Q. What is Child Dedication?
A. Child dedication is a public commitment before God, your church, and your family. The dedication service provides you, the parent(s), an opportunity to publically express your desire to lead and spiritually nurture your child in cooperation with the Holy Spirit, in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, so your child will develop a desire to love God and love others.
Having a child dedicated should not be confused with salvation. Dedicating your child to the Lord does not secure his/her eternal destiny. The Bible tells us that salvation is by faith alone and not by works. Each of us must make our own personal decision of faith. As your child grows he/she must make their own decision to trust Jesus Christ as their savior. You cannot do it for them. What you can do is be a godly role model for them by living a life of faith and parenting them in a Christ-centered atmosphere that will lead them towards Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Q. Is a child capable of making a faith decision?
A. Absolutely! Jesus made it clear that His message of hope is not only for adults but also for children and that they have the capacity to trust Him. That is why we think it is very important as a church to partner with parents in their child’s faith journey.
Mark 10:13-15 – People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”
In the Bible, we find parents bringing their children to Jesus. He held them and prayed for them and told us to welcome them. But He did not baptize them. The Elders of Allen Creek strongly suggest that children be at least 12 years old in order to make the decision to be baptized, a confirmation of making their faith their own. Find out more about AC3’s position on baptism.
Q. Do I need to be an AC3 member to have my child dedicated at AC3?
A. You do not need to be an AC3 member to have your child dedicated in a group or public ceremony at AC3. We do ask that a parent(s) be a Christ-follower themselves and challenge families to make sure they call AC3 their home church. Why? In dedicating your child to God, you are stating that you are willing to partner with God and our church community to raise your child in cooperation with God’s intentions. To partner with any church, a parent would be wise to decide if he or she agrees with its beliefs and vision. You can discover more about AC3 and our beliefs.
Q. What can I expect during a child dedication, where is it held and what time should I arrive?
A. Our child dedication service has been compared to a wedding service where, rather than a bride and groom, parents express their vows and desire to raise their children in a God-honoring way before God, their family, and their local church body. Pastor Rick or Dan will then pray for your children and your commitment as parents to help guide them along in their own Christ-centered faith journey.
Child dedication is held in the AC3 auditorium. You should arrive about 20 min. before the main service time. Sit toward the front right-hand side. If changes or additional directions need to be given, it will be done during this time.
Pictures may be taken by someone on our camera team and can be requested as a special memento of your family’s milestone event. Contact twila@ac3.org.
