Child Dedication

What is CHILD DEDICATION (AKA CHRISTENING)?

1. An opportunity to thank God for the precious gift of your child.

2. An opportunity to publicly declare your intentions to raise your child in a Christian home. Although many of you have already done this in your hearts, the public announcement makes you accountable to others.

3. A benchmark you can return to time and time again.

4. A family dedication, where parents commit themselves to abide by biblical principles and to raise their children according to God’s standards. Not only are you dedicating your child to God, you are dedicating yourselves, as parents, to Christ and the church. You are committing yourselves to maintaining a Christian home, where Christ is honored and the Word of God is held in reverence. A child’s first impression of God comes from you, so you must strive to live a Christ-like life at all times. Children sense our commitment to the Lord and are far more perceptive than we sometimes realize. For that reason, you need to be diligent in your own personal relationship with the Lord and the study of His Word.

What About Baptism?

Child Dedication at Word of God does not involve baptism. We believe that baptism is meant to take place at a time when an individual makes a personal decision to follow Christ and is old enough to repent of sin and confess Jesus publicly.

Some people think that if a child dies before being baptized he will not go to heaven. We have confidence in a loving God who welcomes the little children. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these…” (Matthew 19:14 NIV)

If you or someone you know would like to accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior and would like to be baptized, please contact us, to speak with someone on our Ministerial staff.

Contact the church office for more information: 410.664.6454

PARTICIPATION GUIDELINES:

Child Dedication is open to Word of God Baltimore parents who answer “yes” to the following:

1.       Do you acknowledge your child as a gift from God?

2.       Do you commit yourself to live a Godly life before your child so that he or she will have an example to follow?

3.       Do you commit yourself to give your child opportunities to hear the Gospel so that he or she might be able to have a personal relationship with Christ?

4.       Do you commit yourself to raise your child in the instruction and discipline of the Lord?

Membership at Word of God Church & Ministries is a requirement to participate.