Preparing for a Significant Commitment
June 22, 2010
On Sunday morning, God willing, we will have a dedication service for four children: Aylee Tanner, Gabriella Staich, Claire Channing, and Noah Kinkel. The parents dedicate their children by acknowledging that their children belong to the Lord. They also dedicate themselves to raise their children in a gospel-centered home, praying that these little ones will one day trust in Christ.
The dedication goes a third way. You as the family of God at Whitton Avenue Bible Church will be asked to dedicate yourselves to these children with the following questions:
-Do you pledge as a church family to provide a safe environment for these children to grow physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually?
-Do you commit, with God’s help, to build the word of God, the character of Christ and the joy of the Lord into these children’s lives?
-Do you promise, God helping you, to make it your regular prayer that by God’s grace these children will come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins and for the fulfillment of all his promises to them, even eternal life; and in this faith follow Jesus as Lord and obey his teachings?
This is a tall order. And while I should clarify that answering “We do” to these questions does not commit you to any explicit task for life, it does give shape to the posture we want to have toward our children at Whitton Avenue. The questions above represent nothing short of a commitment to making disciples of our children, that is, helping them become faithful follower of Jesus Christ. This requires not only passing along the teachings of Jesus, but modeling what it looks like to obey Jesus as a community. Again, this is no small pledge.
As we approach Sunday’s service, take 10-15 minutes to read carefully through these questions and ask whether this indeed is your commitment to the children (and parents) of our church. If not, ask God to grant you such a heart for the lambs of our flock. If so, then prepare to affirm this high calling on Sunday morning and, more importantly, to devote yourself to helping our children become faithful followers of Jesus.
With you in this high calling,
Pastor Chris