Parent/Child Dedications
Clarity does not practice the tradition of infant baptism, but we do celebrate the birth of a new family member as a loving community through what we call Parent/Child Dedications. Our desire is to inspire the community as we provide a unique setting for parents to articulate their desire to raise their child in a Godly fashion, so that they come to know and love Jesus. Therefore, we want parents to bring their little ones up on stage, introduce them to the church and encourage the body of Christ to hold them accountable as they embark on this great task of raising Godly children.
What is a Parent/Child Dedication?
If you aren’t familiar with parent/child dedications, this is where the parents present the child to the church, the church and the parents promise to raise the child to know about Jesus, and they pray for the child and family.
There isn’t anything magical about a parent/child dedication. It doesn’t make the child a Christian (only a faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior can do that). It’s actually more for the parents and the church. This isn’t to try to secure the child a place in heaven, but it’s to set in the heart of the parents and church how the child should be raised.
Because we live in an area of the United States that has a high population of religious traditions that practice infant baptism, the question we often hear is, "If it doesn’t save the child, why should you do a parent/child dedication?”
The difference between parent/child dedication and baptism
Baptism at a Clarity Gathering is an outward declaration of your faith and commitment to Jesus. It is a celebration of an individual’s choice to be a follower of Jesus. If you have recently said yes to Jesus or maybe have been following him a long time but never taken that next step of getting baptized, this is your chance!
If you are wondering whether or not your child is ready for baptism, here is a great article to help you discern whether or not that is the best decision for them.
Why we practice parent/child dedication
1 . It is the practice of those who have dedicated their lives to the Lord
We see in the Old Testament that God gave Abraham a sign to show that he and his family were dedicated to the Lord (circumcision). As we entered the new covenant, we see that this particular symbol was done away with as the sign. Baptism replaced it as the sign of someone that has believed in Jesus for their salvation.
While some would now say that we should now baptize infants because of this, we do not see enough in scripture to support baptizing children. What we do see in the scriptures is that baptism consistently happens when someone comes to a personal faith in Jesus.
What we do see constantly in scripture are parents being dedicated to raising their children to know Jesus.
Deuteronomy 6
Proverbs 22:6
Luke 2:22-24
2. It's counter-cultural
We want our children's dedications to be a counter-cultural witness to the saving grace of Jesus alone. We are dedicated to Jesus alone, and we dedicate our children to Jesus alone. By the grace of God, we are raising them to trust in Jesus and not religion or spirituality.
3. It's part of bringing glory to God
It's about more than building a legacy for our families. It's about bringing glory to God the Father. We believe that He must increase and we must decrease. Dedicating our children is an public act of admitting that we want the Lord to rule and reign and be the one making the lasting impact in our children's lives so that by God's grace they will trust in Jesus as their master and Savior.
Upcoming Parent/Child Dedication Sunday April 14th
Our next parent/child dedications are scheduled for Sunday April 14th. Space is limited to two families for this date. If you are interested in parent/child dedication during one of these gatherings, please complete our form below and we'll connect with you about your next steps for this important moment in the life of your family.