Dear Parents,
We are excited that you want to participate in the child dedication service. The purpose of this note is to give you a brief synopsis of what is involved with this occasion and to let you know what we need from you in order to be a part of it.
First and most importantly, the purpose of the child dedication is for you as parents to make a commitment to live your life for Jesus Christ, your Savior, and to teach your children to do the same. Without this, dedicating your child to God has little or no value. Some churches practice infant baptism with the belief that the act imparts a spiritual blessing or even salvation to the little one. While we respect this conviction we do not believe the Bible teaches this. Instead, Scripture makes it clear that salvation and spiritual blessing result from accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and learning to live for him according to his instructions in the Bible. Parents are to model this for their children and teach them to follow their example.
In view of this purpose, we are asking all parents wishing to dedicate their children to the Lord to talk through the following questions as a couple, even if you already have before, to be sure you both have the proper perspective for participating in this ceremony. If you are unmarried or your spouse does not wish to participate then simply think through these questions yourself and we will pray for extra grace from God as you seek to honor Him in your parenting.
- Read through the dedication ceremony below. Is the plan clear to us? Are we in agreement with it?
- Do we understand that this ceremony is primarily about us committing ourselves to following Jesus closely in our own lives, including our parenting?
- How are we each doing currently in our walk with God? In what areas of our lives do we most need to change in order to honor our Savior Jesus Christ?
- Fathers, do you accept your God-given calling to be the initiator and leader in following Jesus, reading the Bible, being a man of prayer, loving your wife like Jesus loves the church, opening the Bible to teach your kids to follow Jesus and serving in the church?
- Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9 and Ephesians 6:4. How well are we doing currently in teaching our children God's Word and his ways? Do we set aside time to do so? Does Dad take the lead on this?
- What other issues or areas need attention as we prepare to dedicate ourselves to living and parenting in a way that honors Jesus?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
CHILD DEDICATION at EVERGREEN BIBLE CHURCH
Child Dedication is NOT a…
1. Keepsake: Is NOT the spiritual equivalent of a picture with Santa.
2. Charm: Will NOT produce a more compliant, well-behaved child. (sorry)
3. Cleansing: Does NOT remove their sin, make them holy or save their soul.
4. Protection: Does NOT inoculate them against evil and sin.
5. Guarantee: Does NOT ensure your child will eventually accept Jesus.
Child Dedication IS a…
1. Recognition of Ownership and Responsibility: You acknowledge your children ultimately belong to God but also recognize that He has given you the primary responsibility to raise your children for Him.
Read: Ephesians 6:4
2. Declaration of Purpose: Your daily effort and ultimate goal is to teach your children to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin, Lord of their life and greatest treasure of their heart.
Read: Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Talk about: What good models have you seen of disciple-making parenting?
What families do you hope to imitate and in what ways?
3. Commitment to Christ: You can’t give what you don’t have. You can’t lead where you aren’t going. Therefore, you are first committing yourselves to love Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin, Lord of your life and greatest treasure of your heart. You are also committing yourselves to love and regularly participate in Jesus’ body, the church.
Read: Philippians 3:7-11
Read: Hebrews 10:24-25
Talk about: What was the spiritual environment when you were growing up?
Consider your relationship with Christ over the last year or so. How would you describe it:
Non-existent, genuine, backslidden, vital, stagnant, thriving, up and down, steady, other?
What are the greatest needs for change and what are you going to do about it?
4. Dependence upon God: You will regularly ask God to supply the energy, truth, wisdom and spiritual power to raise your children for the Lord and will continually trust him for the outcome.
Read: Ephesians 3:14-21
THE DEDICATION OF PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN
Charge To The Parents
1. Recognition of Ownership and Responsibility: You acknowledge your children ultimately belong to God but also recognize that He has given you the primary responsibility to raise your children for Him.
2. Declaration of Purpose: Your daily effort and ultimate goal is to teach your children to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin, Lord of their life and greatest treasure of their heart.
3. Commitment to Christ and His Church: You are first committing yourselves to love Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin, Lord of your life and greatest treasure of your heart. You are also committing yourselves to love and regularly participate in Jesus’ body, the church.
4. Dependence upon God: You will regularly ask God to supply the energy, truth, wisdom and spiritual power to raise your children for the Lord and will continually trust him for the outcome.
Covenant of the Parents
PASTOR: Do you dedicate yourselves to loving Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin, Lord of your life and greatest treasure of your heart by knowing the Bible and following God’s instructions for your lives? And do you commit yourselves to love and participate regularly with Jesus’ body, the church?
PARENTS: We do.
PASTOR: As you dedicate your child, do you commit yourselves to teach them the Bible so that they can know and love Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin, Lord of their life and greatest treasure of their heart? And do you commit yourselves to teach them to love and participate regularly with Jesus’ body, the church?
PARENTS: We do.
Consecration By The Pastor
I as your pastor and we as a church wholeheartedly commend your commitment and pray with you that God will richly bless your efforts as parents for the Lord.
May your children be like Timothy in the Bible, who came to love and trust Jesus at a young age, who grew to maturity in Christ such that he was an example even to adult believers and who spent his life serving the church of Jesus Christ.
May the joy of knowing the Savior, Jesus Christ, regularly fill your lives such that it overflows to the others in your family, your church and your community.
May the light of Christ so shine in you and in your children that you are like a city on a hill which cannot be hidden, thereby bringing glory to God and drawing many to the Savior.
May God, who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, fulfill our prayer by his mighty power for his eternal glory.
Commitment Prayer
FATHERS PRAY
PASTOR PRAY
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Once you have talked through these things and are in agreement that these things are what you want for your family, please let us know the following things: