VOXKIDS MILESTONES
Equipping families to lead their children in lives of lasting faith
Child Dedication
Salvation
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CHILD DEDICATION

A VoxKids volunteer crouching beside a smiling child at an outdoor games morning.

Child Dedication is a joint expression of a parent's commitment to raising their child to know and love God, and our commitment as a church to support you. It is a faith milestone in a child's spiritual journey — an important moment to be commemorated and celebrated.

When a child is dedicated before God and the church, believing parents commit to raising their child in God's truth, guiding their spiritual development, pointing them to Jesus, and discipling them toward salvation.

If you call Vox Church home and are ready to take this step, we would love to partner with you as you make this public commitment. We invite families with children ages 0–5 years to consider participating in the dedication event. Completion of a Child Dedication Milestone Class is required as part of the registration process.

Child Dedication does not save your child and does not make them a Christian. It is a commitment parents make, and a commitment the church makes alongside them. The day will come when your child must trust Christ for themselves — and we will be here for that too.

PREPARE

A VoxKids volunteer sitting on the floor with a small group of children during a teaching time.

Child Dedication Milestone Class

VoxKids Milestone Classes equip families to confidently lead their children through key faith milestones.

In the Child Dedication Milestone Class, parents:

  • Learn what it means to dedicate a child to the Lord.
  • Receive practical guidance on how to prepare for Child Dedication.
  • Explore practical ways to practice family discipleship and cultivate a Christ-centered family culture in light of the commitment to raise a child to know and love God.

While this class is required for families participating in Child Dedication, all parents are welcome to attend. Come learn more about this important faith milestone — whether you're preparing for it now or considering it for the future. Talk with your VoxKids director for more information and to find out when your campus's next offering is.

Connect with your VoxKids Director

If you have questions about Child Dedication, family discipleship (what Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin call “leading your home by doing whatever you can whenever you can to help your family become friends and followers of Jesus Christ”), or your unique family situation, we'd love to connect with you. Our VoxKids Directors are here to support and encourage you as you take this important step. They can also provide information about upcoming Child Dedication services and Milestone Classes.

Recommended Resources

As you continue leading your child in faith, here are some suggested resources and next steps to prayerfully consider:

  • Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, and Milestones
  • Parenting: 14 Gospel Principles That Can Radically Change Your Family
  • Praying the Scriptures for Your Children
  • Slugs & Bugs Music
  • RightNow Media — Kids
  • YouVersion Bible App for Kids

Get Connected

  • Join the VoxKids Family Discipleship Challenge.
  • Participate in a parenting group at your campus.
  • Join a community group or servant team.
  • Pray intentionally and consistently for your child.

Next Milestones: Salvation & Baptism

As you disciple your child, we encourage you to parent with the next milestone in mind. Visit our Salvation and Baptism pages to learn more about the next steps in your child's spiritual journey.

Visit the Salvation Page Visit the Baptism Page
Frequently Asked Questions

We believe Child Dedication establishes a relationship between the church and the family — one where the family commits to raise their child to know, love, and follow the Lord, and where the church in turn commits to coming alongside them as they do. With this high view of Child Dedication, we ask that:

  1. Vox Church be the dedicating family's home church.
  2. At least one parent be a professing follower of Christ, earnestly pursuing a godly lifestyle, as expressed in the Scriptures.
  3. Dedicating parent(s) participate in a Child Dedication Milestone Class.
  4. Parents meet with a VoxKids Director or local Campus Pastor prior to the dedication.

No. Child Dedication is not baptism, and it does not save. Salvation comes only through personal faith in Jesus Christ — something each person must come to for themselves. Dedication is a commitment parents make before God and the church, asking for his grace as they raise their child, and trusting him to draw that child to saving faith in his timing.

Absolutely. Child Dedication is a commitment by parents — including single parents — to raise their child to know and follow Jesus.

We recognize that every family's situation and dynamics are unique, and you may have specific questions about how to honor God in your home and context. Whether you have been walking with Jesus your whole life or are new to faith, we encourage you to reach out to your local campus staff with any questions about your family situation, our view of Child Dedication, or what a next step of faith might look like for your family in this season.

For those pursuing Child Dedication, opportunities to ask questions are built into the process. God cares deeply about your family and desires for each member to know and follow him. We look forward to coming alongside you as you seek to lead your family in discipleship to Jesus.

Throughout Scripture, parents intentionally dedicated their children to the Lord and committed themselves to raising them according to God's ways. Examples include Hannah dedicating Samuel to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:27–28), and Mary and Joseph presenting Jesus at the temple (Luke 2:22–35).

Child Dedication is not commanded in Scripture, nor is it a requirement for salvation. It is a meaningful opportunity for parents to publicly express their desire to raise their children to know, love, and follow God, and to invite the church to support and encourage them in that calling.

On the day of the dedication parents will be asked to arrive 15 minutes prior to the service. Seating will be reserved for parents and their family. Parents will then be called to the front of the stage where they will be introduced by the Campus Pastor and then prayed over. At some locations parents may also be asked to read a letter to their child, although this is not always the case and varies by location.

Yes! This class is designed to partner with parents, equipping them to disciple their children at home. Anyone interested in learning more is welcome to attend, even if they are not yet ready to dedicate their child.