Ken Kamau is a Kenyan pastor now based in Australia. “First things first” is a short book, easy to read and should be placed in the hands of every candidate for the ministry at the very start of their journey towards ordination. Kamau begins by stating how shocked we all are when a Christian leader falls from grace due to some scandal (usually due to a weakness for one of the three “Gs” – girls, gold or glory). Yet no one ever enters the ministry with the aim of failing.

Kamau’s simple yet profound premise is that the roots of failure can be traced to an inability to deal with our “Goliaths” when we are young. Everyone has a village, a place of beginning, where our road to leadership starts. It is there, surrounded by people who love us and will direct us, that we must learn to deal with sins such as pride, lust, and greed. If we don’t these will be an Achilles heel to us later in life.

Kamau has a very attractive style, where every premise is illustrated with a real-life example. He uses proverbs and stories from his Kenyan culture. My favourite is: An old man sitting on a stool can see further than a young man who has climbed a tree.

As the book progresses, he gives the kind of advice that if heeded will save a ministry from disaster. He is particularly forthright about protecting the marriage covenant and giving time to our families.

I highly recommend this little book, and not just to those who are starting out in church leadership.

This book is available to purchase from Book Depository.

Ian Watson, Hope Church, Blackwood & Kirkmuirhill