Child Dedication
What is a baby/child dedication?
The word "dedication" means "to consecrate" or the act of setting apart people or things to serve God. In the Old Testament, we see how Hannah prayed for a child and promised God that the child, Samuel, would be given to the Lord all the days of his life. (1 Samuel 1:11, 28). In the New Testament, we see how Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to "present" Him to the Lord (Luke 2:22).
These parents took this act very seriously and were making a commitment in presenting their children to the Lord. Bringing a child before the Lord is not a secret formula for keeping them from ever experiencing harm or pain. It is a commitment that the parents make to do their part in raising the child before the Lord. Just as the Nazarite children in the Bible had set boundaries and lived their lives set apart to God from birth (Judges 13:5), parents today, through baby dedication, commit to a lifestyle of raising their children separated from the world and its values.
These parents took this act very seriously and were making a commitment in presenting their children to the Lord. Bringing a child before the Lord is not a secret formula for keeping them from ever experiencing harm or pain. It is a commitment that the parents make to do their part in raising the child before the Lord. Just as the Nazarite children in the Bible had set boundaries and lived their lives set apart to God from birth (Judges 13:5), parents today, through baby dedication, commit to a lifestyle of raising their children separated from the world and its values.
What kind of commitment am I making?
As parents, you begin by publicly acknowledging your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As you present your child to God in the presence of the pastor and congregation, you are recognizing that he or she belongs to God and has been born to experience His love and to serve Him.
You are committing, as Christian parents, to teach the truths of God's Word in your
home and participate in regular worship with your children. You are also committing to
be a Christ-like example and seek to lead your children to a personal faith in Christ
as soon as they are ready.
You are committing, as Christian parents, to teach the truths of God's Word in your
home and participate in regular worship with your children. You are also committing to
be a Christ-like example and seek to lead your children to a personal faith in Christ
as soon as they are ready.
What happens at the baby dedication?
Baby dedications generally occur on the second weekend, every other month. We ask that you arrive shortly before the service starts and find a seat in the front. An usher can assist you in finding a suitable location. When the pastor announces your names, an usher will escort you on to the platform.
The pastor will ask if you are making the commitment as explained above. At that time you are to respond accordingly. The pastor will pray over your child, asking God for His protection and guidance, and to lead the child to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The pastor will then pray over you as parents.
The pastor will ask if you are making the commitment as explained above. At that time you are to respond accordingly. The pastor will pray over your child, asking God for His protection and guidance, and to lead the child to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The pastor will then pray over you as parents.
Are there any requirements?
Because of the nature of the commitment being made at a baby dedication, you must be a professing Christian and committed to a life lived according to the Word of God. Husbands and wives will present their children to the Lord as a couple. A parent who is single is welcome to present their children to the Lord alone, provided they are committed to raising the child in a Christian home environment. Because baby dedication involves making a commitment as a family to follow the Lord, parents co-habitating outside of marriage would be unable to make this vow or participate in the ceremony. If you would like Pastoral guidance in this area, please contact us. We would love to share more with you. We also require at least one participating parent to either serve on our Reach Team or attend our Crosswalk classes. Our prayer is that you would be an example to your children of serving the body of Christ. A new set of Crosswalk classes run each month. We offer them at our Coteau campus on Sundays at 10:15am in the Life House. Please check our app or website for upcoming Fast Track dates.
Why don't you have infant baptism?
We believe a person must make a personal commitment to Christ before being baptized. For this reason we provide parents the opportunity to dedicate their children to the Lord, praying that He would ultimately lead them to that personal decision.