What is Baby Dedication?

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1 What is Baby Dedication? Child dedication is the act of committing your child to God. Child dedication is illustrated in the Bible by Hannah. She was a woman who was barren, and so she cried out to God to give her a child. "In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord. And she made a vow, saying, O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life. " I Samuel 1:10-11 When God answered Hannah s prayer for a child, she dedicated her son, Samuel, to God. "As surely as you live, my Lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. 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." I Samuel 1:26-28 In a similar way, Jesus, when he was still a child, was brought by his parents to the House of the Lord to acknowledge that he belonged to God. "When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord." Luke 2:22 Later on in Jesus life he encouraged the bringing of children to be presented to God. 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. Matthew 10:14b We follow this example of committing the lives or our children to God through baby dedication.

2 Why doesn t Creekside baptize children? Baptism is a very important part of growing spiritually and we encourage all followers of Christ to be obedient and become baptized. There is another booklet you should read on this subject called, What About Baptism? which will give you more answers. The reason we do not baptize children is that the Bible teaches a key part of understanding what it means to be baptized is also understanding repentance means. Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins... Acts 2:38 There is no way an infant child can understand to concepts of sin and forgiveness so we choose to follow the Biblical model of child dedication. We encourage the child to be baptized after they have chosen to follow Christ. Why should I dedicate my baby? As Christians, we understand that everything we own comes from God, including our children. [These] are the children God has graciously given your servant. Genesis 33:5b Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Psalm 127:3 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised. Job 1:21b When you dedicate your child you are acknowledging publicly that he or she ultimately belongs to God, and that you will do your best to raise your child in a way that is pleasing to God, to seek His help and guidance as a parent, and to do everything in your power to see that your child grows up to love and honor God just as the Lord has challenged us to do.

3 "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon 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 "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6 How will our baby be dedicated? When it is time for the dedication you will bring your child in front of the church to be dedicated by the pastor. Parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, and other family members are encouraged to take part in this event. During the dedication the pastor will ask you to confirm your commitment to raise your child in the ways of God, and then he will pray a prayer of dedication over your baby. Can anyone have their baby dedicated? Anyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ may have their children dedicated at the Creekside Church. Just complete the following pages with current information and hand them to a church leader. What if I am a single parent or my spouse is not a Christian? Both parents are not required to be present for the dedication of the child. The important factor is your desire to be a Godly example for your child and to raise him or her to become an obedient follower of Christ. What if I am not a member of Creekside? Membership is not a requirement for baby dedication. As long as you call the Creekside Church your church we would be happy to dedicate your child.

4 Can my older child still be dedicated? Generally, parents bring their children to be dedicated while the child is still an infant. However, there is no age limit for dedication. Children of any age may be dedicated at the Creekside Church. When and where would the dedication take place? Dedications take place during the church service. You may request that your child be dedicated on a certain day, and we will do our very best to accommodate your request. Please fill out the following form and turn it into the church office at least two weeks before your desired dedication date.

5 Child Dedication Request Form Please fill out this form and return it to the church office at least two weeks before your requested dedication date. Parent s Full Names: Child s Full Name: Child s Date of Birth: Weight of Child at Birth: Location of Birth: On what date would like to have your child dedicated? (Please provide two choices) First choice: / / Second choice: / / Are there any additional members of your family that you would like to have introduced at the dedication?