the sweet spot for most reformed women who choose to write and speak is testimonial, mainly because their first and main calling demands so much of their time that they can not do justice to exegetical teaching, nor do they need to, it’s just not their role or call. Gloria-tell me what you have learned about God’s goodness in your life as a wife and mom! You are an expert in your craft, explain what you have learned.
June 8, 2022
I won’t lie - I have the mildly addled brain of a mother with small children. Maybe if I was sharper this wouldn’t have seemed quiet so in-concise and meandering. But, arguably, I am one of the target audiences for this book and had a hard time working my way through it. I believe Furman had a lot of great thoughts and everything seemed theologically sound, but (especially in Part 2) I’d find myself wondering where the chapter was going even though the chapter name told me “where it was going”. It was good to meditate on the points she made, but I felt there often lacked a profound or solid conclusion. I enjoyed Part 1 more, just from a “I never mind someone giving me a high level overview of the Old Testament to remind me of God’s character” perspective, but it still felt like each chapter could have come to a more settled point. I think Furman has a lot of wisdom and a fun writing style, but it seems like the book would have benefited from a more assertive editor.
Not bad, but just ok.
Not bad, but just ok.
December 29, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️▪️▪️
I feel very bad for not liking this book more. I don’t feel like the intended audience but then if I’m not, who is? Who other than me is supposed to read a book called Missional Motherhood? I skimmed large portions of this book because I was too disinterested to finish it.
Here’s my thoughts:
There is nothing (or at least nothing glaringly obvious) that I disagree with theologically. She doesn’t go to great depths defending complementatianism or I would disagree with that.
Honestly, it feels like Gloria Furman had a GREAT idea for a book about taking faith seriously and living it out as a Christian, but she had to force it into a book specifically for women because she’s complementarian and not allowed to teach men anything.
I was hoping for (expecting?) a book that tells me maybe how to parent my kids in a mission-minded way or draw unique insight about motherhood from the mission of God in the Bible.
Instead, part 1 of this book is an overview of scripture. Just that. The whole Bible. No unique twists or emphasis on mothers or anything, just the Bible! Maybe something that a new Christian or someone who hasn’t been serious about faith for very long would definitely benefit from reading. But nothing unique to motherhood other than her just saying stuff like “Jesus did this for everyone! Including moms.”
Then, I was hoping part two would maybe apply to me a little better and have some insight I would benefit from. But it was like… a breakdown of the implications of the gospel for Christian living in today’s world. A great thing but again not what I was expecting or wanting from this book. All the sections applying the gospel specifically to mothers felt very forced and like it should just be applied to everyone.
This book could be renamed and the words “motherhood,” “mothers,”“women,” etc be exchanged with words like “life,” “Christians,” “people.” And it would be a great intro to living out faith and joining in God’s grand plan!
I feel very bad for not liking this book more. I don’t feel like the intended audience but then if I’m not, who is? Who other than me is supposed to read a book called Missional Motherhood? I skimmed large portions of this book because I was too disinterested to finish it.
Here’s my thoughts:
There is nothing (or at least nothing glaringly obvious) that I disagree with theologically. She doesn’t go to great depths defending complementatianism or I would disagree with that.
Honestly, it feels like Gloria Furman had a GREAT idea for a book about taking faith seriously and living it out as a Christian, but she had to force it into a book specifically for women because she’s complementarian and not allowed to teach men anything.
I was hoping for (expecting?) a book that tells me maybe how to parent my kids in a mission-minded way or draw unique insight about motherhood from the mission of God in the Bible.
Instead, part 1 of this book is an overview of scripture. Just that. The whole Bible. No unique twists or emphasis on mothers or anything, just the Bible! Maybe something that a new Christian or someone who hasn’t been serious about faith for very long would definitely benefit from reading. But nothing unique to motherhood other than her just saying stuff like “Jesus did this for everyone! Including moms.”
Then, I was hoping part two would maybe apply to me a little better and have some insight I would benefit from. But it was like… a breakdown of the implications of the gospel for Christian living in today’s world. A great thing but again not what I was expecting or wanting from this book. All the sections applying the gospel specifically to mothers felt very forced and like it should just be applied to everyone.
This book could be renamed and the words “motherhood,” “mothers,”“women,” etc be exchanged with words like “life,” “Christians,” “people.” And it would be a great intro to living out faith and joining in God’s grand plan!
April 7, 2022
Okay. I rate this four stars, but I’ll be honest, this really isn’t my favorite book, and I really didn’t “love” reading it all the time. The last few chapters I really was having to drag myself through, but I think that could be affected by the season of life I’m in right now.
I rate this book 4 stars because I think this battles women “Christian”-self-help-self-focused books so well. The entire first half of the book focuses solely on God working through the people of the Old Testament, with nuggets of goodness for mothering. And the entire second half of the book solely focuses on Jesus’s redemptive work, with nuggets of goodness for mothering. This book is firstly directed on a focus of the Lord, secondly directed on a focus of mothering. Which, again, battles very strongly against your popular books that are targeted and marketed toward Christian women today.
I praise the Lord that I belong to a local church body that does focus and point to the importance of the full narrative of scripture, and seeing Christ displayed through all aspects of life, and I think this book would be much more powerful for a woman/mother who has never seen these things before. But, no believer can complain about being reminded of the goodness of the Lord and being reminded of the redemptive work that God has began since the dawn of time. Which, is why I can’t really rate this book less than 4 stars.
(Also, what Forman does say about mothering is awesome. It’s just only about 20% of the book.)
Personal enjoyment of the book alone, I would probably give a 3 star. But seeing the potential impact of the book for someone other than myself, I would give it a 4 star.
I rate this book 4 stars because I think this battles women “Christian”-self-help-self-focused books so well. The entire first half of the book focuses solely on God working through the people of the Old Testament, with nuggets of goodness for mothering. And the entire second half of the book solely focuses on Jesus’s redemptive work, with nuggets of goodness for mothering. This book is firstly directed on a focus of the Lord, secondly directed on a focus of mothering. Which, again, battles very strongly against your popular books that are targeted and marketed toward Christian women today.
I praise the Lord that I belong to a local church body that does focus and point to the importance of the full narrative of scripture, and seeing Christ displayed through all aspects of life, and I think this book would be much more powerful for a woman/mother who has never seen these things before. But, no believer can complain about being reminded of the goodness of the Lord and being reminded of the redemptive work that God has began since the dawn of time. Which, is why I can’t really rate this book less than 4 stars.
(Also, what Forman does say about mothering is awesome. It’s just only about 20% of the book.)
Personal enjoyment of the book alone, I would probably give a 3 star. But seeing the potential impact of the book for someone other than myself, I would give it a 4 star.
March 10, 2025
Missional Motherhood is a great starting point. It answers the questions of “where does mothering fit within God’s story?” Answering this correctly matters for having a worldview of mothering that corresponds with God. If you get the answer wrong, you view the entire framework incorrectly. This is what makes the book so important.
The clear strength of this book is Biblical Theology. Furman gives a robust overview of the story of the Bible with little side comments on how mothering fits in. It might be a tough book for a brand-new Christian, but it does give a solid presentation of Biblical story—"God’s Big Story." In particular, the Gospel was the central message of the book.
There were three weaknesses: First, there wasn’t a clear articulation of application. There were splatters of it that were good, but it’s not a strength of the book. Second, as she presents a biblical framework of mothering, the orientation of the mom to the dad was lacking—maybe 2 sentences worth in the book. Third, it was not clear how she made the connection that “mother” as a verb means “to nurture.” She went on to connect mothering to how Jesus nurtured and the connections didn’t seem strong. In my opinion, there are clearer connections with mothering to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament—which didn’t come up at all.
The clear strength of this book is Biblical Theology. Furman gives a robust overview of the story of the Bible with little side comments on how mothering fits in. It might be a tough book for a brand-new Christian, but it does give a solid presentation of Biblical story—"God’s Big Story." In particular, the Gospel was the central message of the book.
There were three weaknesses: First, there wasn’t a clear articulation of application. There were splatters of it that were good, but it’s not a strength of the book. Second, as she presents a biblical framework of mothering, the orientation of the mom to the dad was lacking—maybe 2 sentences worth in the book. Third, it was not clear how she made the connection that “mother” as a verb means “to nurture.” She went on to connect mothering to how Jesus nurtured and the connections didn’t seem strong. In my opinion, there are clearer connections with mothering to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament—which didn’t come up at all.
August 17, 2025
While I listened to the audiobook version, I appreciated this author’s ability to review the entirety of the Bible and redemptive history to be able to use that in everyday life. Repeatedly Ms Furman stated that this is not only a book for moms- a sentiment I would support! While they are some brief moments of distinct “mom talk,” i think this book has changed my view on how all women are called by God to nurture people. Each of our paths is so diverse (isn’t that exciting!?) and therefore how God would use us to further His kingdom will be correspondingly diverse.
I really enjoyed this, would recommend to any woman wanting to be more like Jesus, and will likely read it again in the next few years.
I really enjoyed this, would recommend to any woman wanting to be more like Jesus, and will likely read it again in the next few years.
May 2, 2022
Had some trouble following her train of thought at times. But was able to get some nuggets that will stick with me. "We need to know that our home is not a projection of our image but a space in which we work to display the image of Christ."
November 1, 2022
This wasn't really what I hoped it would be when I picked it up to read, but I agreed with what she said! I love her emphasis that women are designed to nurture regardless of what that looks like: from babies at home to lost people in foreign lands and everything in between.
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August 13, 2025Gloria's love of and excitement for the Gospel is contagious! Definitely a high level overview and not very specific/applicable. Seemed a bit repetitive/long-winded at times, but solid truths from Scripture and great book overall!
April 18, 2022
The theology of this book was solid and rich, but I found it hard to get engaged with the book. The section on OT theology at the beginning was good, but just too long and the connection to motherhood wasn’t always clear to me. I prefer her other book, Treasuring Christ When Your Hands are Full.
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