Child
Dedication
What is Child Dedication?
The Bible says that children are a heritage and a reward from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). God entrusts parents with the responsibility of establishing a foundation built upon Jesus Christ early in the lives of their children.
The Bible gives us an example of child dedication through Hannah in 1 Samuel 1. Unable to have children, Hannah wept before the Lord because of her condition. As she was weeping, she made a vow to God and said, “Oh, Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a man child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.” God honored Hannah’s request and gave her a son named Samuel. Hannah kept her vow and dedicated (which means to set apart) Samuel to the Lord.Dedicating a child to the Lord is a vow parents make to raise their child in God’s way rather than their own. CCCV offers a mandatory class for all parents who wish to dedicate their child. Once the class has been completed, a time will be scheduled, at the beginning of second service, for Pastor David to dedicate your child to the Lord, praying for the child and their family with the congregation.
Child Dedication classes are held every other month at 8:30am on Saturdays. The class is 30 minutes long, and it is required that both parents attend. For single-parent families or families with a parent who is a non-believer, a one-on-one dedication class will be provided. Childcare is not available during the class. Please fill out a Child Dedication form linked below and wait to be contacted and placed in an upcoming class.
Requirements for Dedication
Parents must have their faith placed in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. If they don’t, they will be unable to submit their children to God’s will and His ways, because they themselves do not know the ways of the Lord. As a result, we must decline any requests to involve an unbelieving parent in the dedication of a child. We view this as an act of protection rather than rejection, as we cannot encourage someone to make a vow to God that we know he or she cannot keep.
The Bible says, “It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vow,” Proverbs 20:24. The bible records instances where God dealt severely with those who broke their vows to Him (for example, read Acts 5:1-11).
Responsibilities of a Christian Parent
Christian parents are to do all they can to “set apart” their child to God until that child can make his or her own choice regarding a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The responsibilities God has entrusted to Christian parents include:
Continuously praying for their children (Job 1:5)
Instructing them in the way of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6)
Setting a godly example (Proverbs 20:7)
Disciplining them as the Lord would discipline us (Proverbs 29:15,17;13:24)
As a parent, devotion to God, or lack of it, will make a resounding impression on the next generation.
To fill out a Child Dedication Form click here.
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