Why Child Dedication?
Being a parent is one of the greatest joys in life, but it’s no easy task (especially if you’re a Christian). But there’s good news! You don’t have to parent alone. What if you could invite the support of God through your church into your life and your whole family as you commit to raise your child up to know the Lord?
That’s where child dedication comes in. Children are a gift from God, and we have the privilege and responsibility of caring for their spiritual journey together.
Parents get to commit to raise their children with love, grace, and godly wisdom, bringing them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21).
The church gets to commit to encouraging, supporting, praying for, and investing into the parents and the child in the years to come as we raise the next generation to know Jesus (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:18; Hebrews 10:24-25).
Child dedication is more than a moment on a Sunday morning. It is a commitment that continues and stays meaningful as parents live out their own faith. And, as their child grows, we all work to help them understand what it means to follow Jesus.
As you dedicate your child to the Lord, you are committing to:
Pray faithfully. Seek God's wisdom and direction for your family, asking Him to work in your life and in the life of your child.
Make church a priority. Regularly gather with your church family so your child can grow up seeing what it means to worship God and be part of His people.
Build faith at home. Teach your child the truths of God's Word and look for everyday opportunities to talk about His goodness, grace, and love.
Point your child toward Jesus. Look for the opportunity to lead your child to a personal faith in Christ when they are ready to understand and respond to the gospel.
Remember whose your child is. Recognize that your child ultimately belongs to God, was created to experience His love, and has been given life with the opportunity to know Him and serve Him.
Our prayer is that, as you raise your child, your home will be a place where the love of Jesus is experienced, the truth of God's Word is lived out, and faith is nurtured. And as a church, we commit to coming alongside you, praying for your family, encouraging you in your journey, and helping you point your child toward Jesus!
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Child dedication is a great step for your family, but it’s certainly not the same thing as the day they will choose Jesus for themselves. That’s called salvation, and then a Believer’s baptism is when they decide to go public with their faith. Child dedication is less about your child’s choice now and more about setting them up for those choices later. When you dedicate your child, you’re committing to raise them in an environment where they hear about Jesus and have an opportunity to accept Him.
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That’s your decision. You can dedicate your child whether they’re a newborn or older. The age doesn’t matter as much as the principle. Child dedication sets the foundation that your family will be known for following Christ.
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We’ll have you come onstage with your child and walk you through a moment where you publicly commit to point your child to Jesus, and we join you in that. You can invite other family and friends to be present, and even consider choosing a special verse from the Bible for your child. It doesn’t have to feel overwhelming, especially since we’re there to support you.
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Not to worry! If that happens, it’s not a big deal. They're kids and we all understand it can happen. We’re all super gracious with each other already and look forward to supporting you.
Location:
123 Demo Street
New York, NY 12345
Hours:
Monday–Friday
10am–6pm
Email:
email@example.com