What is a Parent Child Dedication?

Dedication celebrations serve as a way for you (parents) to begin thinking about what your child needs most. We believe that need is love. Yes, your love - but more importantly, the love of their Heavenly Father. Parent-Child Dedication is all about you (parents) recognizing the role you have in sharing Christ's love with your children.

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Roles and Responsibilities

We believe Scripture is clear that God has called parents to be the primary disciple-makers in the lives of their children. We also believe it is the role and responsibility of the church to come alongside parents to equip them for that role.

Our expectation is that…

  • Parent(s) have a growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • Parent(s) agree with our church’s beliefs and values.
  • Parent(s) commit to modeling personal integrity and to lead by example in matters of faith and conduct.

During the service, we’ll ask that…

  • Parent(s) will seek to always treat their child with love and respect, recognizing them as God’s special gift to them.
  • Parent(s) will seek to raise their child to understand the truths of the Christian faith, remembering that they teach most convincingly by their example.
  • Parent(s) will, in dependence upon God’s spirit, pray for and assist their child to respond freely to Jesus Christ, in their own time.

The commitment of the church:

  • During the service, we will ask the church to commit to helping parents fulfill their commitments by praying for and encouraging them throughout their journey of raising children.

Part 1: Imagine The End

Part 2: Widen The Circle

Parent Child Dedication FAQ's

Do I need to be a member to dedicate my child?

You do not need to be a member of Ironbridge to dedicate your child. We do recommend taking our Starting Point class and ask that families call Ironbridge home, because in dedicating your child to God, you are stating that you are willing to partner with God and the Church to raise your child in cooperation with God’s intentions. As your church family, we are here to partner with you as the body of Christ and support you as a family unit.

At what age can a child take part in a dedication service?

While Ironbridge doesn’t have a set age requirement for a child dedication, the average age for a child to be dedicated is 3 years and younger. Although, many parents dedicate children much older than that due to wanting to dedicate all children at the same time or the parents are new believers in Christ. Our service is designed around and geared toward families of young children.

Can I invite family and friends to the service?

Absolutely! You will find that this will enhance the significance of the service for you and will also give them an opportunity to witness your own faith in Jesus Christ.

What is appropriate attire for this service?

You can come dressed up as you’d like or as informal as you’d like, it’s entirely up to you. Feel free to dress as though you were coming to one of our regular Sunday morning services.