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What Is Child Dedication?
At Northside, we believe child dedication is about three things:
1. A commitment by parents to raise their children to know and follow Jesus.
Child dedication is not just about the child; it's also (maybe even more) about the commitment parents make before the Lord and their church family. It's a commitment to pray for their children, model a growing relationship with Jesus, teach them God's Word, and continually point them toward His love, grace, and purpose.
God has given parents a unique and important responsibility in the lives of their children. No one else can take your place.
Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)
“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Deuteronomy 6:5–9 (please read it in our Bible) reminds us that faith isn't meant to be something we talk about only at church. We're called to love God wholeheartedly and make Him part of everyday life, teaching our children about Him at home, on the road, at bedtime, and throughout our daily routines.
2. A desire to dedicate our children to the Lord.
We recognize that our children are gifts from God, and we desire to raise them according to His purposes. We want to create a home where they can experience His love, learn His truth, and see what it means to follow Jesus.
3. A prayer for God's blessing, wisdom, and guidance.
Parenting is both a tremendous privilege and a significant responsibility. We need God's wisdom and strength. Child dedication is an opportunity to seek His blessing over our children and ask Him to guide us as we raise them.
Child dedication is not a promise that we will parent perfectly or that our children will never struggle. It is a public commitment to depend on God and faithfully point our children toward Him.
The Commitment We Make as Parents
As parents, we commit to pursuing Jesus ourselves, teaching our children about Him, praying for them, modeling a life of faith, and seeking to raise them according to God's Word.
We recognize that we cannot do this perfectly or in our own strength. We depend on God's grace, wisdom, and guidance, and we welcome the encouragement and support of our church family as we raise our children to know and follow Jesus.
We believe it's never too late to dedicate your children to the Lord or to make a commitment to raise them to know and follow Jesus. Whether your children are infants, toddlers, or older, we'd love to help you take this step.
Raising children in the world we live in can be challenging and sometimes overwhelming. At Northside, we want to come alongside you, encourage you, and provide resources to help you along the way.
At the same time, we want to remind you that God has given you a unique responsibility and privilege. You will have one of the most significant influences on your children's lives.
And here's the good news: You don't have to be perfect parents. Your children need to see you pursuing Jesus, depending on His grace, and continuing to grow in your faith. So much of what they learn about following Jesus will come from watching you live it out in everyday life.
As you make this commitment, here's how Northside wants to support you:
The Commitment We Make as a Church Family
At Northside, we believe raising children to know and follow Jesus is not something parents should have to do alone. As a church family, we commit to praying for these families, encouraging these parents, providing opportunities for children to grow in their faith, and modeling what it means to follow Jesus.
We want to walk alongside you, celebrate with you, encourage you through challenges, and help create an environment where your children can learn about God's love and see His truth lived out through the lives of others.
We know you won't get everything right. Neither will we. But we believe that as parents and a church family, we can encourage one another, grow together, and keep pointing our children toward Jesus.
Child dedication Sunday will be a special opportunity to celebrate your family, make your commitment before the Lord and our church family, and receive prayer and encouragement.
We encourage you to invite family and friends to join you. Many of these people have helped you along the way and will continue to play an important role in your children's lives. We'd love for them to be part of this meaningful day.
Here's what you can expect during the service:
We are excited that you are considering child dedication at Northside! We are praying for you as you consider this commitment and as you continue in the challenging, rewarding, and important work of raising your children.
We look forward to walking alongside your family as we seek to help the next generation know and follow Jesus.