Kanon Tipton, 4-Year-Old Preacher, Gains YouTube Fame (VIDEO)

Kanon Tipton, 4, first took the microphone at his family's church when he was just 21 months old. Two years and a few million YouTube hits later, the young preacher has developed quite a reputation. His emotional delivery, dramatic cadence and back-and-forth pacing behind the pulpit are faithful replications of the mannerisms he's seen demonstrated by other preachers.

On Tuesday, Kanon and his parents appeared on NBC's The Today Show to talk about the young preacher's amazing talent. Asked whether he thought Kanon has a true calling for ministry or if he was merely mimicking what he had seen from others, Kanon's father, Pastor Damon Tipton, said, "I think it's a little of both ... I do feel like the hand of God is on him in a special way." Kanon is the third generation of preachers in his family, following in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather.

WATCH AN EARLY VIDEO OF KANON PREACHING:

AND A MORE RECENT VIDEO:

Comments

[veryberry]

06:59 PM on 10/03/2011

Child Abuse! That boy should be out playing T-ball, or playing with his dog, or teasing his sister. This is not one bit better than the little girls on Toddlers and Tiaras.

[Anna Nicole Dahmer]

03:03 PM on 09/22/2011

natgional geographic channel did a special featuring this child called, "pint-sized preachers", the funny part was, the child got up to the podium and said
'GOD WANTS YOUR MONEY"

just like every other preacher, a fraud after your cash.

[Bile Gran Vieira Correa]

12:03 PM on 09/16/2011

He is a little cute boy...I think so that he really feels God ! I hope that he can be this way when he be a young man on few years... God bless this little child.

[uncle buc]

10:00 PM on 09/12/2011

Is it just me , or are atheists some of the kindest people in the whole billions and billions of years old earth? Almost every post or comment from them is just overwhelmingly kind and non judgmental.

[chw777]

10:09 AM on 09/12/2011

Very very funny. Just a little boy imitating his father.. But very funny.

[helioszephyr]

12:48 PM on 09/11/2011

"Asked whether he thought Kanon has a true calling for ministry or if he was merely mimicking"
oh please... what, he was born with a mic in his hand and the understanding of religious metaphors?

This is along the lines of beauty pageants for 4 year old girls, as if kids at this age inherently know what it's all about.

This is adult encouraged and conceived, because they think it's "cute" for kids to act as adults, but are actually exploiting. Let children be children and lets not contaminate their minds with our baggage.

[intrusion]

01:15 AM on 09/05/2011

I do not stoop as low as to argue with ANYONE over religion because I believe that everyone has a right to their own beliefs they will have to account for them selves in the end. The little boy is cute and I do believe that while he is cute he is mimicking what he has grown up and seen but the words he speaks are from the bible. It doesn't matter about age all the time because we can learn from all ages. By the way I'm Pentecostal.

[veryberry]

07:08 PM on 10/03/2011

intrusion: ---"everyone has a right to their own beliefs"__.How can this child ever have his own beliefs when he is being brainwashed with ideas he can't possibly understand at the age of four? He will have no chance of growing into his teen years and reading books about many different faiths, talking with friends, visiting other churches, and deciding for himself what is real, what is true, even when it may be very different from his family's beliefs.Speaking words that came from the bible doesn't make it okay or harmless.

[dbrett480]

09:32 PM on 08/31/2011

Whoever listens to a 4-year old for religious inspiration needs to rethink their religion.

[matt gordon]

08:58 AM on 08/29/2011

It was hysterical , especially when he pauses for dramatic effect like the grown-up charlatans. The handkerchief prop was good, though it appeared rehearsed and timed, just an act. Marjoe Gortner grew to resent his parents for publicizing him as the 'world's youngest preacher' at 4-5 yrs old.

[Bianca Befana]

10:17 AM on 08/24/2011

Yes...let's make sure the little boy makes money for his family & church...way to go capitalism! or should I question about the child labor-laws? BB

[get it straight]

09:53 PM on 08/23/2011

Lets pray that the Lord's protection and anointing will forever be upon this little child.

[drleebrew]

01:15 PM on 08/23/2011

For any parent to use their child as effectively a side-show phenomenon, is perfidious. It makes a mockery of preaching by having an infant mimic stereotypical preachers.

[Redhunteur]

08:02 AM on 08/23/2011

This kid is like a religious version of JonBenét Ramsey.

But hey, if my kid shows an interest in driving then I’m putting him in the front seat of a Greyhound on a trip to Canada to encourage him. I mean, what kid isn’t mature enough to know what he wants to do with the rest of his life at a year and a half?

[rtksjones]

09:46 AM on 08/22/2011

Daddy needs to have his butt kicked for making a spectacle of his child.

[trekie70]

11:27 AM on 08/21/2011

The video of him at 21 mos. is cute but all he's doing is babbling. I sincerely hope they will let this boy choose his own path when he gets old enough to do so.