Child Dedication

Children are a gift of God's grace.  The Psalmist, reflecting on God's handiwork in the development of every person, says For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16)

Recognizing the precious gift that our children are, we encourage parents who have trusted in Christ to make a conscious decision to commit themselves to the serious yet joy filled responsibility of raising their children to the glory of God.

Child dedication at Liberty Bible Church is an act that demonstrates your commitment to raise your child in a Christian home and church where he or she can come to know, love, and serve Jesus. It also signifies a commitment by the people of Liberty to provide a loving, biblical community that supports and prays for your family.

Why should I dedicate my child?
There is solid biblical evidence to support the dedication of our children.

Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord as she said, 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. (1 Samuel 1:27-28)

A few days after the birth of Jesus, his parents, Joseph and Mary, took him to the temple for a dedication ceremony (Luke 2:22).

Is child dedication the same as infant baptism?
Child dedication at Liberty is not the same as infant baptism. We believe that baptism is a public statement of faith that can be made only by someone who has personally believed in Christ. Infants cannot make a personal decision to believe in Jesus.

We do encourage all persons to be baptized when they have come to understand their sinfulness and have placed their trust in Christ as their Savior and Lord.

What happens in the child dedication ceremony?
Early in the worship service, the parents and their children are invited to come to the front of the church.  Each child and parent is introduced and a photograph of the child will be displayed for all to see.

The pastor, when possible, will take the child in his arms and explain the meaning of the child's name. He will then read a selected Scripture verse that relates to the meaning of the name and offer a prayer of blessing for the child.

When all the children have been dedicated, the congregation will stand to repeat the following pledge in a shared commitment with the parents in this adventure of faith:

We gladly pledge to pray for, love, teach and serve these children so that they might, at the earliest possible time, recognize their need of Christ and come to faith in Him.  We also pledge to pray for these parents so that, with wisdom and grace, they might raise these children to the glory of God.

When is the next child dedication ceremony?
Dedications take place in all of our Sunday worship services on the following dates:

2013 Dedication Dates:
May 12, 2013
November 17, 2013

How do I participate with my child in this service?
If you have trusted in Christ as your Savior, you are invited to present your child in Christian dedication to the Lord. While many parents dedicate very young children, your child does not have to be an infant. You can participate no matter what your child's age.

You can call Liberty Bible Church at (219) 926-3038 or register here.

Please register early, because the number of children dedicated in any one service is limited and dedications usually fill up well in advance of their scheduled dates.