CONSIDERING CHILD DEDICATION?
A pastor and author once said that the most effective way to transform a city for Christ was to settle into the community, befriend your neighbors, have children and raise them in the grace and mercy of the Lord. Christianity is built upon individual faith, but it is not built upon individuals. In fact, the language all throughout scripture shows us the Lord making for himself a people, a family through the sacrifice of Jesus. This vision of the family of God means that children are not just potential Christians we wait on to accept the faith, but beautiful gifts from the Lord to be raised up within the community of faith, instructed in the kind ways of the Lord, and flooded with the love of our God.
It is for this reason that we as a church cherish the opportunity for parents and the broader church to celebrate the gift of new children in our congregation and to solemnly promise to the Lord to raise them in a way that they one day understand the beauty of the Gospel, the need for the church, and the hope of Jesus coming back. Child dedications are not salvific in nature (the dedication does not save the child nor guarantee that one day they will be saved). Salvation comes only as a gift from the Lord by grace through faith. But our job as parents is not to save our children. Our job is to be good stewards of God’s gift and to prepare our children for the day the Lord might open their eyes to see him clearly. Matt Chandler, another pastor and author, speaks of child dedication and family discipleship as stacking kindling around the hearts of our children. By God’s grace one day the Holy Spirit will come and ignite all that we have stacked and our children and their faith will not burn with a small flicker but with a bright blaze.
Frequently Asked Questions:
In a couple sentences, what is a child dedication? - Child dedications are actually more about the parent than the child. The dedication is an opportunity for parents to promise to each other, the Lord, and the congregation that they will dedicate their lives to raising their children in the ways of the Lord. This doesn’t just mean raising their children to the standards of the Lord, but raising them in a way that they come to know the love of the Lord, our need for grace and mercy, and the power of Jesus for our everyday lives. A child dedication is like a set of wedding vows from parents to their children in the presence of God and the church.
What do parents commit to at the child dedication? - We ask parents the following at the child dedication:
“Parents, in light of the gospel, God’s good gift in giving you children, and your calling as both parents and disciples of Jesus I’d like to ask you a few questions.
1) Do you recognize these children as gifts from God, and in celebration, give thanks for His blessing?
2) Will you commit to trust God’s promises made to you and your household in His Word? Promises to bless, and provide, to lead, and to save?
3) Will you commit to seek God, and seek the gospel in the way you live and parent your children? Will you commit to discipline them and show them the grace you have received in Christ?
4) Will you commit to teach God’s Word, help them to avoid placing their hope and trust in things apart from God, and lead them to worship God in their daily lives?
5) Will you commit to pray for them, knowing that you are unable to give them all of the things that they need, and yet your Heavenly Father is perfectly capable?
6) Will you commit to preach to them the gospel, the good news of Christ crucified on our behalf, through word and deed day in and day out?
Is child dedication the same as child baptism? - There are some similarities but it is not. Mercy’s Door believes baptism is for those who have been saved by Christ and placed their faith in Jesus alone for their salvation. Dedication is not a sacrament; nor does it impart salvation to a child. Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ as each person recognizes their sinfulness and receives forgiveness and eternal life through him and his work on the cross.
Do I need to be a member of Mercy’s Door to dedicate my child? - The short answer is no, but we do want you to call Mercy’s Door home because the church is meant to play a significant role In the life of children. We often get asked if those not associated with Mercy’s Door can have their child dedicated. Parents can of course dedicate their children to the Lord on their own, but when we have child dedication services we specifically ask our church to pledge their willingness to be an integral part and support in the lives of the parents dedicating their children. We as a church can’t make that promise if we don’t have the ability to live out the Gospel with you!
Can single parents dedicate their children? - Absolutely! Child dedications signifiy the commitment of parents, including single parents, to raising their children in the grace and mercy of the Lord. That includes all parents regardless of circumstance/situation. Our God is one of redemption, and he loves when his children (all of us) in the midst of a broken world follow after and trust him. We at Mercy’s Door want to walk with all families as we live together under the good news of Christ’s love for us.
What do I do if (after reading all this) I desire to have my child dedicated? - We would love to help make that happen! You can email us at info@mercysdoor.org and we will set up a time to talk with you more about child dedication and get something scheduled!