Tomorrow May 16 we have the privilege of dedicating six children to God. In addition, we will baptize eight.

Following the practice of Bethlehem Baptist in Minneapolis, we ask five questions of parents when they dedicate children:

1. Do you today recognize your children as gifts of God and give heartfelt thanks for God’s blessing?

This question is based on Psalm 127:3. God is the one who gives children; they belong to Him. God has the right to do with these children as He wishes. Thus Hannah says of baby Samuel in 1 Samuel 1:28, “So I have also dedicated him to the LORD; as long as he lives he is dedicated to the LORD.”

2. Do you now dedicate your children to the Lord who gave them to you, surrendering all worldly claims upon their lives in the hope that they will belong wholly to God?

A dedication does not bring about the salvation of the child, nor is a dedication a picture of the salvation of the child. It is not baptism. Instead: It is a set of solemn promises by the parents in the presence of the church, and an expression of faith and hope in God’s future grace.

3. Do you pledge as parents that, with God’s fatherly help, you will bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord, making every reasonable effort, with patience and love, to build the Word of God, the character of Christ and the joy of the Lord into their lives?

God calls every parent to the task of training up children (Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4). Parents here make a commitment to help their children live lives of personal obedience. Yet personal obedience is not the goal; faith is the goal. Through learning obedience to loving parents, our children can learn the joy of obedience to a loving God; this can then be a means of grace that God uses to bring the children to faith, and that very faith will bear fruit in genuine Christian obedience. As parents, we are living out a similar responsibility to that of Ezekiel as watchmen (Ezekiel 3:17-19), setting examples, teaching, and warning our children.

4. Do you promise to provide, through God’s blessing, for their physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs, looking to your own heavenly Father for the wisdom, love and strength to serve them and not use them?

We as parents are tempted to use our children: As status symbols, as props for our egos, as accomplishments, as ways to succeed vicariously where we failed in our younger years. But biblically we are to provide for our children and serve them – not serving under them, but so to lead them that they grow into independent adults who by God’s grace love Jesus Christ and put Him first. This last goal is the subject of the final question:

5. Do you promise, God helping you, to make it your regular prayer that, by God’s grace, they will come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins and for the fulfillment of all God’s promises to them, even eternal life; and in this faith follow Jesus as Lord and obey his teachings?

After asking the parents these questions, we ask the members of the church:

Do you pledge to pray for these little ones, and pledge to help these parents to live up to their promises?

Then an elder prays these words individually over each child being dedicated.

Together with your parents, who love you dearly, and with this people who also love you and care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God by His grace forever.