Who We Are Who We Are

Child Dedication

 

We do not believe that you have to be baptized to be a Christian. It is not “necessary” in that sense. Having said that, it is the normative practice when one has decided to follow Jesus.

Children are a gift of God. They are nurtured by families and the church in trust that they will grasp and fully embrace all that God has for them. We encourage all parents to dedicate their children to God when they are young, signifying their desire to raise their children to love God. They will then do everything in their strength to introduce their children to a life of faith. This dedication service takes place in public worship and is a covenant between the parents, the church community and God; that we will raise our children to experience a vital relationship with Christ.

At KBC, we believe in baptism by immersion for adult believers but we wait until our children are old enough to make a personal decision to follow Christ and more fully understand the meaning of baptism before entering into the act of baptism. A child is fully capable of following Christ from a very young age, but because baptism requires some maturity of understanding we suggest that their readiness for baptism requires special care and discernment. This would be done carefully through instruction, prayer and spiritual judgment.

The Act of Child Dedication

The community celebrates this act of dedication during public worship.

It signifies three things:

  • The child is a gift of God to the family and the church. God sees them as his special creation and worthy of love.
  • The parents or guardian have a responsibility to bring up the child in the teaching of Christ and in the nurturing presence of the church.
  • The church has a responsibility to assist the parents or guardian to bring up the child in Christ and to do everything possible to encourage the process.

 Arrangements are initiated by the family to hold a child dedication. The child is brought before the congregation by a parent or guardian. The pastor explains the role of the parents and congregation in the act of dedication and God’s blessing is sought for the child and family.

Please contact the church office for more information or speak with one of the pastors.