child dedications

“Children are a gift from the Lord. They are a reward from him.”

What is Child Dedication?

Child dedication is a special time for parents to affirm their intention to raise their child in an environment where the child’s faith will flourish. We dedicate our children to God as a testimony of our dependence upon God and of our belief that our children ultimately belong to God.

During a dedication service, parents choose a prayer partner to join their family to pray over them and their child(ren). This can be a family member or friend, or parents can request to have a church staff member serve as their prayer partner.

There is no cost for child dedication, but parents are required to attend a one-time 90-minute class at the church prior to dedication.

Dedication Service

Take place each spring (Apr/May) and fall (Nov). These ceremonies occur in the auditorium during our regular Saturday evening (7:00pm) and Sunday morning (9:00am + 10:45am) service times.

Each of these weekends has a registration deadline (see Event Calendar or registration form for specifics).

Dedication Class

Take place on weekends leading up to Dedication services.

These are a time set aside to share details, ask questions, focus on why we dedicate our children, and enjoy fellowship with other parents. The class will also include a walk-through on stage in the main auditorium.

Free childcare is provided (nursery-5th grade) if requested on the registration form.

Parent Commitments

To commit their child to God, to raise them according to God’s truth, and to do all they can to help them come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

To seek to model a relationship with Jesus for their child by passionately pursuing God themselves.

To seek to parent with grace and truth so that they can model for their children the loving and caring relationship God desires with them.

To commit to regularly pray for their child that, as they grow, they might come to know and do the will of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

FAQs

It depends on when you took the previous child dedication class. Email us and we can let you know! The sign-up form requires a class to be selected. If we have approved that you don’t need to take the class again, just select a class and we’ll update on our end that you won’t be in attendance.

Typically, most parents will choose to dedicate their kids as babies or toddlers. However, there really isn’t an age requirement since we view child dedication as a way for the parents to affirm their commitment in raising their kids in a way that is honoring to the Lord.

We believe individuals should be baptized after they have made a personal profession of faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. We do not believe baptism saves someone, but it is a step of obedience in accordance with scripture after someone has put their faith in Jesus. For this reason, we do not baptize infants or toddlers because they have not made the personal choice to follow Jesus. If your child is older, has made a personal profession of faith in Jesus, and is ready to be baptized, then we encourage you to attend the baptism class! Learn more about baptism here.

Yes! However, because of time constraints, you’ll want to communicate to them that they’ll need to be aware of how long they are praying. We have about four (4) minutes allotted for prayer time.

If you can’t attend either of the dedication classes, you can either wait until the next dedication opportunity or meet with someone on the Kids team one-on-one.

We do think it’s best in two-parent situations for both to attend the dedication class, as it provides helpful information behind the why of child dedication and what they are committing to in making that decision. We provide free childcare to enable both parents to attend. However, we understand that things come up. You can communicate with us if only one parent is able to attend and we can talk about options for best approaching the situation. 

 

Ready to take a next step?

Click on your desired class or service date in the “Coming Up Next” event calendar below. Once you are within the event, you will see additional instructions and a form to complete in order to get registered. After registering for a class or service, a Kids team member will contact you with more information. If you have any questions, fill out the form below.

Coming Up Next:

The next occurrence of any scheduled Child Dedication event is listed below.

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