child dedication

If you have trusted Christ as your Savior, you are invited to dedicate your child to the Lord. Your child does not have to be an infant--you can participate no matter what your child’s age.

What is Child Dedication?

Child dedication is the act of giving back to God the gift he has given to you. It is an act of worship, thanksgiving, dependence, trust and commitment. The ceremony is an opportunity to make your commitment public before God, your friends and family.

The ceremony also reminds parents to depend on God and His resources, including the church family and friends, to help nurture their children.

Scriptural basis for Dedicating Children

“Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” Mark 10:14 NIV.

The practice of child dedication has been modeled throughout the Bible:

The Israelites brought their 8-day-old children to the priest for blessing.

Hannah brought her long-awaited son, Samuel, to the priest to dedicate him to the Lord.

Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple for dedication.

Why Sunday morning?

The church family joins in the dedication of a child, not as observers but as participants. As God's people, we unite to extend our faith in Jesus Christ to the next generation.

A Christian Parent’s Covenant

“Declaring Christ as Savior and Lord and believing in my heart that God raised Him from the dead, I this day acknowledge that my children are gifts from God, that I am a caretaker by His grace and, therefore, I accept the responsibility for raising my family to know and follow Jesus. 

“With God as my strength, I promise to give my child every possible benefit of home, school, church and community. And I ask His blessing upon my child, to guide and guard through all his/her years. Amen.”

You and the other parents, as a group, will be asked to respond to the following statements:

I will demonstrate for my child Christian integrity in my personal life.

I will teach my child the meaning of fidelity in my marriage.

I will show my child the meaning of fellowship and servanthood through my church.

I will model my faith in my life, in prayer, and the application of the Bible’s truth as I teach my child to follow Jesus as Lord.

Is dedication the same as infant baptism or christening?

Child dedication is different from infant baptism or christening. While these rites are significant for a variety of faiths, it is our practice to dedicate children.

Salvation of infants

We recognize that salvation only comes to a child through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is not passed on to a child through dedication.

We at Grace Community Church believe that all infants are destined for heaven should they die before they are old enough to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.