A Parent Child Dedication is a time in which a believing parent or parents present their child before the Lord and the church and commit to seek His will and grace as they train up their child according to God’s Word.
Background
Throughout the Bible, we read of God commandments to parents that they teach their children to know and love Him. One such passage is Psalm 78:5-7 which says,
He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.
In these passages, God declares that parents are responsible for teaching their children about Him. He commands parents to remember His words and works and teach them to their children. God’s Word clearly says that the primary context for your child learning about faith are in your everyday lives — in your home, in your car as you drive along the road, at your child’s bedside, and at the breakfast table. It happens in those planned moments when you are reading from your Bible or praying over your children before bed. And it happens in those unplanned moments when your child has sinned or is heartbroken and you correct or comfort them with truth and love.
While it is clear that parents are responsible for passing on our faith, it is also clear that God doesn’t give this responsibility to parents in isolation. He gives His law and testimonies in the context of a believing community. Training children in the ways of the Lord is a partnership between Cherrydale and families. We need one another’s encouragement and accountability. We need our children to hear others say the same things we say. We need age-specific classes and worship experiences for our children where they hear God’s Word taught with others in ways that are meaningful to them. We need one another’s help, and we need God’s help. He is the one who opens the womb and gives life. He is the one who controls the way our children grow up and develop. And He is the only one who can change their hearts and save them.
The Dedication Ceremony
Several times a year, we set aside part of our bi-monthly Members Gathering for the dedication of children and parents. Christian parents who dedicate a child are making a promise to the Lord to do everything within their power to raise the child in godly ways until he or she can make a decision on his or her own to follow God. Parents who make this vow of commitment are instructed to raise the child in the ways of God and not according to their own ways.
The Process
Read the paragraphs above again and prayerfully decide with your spouse if this is a commitment you want to make and a path you are committed to following. If you are a single parent, we encourage you to find a godly friend or family member to support you in this commitment. This service is a promise, and a promise is a decision you make in advance. You are committing to be and do certain things for the glory of God and the success of your child.
Please contact our Children’s Ministry Director Beth Main ([email protected]) to set up a short meeting to discuss the dedication and next steps!
