If you are interested in pursuing child dedication please contact the church office.

WHAT IS CHILD DEDICATION?

The dedication of children is a practice that has its origin in the Scriptures.  It is an expression of love for God and is a declaration on the part of the parent(s) to be a godly influence in the life of the child.

Genesis 22:12

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said.  “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

1 Samuel 1:27,28

I asked the LORD to give me this child, and he has given me my request. ²⁸Now I am giving him to the LORD, and he will belong to the LORD his whole life.” And they worshiped the LORD there.

Matthew 19:13-15

Some children were brought to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. The disciples told them not to bother him. ¹⁴But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵And he put his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

Furthermore, the ceremony of child dedication is an act of worship towards God on the part of the parents

Romans 12:1,2

So brothers and sisters, since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to him, which is the spiritual way for you to worship.

Child dedication does not in itself bring about the salvation of a child.  Salvation comes by personal faith in Jesus Christ as the forgiver of our sin and leader of our life and not through church traditions or ceremonies.

John 1:12

But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God. ¹³They did not become his children in any human way—by any human parents or human desire. They were born of God.

John 3:16

God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him may not be lost, but have eternal life

In presenting your child for Christian dedication at High River Alliance Church, you are declaring your concern for the spiritual well being of your child and you are expressing your purpose to lead him/her in the way of Jesus Christ.  Furthermore, your child also becomes a special responsibility of the church of Jesus Christ.  It is our responsibility to receive your child into the care of this church and to do our part in leading him/her to follow Jesus as one fully devoted and to minister to the welfare of your child in every way possible.

Therefore, it is important for us to know that you, as a parent(s) understand the vows you will be taking, that you are committed to these vows and that your life shows evidence of the reality prior to taking them.  Our duty before God is to encourage you to make commitments that you are sincerely prepared to keep, to the best of your ability and with God’s help.  The Bible tells us that God is not pleased with those who take vows and then do not keep them (Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21; Ecclesiastes 5:1-7)