Kenyan pastor Rev. David Mutuku says a moment on the football pitch in Mexico City 40 years ago set him on a path that would merge sport, scholarship and ministry. The memory of Diego Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' goal at the 1986 World Cup lingered long after the final whistle, prompting Mutuku to pen a work that fuses religious parables, personal anecdotes and poetry.
Growing up in a remote village of Kenya, Mutuku trekked miles to a relative's home to catch the tournament on a grainy television set. The tournament's climax, Argentina's victory, struck him as more than a sporting triumph; he interpreted the win as a sign of divine orchestration that would later inform his own spiritual calling.
His forthcoming book, titled 'The Touchline: A Case for Faith in a Strumming of 39 Parables', draws on passages from the Gospel of Matthew to illustrate how God's hand guides human destiny. Each chapter pairs a biblical story with a personal episode, ranging from a missed penalty kick during his college years to moments of unexpected grace in his pastoral career.
A Divine Playbook
Mutuku recounts how encouragement from Rev. Philip Kitoto, Archbishop of the Kenya Assemblies of God, reinforced his resolve to complete the manuscript. Kitoto's mentorship, along with support from the International Christian Center and the East African School of Theology, provided both theological grounding and practical resources for the project.
Beyond the written word, the pastor sees the book as a bridge between cultures, inviting readers to consider how moments of triumph and failure on the field can mirror the larger narrative of faith. By weaving together sport, poetry and scriptural insight, Mutuku hopes to offer a fresh lens through which to view divine intervention in everyday life.