We are glad you are interested in learning more about child dedication at Downtown Cornerstone Church! As a church, we do not baptize children. Instead, we offer an opportunity for parents to publicly dedicate themselves to the noble task of parenting for the glory of God, as they dedicate their children to the Lord before the church and for the church members to publicly commit to supporting the families.

The next opportunity to dedicate your child is on Sunday, November 10. Registration deadline: one week prior, on November 3. The registration form is located below.

Note: In order to accommodate everyone on stage, we ask that only the child(ren) being dedicated be present on the stage along with the parents.

Why Child Dedications?

Though not directly commanded in the Scripture, our practice of child dedication is based on scriptural precedent, rooted in the Old Testament, in which Jesus was presented to the Lord in the Temple as an infant (Luke 2:22-35).

It is also based on and acknowledges God’s blessing upon and concern and care for children (Isaiah 54:13; Matt. 18:1-5, 10; 19:13-15; Luke 18:15-17; Acts 2:39; 1 John 2:12-13).

It is you, parents, who are doing the dedicating. It is a commitment you make in your heart before Jesus and agree together to live out in your home. The dedication we perform during the church service is simply a public acknowledgment of that commitment.

You acknowledge that your children are a gift given to you by God (Gen. 33:5; Psalm 127:3-5). As such they are a blessing, a privilege, and a great source of joy (Prov. 23:24-25)—even though they require much labor. Ultimately we recognize that they have been created by our Father in heaven (Psalm 139:13), and as such belong to Him, yet have been entrusted to you to be reared in Christ (Exodus 13:2, 12).
You commit to live your lives as parents by the grace of God in such a way as to be a positive example as a follower of Jesus so your children will find it easy to follow you as you follow Jesus, and that you will not be a stumbling block to your children’s saving faith in Jesus (Matt. 18:5-6).

Your church leadership and community (elders, deacons, and members) commits to support and equip you by the grace of God to fulfill your responsibility, and likewise to be good examples for your children.

Child Dedication is Not:

Baptism: In order to avoid any confusion, it is important to note that dedicating your child is not a “dry” baptism nor a substitute for baptism. As a church, we recognize believer’s baptism (i.e. baptism following the placing of your faith in Jesus) as the biblical model of baptism. For more information go here.

Magic: This likely goes without saying, but it too needs to be said. The practice of dedicating your child is not magic, nor a formula by which to manipulate God, nor does it place any kind of extra-special blessing or protection upon your child, nor does it secure or ensure their immediate or eventual salvation.

Who should have their child dedicated?

Because we believe that child dedication is primarily parents’ publicly dedicating themselves to raise their children in the nurture and love of the Lord, these three things should be true of you:

You should be a committed Christian. You should have reached a point of believing the Good News – that God invites you to be part of His kingdom, family and mission in this world. You have confidence that Jesus lived and died to pay for your sins and rose from death to give you a new life, that God loves you, and that you can have a growing relationship with God as a free gift of grace. You shouldn’t just be a Christian in name – but rather, a Christian from the heart, with a sincere personal, committed faith. (If you aren’t sure how to become a committed Christian, please speak with a leader in the church – any of us would be glad to help you take this important step.) You should be engaged in the church – either as a committed member or in the membership process. Child dedication is a familial, relational act. You should take seriously your responsibility to raise your children with a strong spiritual foundation (as stated above). There are two beautiful passages that describe this type of parenting, one from the Old Testament, and one from the New Testament:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7)
“Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4)

What does a child dedication involve?

We generally have child dedications as a part of our regular services. You will be asked to join a group of others who are dedicating their child and to walk on to the stage. The pastor will make some introductory comments for the congregation on what a child dedication is and is not. During the dedication, we will ask you to introduce your child by name and then read a short section of Scripture over them.

The pastor will then ask the group the following questions, and ask you to respond with “With God’s help, I/we will”. The response emphasizes the fact that it is by God’s grace alone that will we be able to be and become the parents He aims for us to be. The questions we’ll ask of you are:

Will you commit to trust God’s promises made to you and your children in His Word?
Will you commit to seek God and live out the implications of the gospel as a family?
Will you commit to graciously discipline and shepherd your children?
Will you commit to pray for them and teach them to pray?
Will you commit to partner with this church community, seek their help and accountability, and lead your children to do the same?

The pastor will then ask church members to respond to a similar set of questions, committing to help, pray, and serve you in your task of parenting.

A couple of additional notes:

Please arrive at least 15 minutes early and let the production lead know that you and your family are present and ready.
The dedications will precede the sermon and you’ll be called up. Please sit in a location where you can easily exit to walk up to the stage.

If you have any additional questions, please email .

Child Dedication Registration

Fill out my online form.