Child Dedication

On Sunday, February 24 our church, Magnolia Ave Baptist Church, had a parent-child dedication service for parents to publicly promise to raise their children to know and love Jesus.  At the same time, the church promises to be a part of his spiritual life.  My dad also prayed for us as part of the service as the first pastor of our family. 

Parent Commitment

We commit ourselves before God and our church that we will teach Andrew the ways of the Lord.  We will be intentional to not provoke him to resentment towards God, but we will take Andrew by the hand and lead him in the way of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

 

Realizing that parenting is a divine calling, requiring wisdom and strength, we will commit ourselves to placing a priority upon God's Word for our spiritual growth and to teaching Andrew, as "we are in our home or walking down the street; from the time we get up to when we fall into bed at night." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

 

We will lead Andrew to grow as Jesus did "in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men." Luke 2:52

 

Understanding that parenthood at times may be a struggle, we dedicate ourselves and our home under the Lordship of Christ so that Andrew will have ample opportunities to know the difference Jesus Christ makes in a home surrendered to him.  We will commit ourselves to "love the Lord our God with all our heart, and with all our soul, and with all our mind, and with all our strength." Mark 12:30

Father Commitment

Further, I choose this day to publicly pronounce that "as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  I commit to lead my family, not as mere followers of religious rules, but in a living relationship with the King of kings and Lord of lords.  Joshua 24:15b

 

Church Commitment

We are one body united in Christ.  As Christ has loved each one of us, we will show that love to each other, so that everyone will know we are His Church.

We commit to:

encourage you in truth--Ephesians 4:21

be gentle in our corrections--Ephesians 4:32

life you up in prayer--Ephesians 3:14-21

challenge you to God's best--1 Corinthians 13:7

make our debts be one of love to each other--Romans 13:8