Kindergarten Pulpit
Meet Kanon Tipton, four-year-old-preacher. Don’t let his age worry you, he’s been doing this for over two years and his church takes his preaching seriously. Both his dad and granddad are Pentecostal ministers, and his dad admits some mimicking is going on but that he doesn’t want to discourage him.
But what if Kanon starts mimicking his dad’s driving. We will then see him on YouTube behind the wheel of the family SUV? Hopefully not. Then why are we seeing him behind the lectern ostensibly steering his church with a message from God? Is he a spirit-filled prodigy or just a kid imitating dad?
During a Fox & Friends interview, when asked to describe his message, Kanon just shrugs. A quick listen to his preaching on YouTube reveals that most of his speaking is nonsensical–and what else should we expect from him, HE’S FOUR.
Aside from common sense, Kanon’s pastoral family should know well enough to weigh his performances against scripture such as 1Tim. 3 to determine if their son meets the standard of maturity for church leaders. By not doing so their well-meaning indulgence is caricaturing the church at large.
Agree. So sad. Makes me sick as a the mom of a little boy. No matter how well-intentioned, what a disservice to those who need to hear the Word preached clearly in that church AND to poor Kanon (AND now in the greater public thanks to a cynical media that covered this circus). Imagine the confusion. Imagine the possible therapy to unravel the confusion. Worse, imagine how he is being taught to see God. But we know nothing is impossible with God. He can use this for good and I pray He does.
At a time when we need words of truth, words to help draw us to God’s character and His desires for our lives, we get this. It speaks just as much about the audience as the ones in the pulpit. I can hear Paul in 1Cor 3, (NASV) “1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able”.
Good point, Karla. Sad, but true.