Child Dedication | Winterville

No one will have more influence on your child than you! We believe that what happens at home is more important than what happens at church. It is our hope that we can partner with you from the very beginning. We want to be your biggest fans, your strongest supporters, and your trusted guides as you raise your child to know what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Child Dedication is more than an event. It is an opportunity for you to take some time at the beginning of your journey as a parent to really think about what will matter the most in the life of your child, to talk together and decide what you value and what you can do today that will have the greatest impact on your child’s future.

Common Questions

What can we expect?

Those participating in Child Dedication will arrive at the church 45 minutes before the service and receive instructions for the service.

When the dedication begins, parents will carry their child to the stage as they are announced.  One of our pastors will then say a prayer of dedication over the children and parents.

What is the difference between Child Dedication and Water Baptism?

Throughout the New Testament, the Bible teaches that Water Baptism is a public expression of worship symbolizing the new life we have when we follow Jesus. In the Bible, we see that Jesus’ parents dedicated him to the Lord (Luke 2:22–40), and he was later Water Baptized as an adult (Matthew 3:16–17). We understand that some churches practice “baptism of confirmation” for children. This ceremony is intended to be a commitment between the parents and God on the behalf of the child. The parents promise to raise their child in the faith until the child is old enough to make his or her own personal confession of Christ. This custom began about 300 years after the Bible was completed and is different from the biblical examples of new believers being baptized to publicly profess their faith in Jesus. So at Opendoor Church we provide opportunities for Child Dedication and believer’s Water Baptism.