Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate. — Psalm 127:3–5 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." — Matthew 19:13–14 Congratulations! If you are reading this, God has entrusted you with one of the greatest gifts He gives: a child. At CrossWinds, we value families and the children the Lord gives parents. One of the most joyful moments in the life of our church family is celebrating the new children God gives by publicly dedicating them to the Lord. If you are thinking about dedicating your child, you may be wondering what it means, where it comes from, and what to expect. Let me walk you through it. The Bible never treats children as an interruption or an accident. Psalm 127 calls them a heritage and a reward from the Lord. They are not ours to own. They are His to entrust to us. A child dedication is a public way of saying, "God, this child is Yours. Thank You for giving them to us, and help us raise them for You." Child dedication is rooted in a long pattern in Scripture of parents bringing their children before the Lord. Hannah dedicated Samuel. After years of praying for a child, Hannah brought her young son to the house of the Lord and said, "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD" (1 Samuel 1:27–28). Mary and Joseph presented Jesus. Following the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought the infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (Luke 2:22–24). Jesus blessed the children. When parents brought their little ones to Jesus, He welcomed them. Mark tells us, "And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:16). When we dedicate a child at CrossWinds, we are following in these footsteps — bringing our children to Jesus and asking Him to bless them. It is important to understand what child dedication does not do. Dedication does not save your child or make them a Christian. The Bible teaches that each person must personally repent of their sin and trust in Jesus for forgiveness (Acts 16:31; Ephesians 2:8–9). Child dedication is also not baptism. Baptism is a step of obedience a person takes after they have personally put their faith in Jesus. Child dedication is really as much about the parents as it is about the child. It is a commitment you make before God and your church family to raise your child to know, love, and follow Jesus, praying for the day when your child trusts Christ for themselves. We set aside about 5 to 10 minutes of a worship service for this celebration. Child dedication includes: The pastor will pray for your child, dedicating their life to the Lord. Just as Jesus placed His hands on the children and prayed for them, we will pray that God would draw your child to Himself, protect them, and use their life for His glory. Parents will be challenged to raise their child to know the Lord. God gives this responsibility first to parents, not to the church, the school, or the youth group. Moses told the people of Israel: 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 6:6–7 Faith is passed on most powerfully in the ordinary moments of family life. Paul echoes this when he writes, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Timothy is a beautiful example of what God can do through faithful parents and grandparents. Paul reminded him that "from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15). As a parent, you will not do this perfectly. None of us do. But by God's grace, you can point your child to Jesus every day. We will recognize grandparents, siblings, and other family members who are present. Faith is meant to be passed from generation to generation. Paul noted that Timothy's sincere faith first lived in his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5). Your extended family can play a powerful role in your child's spiritual life. Finally, we will challenge our church family. Every person in the room has a responsibility to help disciple your child and to support you as parents. The psalmist says: We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done. — Psalm 78:4 When we dedicate a child, our whole church is saying, "We are in this with you." Children's ministry volunteers, Life Group members, mentors, and friends all have a part to play in helping your child grow to know Jesus. Before your child's dedication, take some time as parents to talk and pray about these questions: If you would like to dedicate your child, please contact the CrossWinds church office. We would love to celebrate with you. As you prepare for this special day, our prayer for you is the same one Hannah had for Samuel: that your child's whole life would be given over to the Lord. And our prayer for your family is that you would love Jesus so deeply that your child cannot help but see Him in you. Let the little children come to Jesus. We can't wait to celebrate with you!
Children Are a Gift From God
Where Does Child Dedication Come From?
What Child Dedication Is Not
What Happens During a Child Dedication?
1. A Prayer of Dedication
2. A Challenge to Parents
3. Recognition of Family Members
4. A Challenge to the Congregation
How Can You Prepare?
A Prayer for Your Family
