12-year-old Fleming Middle School student preaches 1st sermon at Houston-area church after becoming certified minister

HOUSTON – He may be tiny, but this Fleming Middle School sixth grader is strong and powerful when expressing his love for God.

The 12-year-old went viral last year on TikTok while playing the piano in the middle of his Kashmere Gardens neighborhood. The 30-second video gained more than four million views and turned Traevon Narcisse into a local celebrity.

Traevon was featured on several national platforms, including CNN, CBS and the Tamron Hall Show.

Now, Traevon, who said his passion for music started in church, is taking his talents back to their roots.

“Anytime he has a chance to say something about God or spread the word, he’s going to do it,” said Jayla Martin, Traevon’s sixth-grade Science of Reading teacher.

During the Christmas Break, the Fleming Middle School student preached his first sermon at the Greater True Vine Baptist Church.

“God has got his hands on this young man,” said Greater True Vine Baptist Church Pastor, Rand Carway.

With a full congregation, including his mother, grandmother, and teacher, the 12-year-old swooned the crowd with a motivational message about his faith.

“He’s very entertaining. I love having him in class. He’s a joy, but he loves to talk,” Martin said.

During his sermon, Traevon was surprised with papers that officially certified him as a minister.

“I’m now able to marry, go across the world to other churches at other different types of ministries, and minister to all types of people. I can minister in the prison and all things like that,” Traevon said.

The 12-year-old said he plans to continue to preach the world, play the piano and use what he’s taught at church to navigate his way through the remainder of the school year.

“You can’t pray without faith. You got to trust and believe who you praying to and what you praying about,” Traevon said.

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About the Authors

Candace Burns is committed to helping keep her community informed, and loves sharing inspiring stories about people who make the world a better place.

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