Ken Kamau - First Things First: Growing in Pastoral Ministry

Copyright 2016 by Ken Kamau

Published 2016 by HippoBooks, an imprint of WordAlive, ACTS, Langham Creative Projects and Zondervan.

Africa Christian Textbooks (ACTS), TCNN, PMB 2020, Bukuru 930008, Plateau State, Nigeria. www.africachristiantextbooks.com

Langham Creative Projects, PO Box 296, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA3 9WZ, UK. www.langhamcreative.org

WordAlive Publishers, PO Box 4547, GP0-00100 Nairobi, Kenya www.wordalivepublishers.com

Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546. www.zondervan.com

ePub Edition April 2016: ISBN 978-0-3105-3222-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Kamau, Ken, author.

Title: First things first : growing in pastoral ministry : / by Ken Kamau.

Description: Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 2016.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016013122 | ISBN 9789966003829 (softcover)

Subjects: LCSH: Pastoral theology.

Classification: LCC BV4011.3 .K36 2016 | DDC 253 dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016013122

All rghts reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system without permission in writing from the publisher.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Cover design: projectluz.com

Book design: To a Tee Ltd, www.2at.com

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I dedicate this book to three godly women in my life: My grandmother, who led me to the Lord My mother, a pillar of faith My wife, a woman of wisdom and unwavering commitment

CONTENTS

T his book is a reflection of the journey I have walked, a journey that only found meaning and purpose at the foot of the cross. My first thanks is to Jesus Christ who loved me when I was still afar off, called me, and wrote my name in his Book of Life. His unconditional love has kept me going even when the road is tough.

Thanks to my wife, best friend and partner in ministry, Wacuka. She has made our journey in ministry an adventure. Her prayer, passion and dedication to seeing this book finished inspired me to keep writing even during the not-so-good times.

To my two wonderful children, Nathan and Nyambura God has used you to teach me more about leadership than any other book.

To the elders of Kileleshwa Covenant Community Church for entrusting me with leadership where few would have done so. Thank you for giving me the space and freedom to dream big and lead with confidence, knowing you have my back.

To the Tandaza staff team thank you for choosing to join me in this ministry adventure. Your dedication and commitment to Christ have taught me great leadership lessons.

To the Kileleshwa Church intercessory team led by Kendi Ogamba thank you for constantly being on your knees during the writing of this book.

To the congregations of Kileleshwa Covenant, Tandaza Celebration Centre, and Shepherds Green thank you for allowing me to walk with you in this faith adventure.

To the many more churches we will see planted to the glory of God.

To Rev. Peter and Beth Njogah and the Deliverance Church, Ongata Rongai, where my journey started.

To Glenmore Park Anglican Church in Australia and the wonderful congregation for being the hands and feet of Christ.

To the team at HippoBooks, who made this possible by extending trust and creating a platform for authors. And to Isobel Stevenson and her editorial team extraordinaire.

And finally to Pastor Oscar Muriu and Pastor Muriithi Wanjau, two men who have been instrumental in shaping me and daring me to trust the Lord for more.

P astors or leaders never start their ministry with the aim of failing or disappointing those who have given them the role and responsibility of leadership.

I remember, during my time at Bible college, many of the conversations were about what we called the ABCs of ministry Attendance, Building and Cash. Pastors loved talking about the congregation sizes of various churches, the property they owned, and the offerings in those big churches.

Most of us, if not all of us, dreamt and planned to be leaders of big churches or ministries.

Visionary leaders dream big. They spend time churning ideas of how things can be; they do not see the obstacles or the challenges. In fact, obstacles and challenges fuel their desire to do grand things.

We see these leaders take youth ministries by storm or plant churches that grow and thrive where others have failed. We are mesmerized at how easily and quickly they build a core and how easily they rally people around them. We want to be part of their team, their church, their inner circle; we want to understand how they think and work. We also come across great strategic thinkers or worship pastors, preachers and childrens pastors all of whom we love and are captivated by.

Having interacted with a number of great pastors, I know that Africa is blessed with visionary leaders in the church arena. I think of men like Pastor Oscar Muriu of Nairobi Chapel, Bishop Arthur Gitonga of Redeemed Church, Archbishop Wabukala of the Anglican Church, Archbishop Ben Kwashi from Nigeria and Rev. Phineas Dube of Zimbabwe, to mention only a few.

However, in this beautifully created being, driven by a gospel conviction, consumed by love for the lost, there lies a dark side, that is selfish, broken, and desperately wicked a part ruled by sin!

Sin works at robbing us of what God has promised; it works at redirecting us to self-destruction, annihilation and a complete falling short of Gods expectations.

It still surprises me how I and many others are still shocked by the fall of great men and women who are giants in ministry. We see young and old leaders come in and do great exploits for God. But after a while we hear that they have left the church they were leading broken, split and full of in-fighting. Or we are treated to unending dramas involving financial or moral scandals, and we ask ourselves what happened to the passionate leader we all admired.

Some of those who fall may be people we thought of as insignificant members of the community. But others are those we considered worthy of the title Man of God or Woman of God, people with a coveted place in society, whom we looked up to with admiration, respect and awe, and whom we desperately wanted to emulate. We may even have modelled our ministries and careers on theirs. Then one day we are rocked by the news that they have fallen or been captured by that dreaded monster Sin. How did it happen? Why? It cannot be; its impossible! How could such a great and passionate leader fall?

We go into a state of shock, followed by denial and then spiritual depression. Those on the edge looking for a chance to discredit the faith leap with joy at such opportunities. Some use these incidents as excuses for why they will never believe in or follow such a damaged faith.

In order to save face, we look for every possible reason to excuse the falling of the man or woman of God. We say its the stress of ministry (blaming God and the church); others may say its the strain of being in the limelight (blaming society).