Kindergarten and the Kingdom: A Father and Son Talk About the Church

📘 Kindergarten and the Kingdom

A Father and Son Talk About the Church

🧠 What if we’ve mistaken the classroom for the Kingdom?

🕊️ What if there’s more Spirit waiting—just beyond the walls we’ve built?

I had a beautiful talk recently with my son.

Face-to-face.

Spirit-to-spirit.

No arguing.

No trying to convince each other.

Just two hearts wide open.

And we both agreed on something sacred:

There’s a lot of good in the Church.

So many kind, humble, faithful souls.

People who’ve loved us. Served us. Raised us.

The missionary program?

🌍 Beautiful.

📖 Inspired.

🙏 Divinely used.

And the Lord has used it—mightily.

🪶 “And behold, the Lord shall cause that the Word shall be carried forth even by those who do not know the full truth, and by their diligence and their unmatched labor, they shall fulfill His first work among the nations.”

—Nemenhah Record, Timothy, Chapter 14 (paraphrased)

Yes.

The Church fulfilled this early calling:

To scatter the seed.

To take the Book of Mormon to the world.

And they did it with unmatched commitment.

But let’s be honest…

That’s not the whole story.

🎓 The Church Is a Kindergarten

That’s the phrase that came to me after our talk.

Not an insult.

Just a truth.

The Church is like a spiritual kindergarten.

It teaches some basics:

Faith. Family. Service. Repentance. Tithing.

All good things.

Essential beginnings.

But then what?

Where’s the meat?

Where’s the power of the Holy Ghost?

Where’s the baptism of fire that fills you with unspeakable joy and spiritual power?

Too many are sitting in beautiful chapels,

reading polished manuals,

and starving on the inside.

That’s not just a concern.

That’s soul murder.

🕍 The Temples and the Trap

We’ve built fine buildings.

With chandeliers that sparkle like Vegas.

We measure worthiness by tithing receipts

and call it Zion.

But Isaiah saw it coming:

“Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves: every one loves gifts and follows after rewards.”

—Isaiah 1:22–23

Jeremiah warned us:

“Trust ye not in lying words, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord…’”

—Jeremiah 7:4

And the Book of Mormon cried out:

“O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites… ye teachers, who sell yourselves for that which will canker…”

—Mormon 8:38

We were never meant to build a corporate empire.

We were meant to build Zion.

🔥 The People Were Used… Then They Fell

Here’s what the Nemenhah Records say about the ones who received the Restoration:

🪶 *“And behold, I looked upon the people, and the Lord said unto me: I did bring again unto them the beginning. And they were zealous, and they were industrious above many. And they were organized in all things. Therefore, I did cause that My word should be taken among all the nations by their hand.

But behold, they did turn again unto the precepts of men, and began to build up churches unto themselves. And My plainness they did hide, and they trusted again in the arm of flesh.

Nevertheless, I the Lord say unto you: their labors were not in vain. For they did prepare the way, and I shall yet bring forth the fullness through the remnant whom I shall call.”*

—Tsihohnayah Ahkehkthihm 14:17–19

The Lord used them.

Because of their organization, their zeal, their industriousness.

But then—just like ancient Israel—they turned again to men.

To hierarchy.

To priestcraft.

To gold-trimmed temples instead of broken hearts.

Still, their labors prepared the way.

And the Lord will honor that.

But now the Spirit says…

It’s time to move on.

🧎🏻‍♂️ Let’s Come to a Rational Alliance

This is where I landed with my son:

Let’s be grateful for the good.

Let’s honor the faithful still inside.

Let’s even thank the Lord for what the Church has done.

But let’s not stop there.

Let’s not pretend the Spirit lives in a brand.

Or that Jesus is bound by corporate structure.

Let’s be honest—lovingly honest.

The Church could be so much more…

if the Spirit was truly in charge.

If we stopped fearing truth.

If we let the Lord—not a hierarchy—lead again.

We weren’t meant to stay in kindergarten.

We were meant to graduate.

Into 🔥 fire.

Into 🌿 fruit.

Into the full stature of Christ.

And it’s still possible.

🕊️ One awakened soul at a time.

Posted with love. For the humble. For the hungry. For the remnant.

No names needed. Just light.