Child Dedications

Children are indeed a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3)! Because we desire to honor God and serve our children well, this task can sometimes weigh heavily upon us. Remembering that we don't parent alone or without help is helpful. We have God’s promise of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13), and we have one another (Ephesians 4:15).

God is the author of the family unit (Ephesians 3:15), and families are very important expression of his kingdom and part of his plan to share the good news of Christ around the world. In Ephesians 6:4, Paul instructs parents in the church to “bring them (their children) up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

Child dedications are not a ‘type’ of baptism but rather an expression of our desire to raise our children in families characterized by gospel grace. We make this commitment in the confident hope that our children will love and serve God with their lives. In dedicating our children to the Lord, we are, in a sense, dedicating ourselves and our families, acknowledging our need and expressing our desire to raise our children among our church family.