Download Baby Dedication It is our understanding of the Scriptures that

Baby Dedication
It is our understanding of the Scriptures that children are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3)! In fact, He exercises
His Lordship in the giving of children (see Genesis 30:1-2). Scripture also tells us that God is vitally interested in
the physical development of each child (Psalm 139:13-16). But of even more significance, God is distinctly
interested in the relationship He desires they develop with Him: a relationship of personal faith and trust
without which no one can receive eternal life (Matthew 18:1-6).
It is because of this Biblical instruction that I have come to establish four basic aspects of a time of child
dedication.
 First, it is a time of thanksgiving, a time of publicly proclaiming one’s gratitude as
a parent to God for the gift of their child.
 Second, it is a time of public dedication of you as parents to the task of raising your child
in agreement with Biblical principles, which are actually God’s desires for your child.
Obviously, of all of God’s desires for your child, the greatest is that he or she come to a
“knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4), to the point of a personal relationship of faith in Jesus Christ. It
is our understanding that a time of child dedication is not the time a child is saved. That decision
they must make at an age at which they can do so consciously and understandably. You as a parent
can play a key part in leading them to that decision.
(See enclosed sheet - How to lead your child to Christ & pamphlet: First Steps: God’s Plan for Me.)
 Third, it is a time of public dedication of your child to God. What I perceive that
to mean is: you acknowledge before God that you choose not to selfishly grasp your child’s
life and abilities for merely their, or your, pleasure and benefit. Rather, you want to hold your
children with open hands before God, so that He may use their lives in ways that He would
desire and which would bring glory to Him.
 Fourth, I view a time of child dedication as a public statement to the assembled
church congregation that you, as a parent, desire the prayers and support of this church family
in fulfilling your parental responsibilities.
Perhaps you have noted the repeated use of the word public in the preceding paragraph. I firmly believe a
child dedication should be a public event. That’s why I incorporate it into one of our worship services, a
time when our entire church family is gathered together in public worship. Certainly, each of us as parents
should find it easy to agree with the four basic aspects of a time of child dedication I’ve just listed. But
there is a certain factor of confirmation, of having those truths nailed down in our hearts when we stand
before a congregation to publicly affirm our belief and commitment to these truths.
A time of child dedication usually takes 7-10 minutes. The format is as follows:
 Brief introductory comments
 Explanation of the meaning of child dedication
 Verbal commitment to the following vows:
Do you, as parents, promise to pray for and with your child for his/her growth in knowledge
of God, and in the spiritual life?
The parents shall answer: We do.
Do you as parents promise to train your child in body, mind, and soul for service to and
fellowship with God?
The parents shall answer: We do.
Do you promise to do all you can to lead this child at a proper age to confess personal faith in
Christ?
The parents shall answer: We do.
 Prayer with each family