What Is Parent Child Dedication?

In a service of dedication, parents publicly commit to raise their children in a way that pleases God as they strive to point their children to the purposes of God and a personal faith of their own. The commitment implies the parents’ own belief in the Bible as a standard of living, and the Church as a community of faith in which your child can experience Christian living.

Parents can’t decide their child’s salvation. Each person must make the decision to have a personal relationship with Christ on their own. When children are old enough to understand the concept of why Jesus died for them (because of sin) and that He loves them so much, then they are ready to decide to ask Him to be their Savior!

Parents must, however, lay a foundation through teaching and example that will help children make that decision at the right time. Jesus says,

“A man scatters seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. The soil produces a crop by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain on the head. As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
– Mark 4:26–29

We can’t make our kids grow up to Faith, but we have a responsibility to till the ground, to water and fertilize the seed and to manage the weeds and bugs that threaten to invade their lives. Whether our kids are being raised in a loving single parent home or a committed and caring two parent home, it’s our responsibility as moms and dads to create a Christ centered, healthy, and growing environment for our kids.

Dedication In The Bible

Northpointe Church dedicates children because the practice of child dedication has been modeled throughout the Bible.

• Hannah brought her long-awaited son Samuel to the priest to dedicate him to the Lord. 1 Samuel 1:24-28
• Jesus was dedicated by his parents as a baby. Luke 2:22-25
• Jesus gives blessings on the lives of little children! Mark 10:16

The Dedication ceremony is a time to publicly make that commitment to pray for your child, love your child and guide your child toward a personal relationship with Christ. It’s a recognition of our sense of stewardship over our children. Your child isn’t yours, but God’s. He has placed kids in our homes and given us the responsibility of raising them. What a great privilege it is.

What A Dedication Service Is Not

It is not a baptism service. The Bible tells us that those who believe in Christ should be baptized. Why? Because baptism is an outward expression of an inward commitment that one makes in his/her heart to accept Jesus. It is a symbol of new life in Christ – a symbol that tells others that you are a believer. Baptism does not MAKE you a believer — it shows that you ARE a believer.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith…it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.”
– Ephesians 2:9

It is for this reason that we wait to baptize children until they are older and have made a personal decision to follow Christ.
It does not place a seal of protection over your child. We cannot depend upon an act of worship to protect our children from evil influences, physical illnesses or tragedy. God gives us the grace to deal with life’s difficulties as they come, but He never promises to keep us from all harm.

It’s Really About Parents

In the Bible, Moses gave some parenting advice. Here’s what he said:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
– Deuteronomy 6:5-7

Moses didn’t begin to debate on whether you should let your child cry it out at night. He doesn’t talk about pacifiers, baby sign language, or how much television kids should watch. No. Moses tells the people that the most important thing they can pass along to their child is a love and knowledge of their heavenly Father. Nothing is more important than living a life that shows your child that their heavenly father created them, loves them, and desperately wants a relationship with them.

To set a good foundation for our kids we must listen to Jesus’ command knowing that most of what our kids learn from us is through their everyday observation of how we live. Jesus says,

“Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another”
– John 13:34

We need the foundation of his love to love our children the way Jesus loves us. Jesus died for you and we must first recognize that “Jesus loves me.” You cannot give what you haven’t received. Your children will then begin to understand Jesus’ love for them through you.

Your children have a choice, yet your model will always be there for them and will have an impact and be the best model in their lives.
The best thing you can do to invest in your child’s future is to invest in your personal relationship with Jesus. We encourage all parents to attend Core Class 101 prior to dedication as it is an investment in your own faith development.

Cultural Lifestyle Issues

While Northpointe Church isn’t made up of perfect people (we’re all sinners who’ve been saved by the grace of God), the Bible still instructs us to live lives worthy of the privilege we’ve received as God’s redeemed people. Followers of Jesus will find that God’s ways OFTEN conflict with cultural values and morals. We’re instructed to avoid lifestyle choices that are spiritually defiling or that would damage the reputation and message of God’s church. Note this passage for example:

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people… 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
– Ephesians 5:1-11

Unmarried Couples Living Together

A popular cultural trend is for couples to live together prior to marriage. God’s desire is for us to enjoy the gift of a healthy sexual relationship with someone whom we’ve committed ourselves to in marriage. Doing so allows us to live in the freedom of God’s perfect design for sexuality. The choice to live together outside of a commitment in marriage is damaging to individuals and society by contributing to the likelihood of divorce in later years. This lifestyle can also lead to increased rates of abuse and poverty. Most importantly, the Bible teaches that it does not fall in line with the moral will of God for our lives. “Sexual immorality” refers to pre-marital sexual relations as well as other forms of sexual expression that fall short of God’s design for his image expressed in our sexuality.

Spend some time reading these scriptures: Hebrews 13:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; 1 Corinthians 6:13-20

We encourage unmarried couples who are living together, and want to dedicate their child, to alter their situation by marrying their partner, or by changing their living arrangement in obedience to the Lord before dedication. Biblically, it’s damaging to our church’s testimony and message to encourage a couple to dedicate their child when they are openly living in a manner that is inconsistent with God’s clear instruction.

Gay Relationships And Marriage

Northpointe does not affirm homosexual expression and does not recognize homosexual unions as the proper expression of the image of God our sexuality is to reflect. As with heterosexuals who openly violate God’s moral will, dedicating a child to God would not be appropriate without personal repentance. While welcoming all persons who desire to seek God and enjoy being a part of Northpointe’s ministry, we remember that dedicating our children begins first with our personal dedication to Jesus Christ. While God’s church will never achieve perfection in this age, we are called to strive for and honor the purity God desires his people to exhibit as disciples of Jesus.

Because these are complex issues, often with no quick or easy solutions, Northpointe’s pastors welcome dialogue privately if you have further questions, or desire counsel related to these or other lifestyle issues.

Parent Commitments In Dedication

Our expectation is that…

• Parent(s) have a growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ
• Parent(s) agree with our church’s beliefs and values (learn more about this in Core Class 101)
• Parent(s) commit to modeling personal integrity and to lead by example in matters of faith and conduct.

During the service, we’ll ask that…

• Parent(s) will seek to always treat their child with love and respect, recognizing them as God’s special gift to them.
• Parent(s) will seek to raise their child to understand the truths of the Christian faith, remembering that they teach most convincingly by their example.
• Parent(s) will, in dependence upon God’s spirit, pray for and assist their child to respond freely to Jesus Christ, in their own time.

Family and friend commitments during ceremony:

• During the service, we will ask family and friends to commit to helping parents fulfill their commitments by praying for and encouraging them in a non-interfering way.