Child Dedication
Being a parent is one of the greatest joys in life, but it’s no easy task.
Often, you feel that nagging feeling in your gut that makes you wonder, “Am I doing this whole parenting thing right?” But, there’s good news! You don’t have to parent alone. That’s where child dedication comes in. You get to stand in front of your church family and commit to raising your child alongside your church family.
We know that, as a parent, you’re the most important influence in your child’s life. But you’re not the only influence your child needs. That’s where your church family comes in. Child dedication is an opportunity to invite others to develop and influence your child as they grow in their faith. It can relieve a lot of parenting pressure because you get to partner with people who will love and lead your child well. Your kids won’t begin following Jesus by accident and when you dedicate your child, you’re deciding that you’ll raise them knowing who Jesus is.
Check out what Deuteronomy 6:4-7 NIV says about this: “Hear, O Israel: The Loʀd our God, the Loʀd is one. Love the Loʀd your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 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.”
We love God with everything in us, and we model that for our kids because we know that our example is far more powerful than our words. We teach our kids what it looks like to follow Jesus. And we talk about it and think about it often.
Leading kids to live like Jesus isn’t a checkbox on a parenting to-do list. It’s an intentional, ongoing conversation that shapes who they are now and who they’re becoming.
1. Register to dedicate your child
Fill in the form and we’ll be in touch to let you know what happens next.
2. Upcoming Dedication Sundays
We’ll do our best to find a date that works for you and your family.
What is the Biblical basis for Child Dedication?
The biblical basis for Child Dedication is found in both the teachings of Jesus and the examples set throughout Scripture.
In Mark 10:14 (NIV), Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” This shows Jesus’ heart for children and His desire to welcome and bless them.
The practice of dedicating children to God is also modelled throughout the Bible:
The Israelites brought their 8-day-old children to the priest for blessing, following God’s instructions under the Law.
Hannah brought her long-awaited son Samuel to the priest Eli, dedicating him to the Lord for his whole life (1 Samuel 1).
Mary and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple to present Him to the Lord, in keeping with Jewish custom (Luke 2:22).
Together, these examples highlight the importance of recognising children as a gift from God and committing to raise them in His ways. While child dedication does not secure salvation for the child, it is a powerful moment where parents publicly acknowledge their dependence on God and commit to raising their child according to His Word, inviting the support and prayers of their faith community.
Why do we Dedicate on a Sunday morning?
We dedicate children on a Sunday morning because it allows the entire church family to be part of this meaningful moment. It’s not just a private ceremony — it’s a public act where parents, family, and the whole church come together.
As God’s people, we don’t simply watch the dedication; we actively participate, committing ourselves to support the parents in raising their child to know and follow Jesus. It’s a visible expression of our shared faith and our desire to see the next generation grow up loving and serving Christ.
By doing this in our main worship service, we celebrate the child’s life and ask God’s blessing together, uniting as a community that believes in extending our faith to the next generation.
What’s the role of the Parent(s)?
The parents’ role in Child Dedication is a sacred commitment to raise their child in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. By dedicating their child, parents are publicly declaring their own faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord and acknowledging that their child is a gift from God — entrusted to them by His grace.
Parents commit to being intentional caretakers who accept the responsibility to raise their child to know and follow Jesus. They pledge to provide spiritual guidance through the home, church, school, and wider community, and to ask for God's blessing, protection, and guidance over their child’s life.
During the dedication, parents are asked to affirm the following commitments:
To demonstrate Christian integrity in their personal lives.
To teach their child the value of fidelity in marriage.
To show their child the importance of fellowship and servanthood through active involvement in the church.
To model their faith through prayer, consistent living, and teaching God’s Word — guiding their child to follow Jesus as Lord.
In essence, the parents’ role is not passive — it is a deliberate and faith-filled promise to lead by example and nurture their child’s spiritual life from the very beginning.
Is dedication the same as infant baptism or christening?
No, child dedication is not the same as infant baptism or christening. While baptism and christening are meaningful practices in many Christian traditions — often involving sprinkling water on an infant as a sign of being brought into the faith — our practice is different.
We dedicate children instead. In a dedication, parents commit themselves before God and the church to raise their child to know and follow Jesus. It is not a sacrament of salvation for the child, but rather a public act of thanksgiving, commitment, and blessing, trusting God’s plan for their life and seeking the support of the church family.
In our understanding, baptism is a step taken later in life by someone who personally chooses to follow Jesus, while dedication is about the parents’ and church’s commitment to guide the child toward that decision.