Kids Dedication

It's exciting whenever a new child enters a family. There's no greater moment when parents sense that children are a gift from God. In these joyful moments, pastors have the privilege of sharing how parents can express their full appreciation to God through a child dedication.

A Kids Dedication service is an opportunity for parents to publicly declare their intent to raise their child in a way that honors God and also give the child the opportunity to eventually have a personal relationship with Jesus. Believing parents, and sometimes entire families, make a commitment before the Lord to raise that child according to God's Word and God's ways.

The practice of baby dedication is rooted in this passage found in Deuteronomy 6:4-7:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (ESV)

Responsibilities Involved in Kid Dedication

Parents who dedicate a child are making a promise to the Lord before the church congregation to do everything within their power to raise the child in a godly way — prayerfully — until he or she can make a decision on his or her own to follow God.

Parents who make this vow, or commitment, are instructed to raise the child in the ways of God and not according to their own ways. Some of the responsibilities include teaching and training the child in God's Word, demonstrating practical examples of godliness, disciplining the child according to God's ways, and praying earnestly for the child.

In practice, the precise meaning of raising a child "in a godly way" can be found in scripture. The Bible supplies abundant wisdom, guidance, and instruction for Christian parents to draw from. Regardless, the importance of child dedication lies in the family's promise to raise their child in a manner consistent with the spiritual community to which they belong, whatever that might be. 

What To Expect

The service should last no more than 60-70 minutes and will include a welcome, a few songs, child dedication on stage, and a short message.