Parent Dedication
Welcome to the first step along your Child’s Faith Path. Let’s get started by watching this video explaining the purpose of Parent Dedication.
Parent Dedication in Brief
Parent Dedication is a special time in which you make a formal commitment to raise your child in a Christ-centered home. We see several examples in the Bible such as I Samuel 1:24 – 2:10 when Hannah dedicated Samuel at the temple and Luke 2 where Mary and Joseph dedicated Jesus. Ideally, make the commitment in front of the church body or with a group of close friends and relatives as a public pledge that you will raise your child to know, love and follow Jesus Christ. God designed the home as the primary place for faith to be nurtured. One way that we seek to partner with you is by providing resources throughout your child’s spiritual journey. We call this the Faith Path. Parent dedication is the first step.
Parent Dedication is your commitment to model, teach and reinforce the Christian Faith. It should not be confused with your child’spersonal choice to follow Christ. Each person must decide for themselves to trust in Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9- 10). The age a child is ready to make this personal decision will vary depending on the child.
Tips and Tools
Inquire at church about the possibility of scheduling a public expression of dedication.
Have a dinner or celebration time with family and friends before/after the time of dedication.
Invite family members and special family friends to write blessings to your child as a keepsake. Make sure that you write one too!
Record a video message for your child to view in the future. Speak words of affirmation, sharing how you are praying for their spiritual journey and how you desire to point them toward Christ. Preserve the video to show your child later. (See examples in the video below.) You can also write a letter if that works better for you.
Helpful Tools
Take advantage of these resources as you commit yourself to guiding your child’s faith journey.
Your Child’s Next Step
As children get older, they become ready for additional steps along the Faith Path. Set a calendar reminder for your child’s next birthday to return to this page to select their next step.
Thank you for becoming intentional about guiding your child’s faith journey!