Child Dedication
About Child Dedication
One of God's greatest gifts is children. God affirms in His Word that each child is personally and uniquely crafted by Him. Each child has value and worth simply because God made him or her. In His wisdom, God has chosen to entrust these precious gifts to you as parents. Dedicating your child means recognizing him or her as a gift that really belongs to God. It is also a statement of your desire to raise your child to know and love God, and to fulfill God's purposes for your child's life.
Dedication Ceremony
While dedication can be a private matter, we welcome the opportunity for parents to dedicate their child publicly before the church family during a Sunday service. As a part of the dedication ceremony, you will be asked to affirm your desire to follow God in your own lives and your desire to lead your child into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
As this is a celebratory time, we encourage you to invite friends and family, whom you would like to be present for this day.
Foundations in God's Word
The Importance of Parenting
As God’s people were about to enter the promised land Moses stressed the importance of passing along God’s commandments and testifying about Him to future generations. First and foremost that responsibility belonged to the parents (Deuteronomy 6:7,20-25).
The Example of Hannah Dedicating Samuel
And [Hannah] said to [Eli], "As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord." (1 Samuel 1:26-28)
The Dedication of Jesus as a Child
When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. (Luke 2:22)
Jesus' Teaching Concerning Children
[Jesus] said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be a follower of Jesus to dedicate my child?
Since we view child dedication as an expression of your desire to raise your child to know and love God, it is necessary for you to have first entered into a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Do we have to dedicate our child publicly?
There is no command in Scripture mandating parents to dedicate their child publicly. However, there is value in making this commitment before others. Your desire to follow God as a parent can be an inspiration to other parents. It also allows the church family to affirm their support of you in your commitment as a parent.
Interested in having your child(ren) dedicated? Please complete the form below and we will be in touch with you shortly after receiving it. Thank you! We look forward to celebrating with you and walking alongside you as a parent here at First Church.