Child Dedication

Sign-Up

Learn More About Child Dedications at City

As a parent, you’re the most important influence in your child’s life. But you’re not the only influence your child needs. That’s where your church family comes in. Child dedication is an opportunity to invite others to influence your child as they grow in their faith.

Your kids won’t begin following Jesus by accident. When you dedicate your child, you’re deciding that you’ll raise your kids knowing who Jesus is.  Check out what Deuteronomy 6:4-7 NLT says about this:

“Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.”

Sign-Up

Parent Commitments

As parents, we must model what it looks like to follow God. Our example is far more powerful than our words. Because parents are the key role models for their children, we ask that they commit to the following before dedicating their child:

  • Parent(s) have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • Parent(s) commit to actively attending church on a regular basis.
  • Parent(s) agree with our church’s beliefs and values, which can be found in our Beliefs page. https://citychurchbloomington.org/about/beliefs/.
  • Parent(s) commit to leading by example in matters of faith and conduct.

You do not need to be a member of City Church to dedicate your child. We do ask that families commit to attending church on a regular basis as scripture tells us. As a church, City is committed to investing in our kids and youth ministries to provide opportunities for kids to learn about and experience God’s love.

Yes! Child dedication allows parents, including single parents, to make a public commitment to do their best to raise their child to be a follower of Jesus. We encourage single parents to include any important figures in their child’s life to be a part of the dedication. As a church, City is committed to supporting single parents in providing a Christian foundation for their child’s upbringing.

At City Church, we believe that child dedication and baptism are different. Salvation comes only through faith in Jesus Christ as each person recognizes their sinfulness and receives forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus and His work on the cross. Scripture tells us that we should get baptized after we have trusted Jesus for our salvation. (Learn more about baptism here.)

Rather than baptizing infants and younger children, we encourage a dedication ceremony, where children are prayed over, and families publicly commit to raising their children in accordance with Scripture.

Child Dedication is a small, intimate service lasting no longer than 30 minutes. During the ceremony, parent(s) publicly commit to helping their child grow in their faith and to raising them in a home centered on Jesus. Our team welcomes the child and parent(s), prays over each family, and presents a Bible to each child.

Child Dedication is held once a quarter. If you are interested in participating in Child Dedication, please fill out this form. A staff member will reach out and provide more information on the upcoming dedications.