CHILD DEDICATIONS

Child Dedication is a public declaration of the parent or parents before God and man acknowledging with gratitude that the child is a gift from God. Recognizing that as parents you need God’s wisdom and help in raising your child and with His help you will do your best to set the example for this child to follow in the way of the LORD.

Child Dedication at Radiant Church is a family time when parents publicly commit themselves to abiding by biblical principles and raising their children according to God’s standards. Not only are you dedicating your child to God, but you are also dedicating yourselves as parents to God and the church.

The Bible provides an example for us in that Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple to be dedicated to God. As followers of Christ, we also should want to make the public declaration to our family, and our church. It is invaluable to be able to tell your children as they are growing up that they belong to Jesus and that you have asked God to use them in a formal declaration.

While there is no set age for a child to be presented to the Lord, children are generally presented within the first year or two of their life.

Yes, if you have full custody and the child lives with you. The person making a public vow should be the child’s caretaker who is responsible for the upbringing of the child.

There is nothing mentioned in the Bible about Godparents. Parents themselves have the responsibility to raise up their children in the things of the Lord. Some parents may like to call witnesses to confirm their commitment.

These may be relatives or loved ones who know the parents well and who themselves are Christians and faithful to the Lord. While godparents are welcome to attend the ceremony, they will not stand with the parents. There is just not sufficient space to accommodate everyone’s godparents on the stage or around the altar area.

If only one parent is a believer, the dedication of the child can be done if the unbelieving parent has given permission.

Dedication does nothing for the child; it is actually a declaration (vow) where the parents dedicate themselves to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. It is very difficult to make such a declaration when living in opposition to the Word of God. We are very supportive of parents and do encourage them to make their union legal and then proceed with the Child Dedication.

Dedication is a pledge to cultivate a spiritual atmosphere in the home. One must never underestimate the incredible influence a parent has on the faith of their children. Infant dedication expresses the intention and faith of the parents to do everything they can to lead their child to salvation. It is a public pledge to circle the child with a positive environment that will nurture the child’s faith in God. Scripture tells us that we are to train a child in the way he should go (Proverbs 22:6). This includes meeting together regularly as Christians to spur one another onto love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:23-24). Dedication of children to God is a promise to model a Christian lifestyle to the children while worshipping with a church family regularly.

In a sense, a Christian Dedication of a child is a dedication of the parents to be godly role models. 2 Timothy 1:5 states, “When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

It is sad to see parents who go through the ritual of a child dedication who have not even dedicated themselves to the Lord, much less their children. This makes a mockery of the whole event and it loses its significance. Therefore, we would expect that those parents who want to publicly dedicate their child to the Lord meet the requirements and guidelines stated above and below.

** If at this time you do not meet these guidelines or want more understanding we would love to have the opportunity to help assist in God’s Word and God’s love, so you can position yourself and family for God’s best. We love you! If you have any questions regarding the Child Dedication ceremony or desire to make an appointment for counseling regarding this, send us an email at radiant@radiantbc.com.