WHAT CHILD DEDICATION IS NOT
Child dedication is not baptism - Our Sojourners Elder Affirmation of Faith states: "We believe that baptism is an ordinance of the Lord by which those who have repented and come to faith express their union with Christ in His death and resurrection, by being immersed in water in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." Therefore, we do not baptize infants and child dedication should not be viewed as a pseudo-baptism.
Child dedication is neither commanded in scripture, nor does it confer sacramental grace upon the children.
WHAT CHILD DEDICATION IS
Child dedication is our way to recognize three realities.
Children are a gift from God - We dedicate children to give God thanks for the gospel, for children bearing the image of God, and for the opportunity to proclaim the goodness of God to another generation (Ps 71:18; Ps 78:4)
Children born into Christian homes enjoy certain blessings - We dedicate children to recognize and celebrate these providential blessings. As the gospel of Jesus Christ transforms the parents and the home, children see the goodness of God on display. As the family sits regularly under the teaching of God’s Word and enjoys the fellowship of the body of Christ, children hear and see what it means to follow Jesus. As the parents and the body of Christ love and nurture and pray for children, these children are in a favored position to trust in Christ.
Parents and the church have an obligation to God regarding children - We dedicate children to express our Godward desires for the life of each child. In dedication, parents express their commitment to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4). By dedicating their children to God, parents recognize that children belong first to God and therefore they commit to pray to God that he would one day bring each child to faith in Jesus. Parents make these commitments before God and before the church as the body of Christ. The gathered church also commits to be present and active as the family of God for the parents and the children—for each child’s everlasting good.
SOJOURNERS CHILD DEDICATION LITURGY
Invitation to Parents
Will the parents of (full name of child) bring (them) forward for dedication to the Lord?
The Psalmist rejoices over children, saying: “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!” (Psalm 127:3–5).
Today you have come with a fresh arrow for your family quiver, and the sense of divine blessing lingers in your hearts. It is fitting that you bring your child before God's people in joyful and solemn dedication. May the trajectory of this new arrow be graced as it courses through the years.
Parental Covenant
The purpose of this service is to help you as parents fully embrace the sacred call to raise up your children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And so, in keeping with that purpose, will you now respond together to the following covenant:
Do you recognize these children as gifts of God and give heartfelt thanks for God's blessing?
Do you now dedicate your children to the Lord who gave them to you, surrendering all worldly claims upon their lives in the hope that they will belong wholly to Jesus Christ?
Do you pledge as parents that, with God's fatherly help, you will bring up your children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, making every reasonable effort, with patience and love, to build the Word of God, the character of Christ and the joy of the Lord into their lives?
Do you promise to provide, through God's blessing, for the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of your children, looking to your own heavenly Father for the wisdom, love and strength to serve them and not use them?
Do you promise, God helping you, to make it your regular prayer that by God's grace your children will come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins and for the fulfillment of all his promises to them, even eternal life; and in this faith follow Jesus as Lord and obey his teachings?
Parents, inasmuch as you have promised before God and his people to raise your child in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, we charge you to set yourselves to that task by the grace of God.
Congregational Covenant
Members of Sojourners Church, please stand.
Do you, the body of Christ, promise to receive these children in love, pray for them, help instruct them in the faith, and encourage and sustain them in the fellowship of believers?
Dedication and Blessing
The officiant reads a customized blessing for each child, followed by the words of dedication below:
(Name of Child) together with your parents who love you dearly and this people who care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claim upon your life in the hope that you will belong wholly to Jesus Christ, forever. Amen.
This post is part of a series of posts on the Sojourners Church Sunday morning liturgy. See the whole series here.