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Welcome to. Child Dedication Class. Five Realities of Parenting. Parenting a child is an incredible gift! Parenting is overwhelming and challenging. Parenting requires daily dependence on Jesus Christ. Perfect parents do no exist! You will fall short along the way.
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Welcome to Child Dedication Class
Five Realities of Parenting • Parenting a child is an incredible gift! • Parenting is overwhelming and challenging. • Parenting requires daily dependence on Jesus Christ. • Perfect parents do no exist! You will fall short along the way. • God will give you the grace and wisdom you need on this journey.
Saddleback Kids Nursery • Our Saddleback Kids staff loves your child! Shawna Santos Birth – Age 2 Coordinator Beverly Bieker Birth – Age 2 Team Associate • We are committed to partner with you to help your child develop spiritually.
Saddleback Kids Nursery • Saddleback kids programs are intentionally designed to help your child grow in their understanding of God from birth through Grade 6. • Our nursery is staffed by committed and nurturing volunteer leaders who are present every weekend.
Why Saddleback Kids Exists The Great Commandment Matthew 22:37-40 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
Why Saddleback Kids Exists The Great Commission Matthew 28:18-20 18Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Why Saddleback Kids Exists The Purposes of the Church “Love the Lord your God…” WORSHIP “…Baptizing them…” BELONG “Teach these new disciples…” GROW “Love your neighbor as yourself.” SERVE “Go and make disciples…” SHARE
Why Saddleback Kids Exists SADDLEBACK KIDS MISSION “Our ministry exists to bring children into age appropriate WORSHIP where they can BELONG to the family of God,GROWin their relationship with Christ, learn to SERVEand then to goSHARE Christ in the World!”
Saddleback Kids Vision “Connecting Kids to God and Others” • Winning kids to Christ • Growing kids spiritually • Every kid connects with another kid • Every kid connects with a leader
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • We believe that each child has a purpose in life and that your child is not here by chance! • It is a time for you to publicly thank God for your child. • It is a time for you to make a commitment to God that you will raise your child to know Jesus. • It is a time for parents to offer their child to the Lord and to dedicate themselves to raising their child to the glory of God.
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • It is an act of worship, thanksgiving, dependence, trust, and commitment. • It is a time for celebrating the gift that God has given to you. • It is a Biblical Tradition
Child Dedication vs. Baptism Hannah dedicated Samuel.
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • Awoman named Hannah desired to be a Mother but experienced continual disappointment. • Hannah cried out to God. • God heard her prayer and gave Hannah and her husbanda baby boy. • When their son Samuel was weaned, she brought him to the priestEli.
Child Dedication vs. Baptism “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted my petition which I asked of Him. Therefore I also have given him to the Lord; as long as he lives he shall be given to the Lord.” 1 Samuel 1:27-28
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • Hannah literally gave her son to God, by giving him to Eli to raise. • God later blessed her again with five more children. • Samuel would later grow up to lead the Israelites as a Judge, Prophet, and Priest.
Child Dedication vs. Baptism Joseph and Mary dedicated Jesus.
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • According to Jewish law all parents brought their boys to be circumcised on the 8th day after their birth. (Leviticus 12:3) • At this time they were officially named. • This was part of the dedication and blessing upon infant boys. • Joseph and Mary followed this law and brought Jesus to the temple where Simeon blessed him. (Luke 2:28-34)
Child Dedication vs. Baptism Child Dedication Is Not
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • A sacrament of the church • The means of salvation, which is eternal life with Christ in Heaven. Salvation only comes to a child through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” John 14:6
Child Dedication vs. Baptism Baptism
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • According to Acts 8:12-13 believers are to be baptized. • Therefore, we do not baptize people who have not first chosen to admit of the bad choices they have made which the Bible calls sin, believe that Jesus is God’s only Son, and call on Jesus to be the boss of their life. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • Baptism is a symbol that you have a new life in Christ – it tells others that you believe in Christ. Like a wedding ring, it is an outward symbol of an inward commitment. • Therefore, baptism is not the means by which we obtain salvation. • We baptize 3rd through 6th grade children after they have first made their own decision to put their faith and trust in Jesus and have attended our Saddleback Kids Baptism Class.
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • The Bible shows us that all children will live with Christ in heaven if they die before they are old enough to make a personal decision to follow Christ. • The king of the Nation of Israel, David had a sick son whom he longed God would heal. However, God did not heal him. “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept…’ But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.” 2 Samuel 12:22-23
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • Since we know David is a believer, we conclude that he expected his child to be in heaven where he would see him again. • Babies and children hold a special place in God’s heart. Jesus called over a child…and said, “I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me. Matthew 18:1-5 (The Message)
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • These verses do not directly state that children go to heaven, but they do show God's heart toward children. • Scripture says that both infants and the unborn have original sin--including both the propensity to sin as well as the guilt of original sin. “For I was born a sinner! Yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.” Pslam 51:5 • Scripture teaches that eternal separation from God is based on the clear rejection of God's revelation--not simple ignorance of it.
Child Dedication vs. Baptism • Neither an unborn child nor an infant has the ability to reject God’s grace in salvation. • Christ's atonement paid for the guilt of these helpless ones throughout all time! • Thus, a child who dies at an age too young to have made a conscious, willful rejection of Jesus Christ will be taken to be with the Lord.
Connecting at Saddleback • Bring your child to Saddleback Kids every weekend. • Attend the same service so the leaders gets to know your child. • Consider volunteering in your child’s age group. • Join a small group. • Attend Married Life seminars.
Parent Declaration “I will treasure my child as a gift from God on loan to me.”
Parent Declaration “Behold, children are a gift from the Lord.” Psalm 127:3 • Infants and young children are in your everyday care. Their survival is in your hands. • Yet, soon they become 2 and 3 years old, develop strong opinions, and can become defiant and challenging. Then before we know it they are 15. • This is when this verse will be a command to us; when we don’t feel like treasuring our teenagers, we choose to treasure them because God’s word says to.
Parent Declaration “I will teach my child of God’s love and of His gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus.”
Parent Declaration • God requires Christian parents to teach their children the ways of the Lord. “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7 • God’s will is for every child to know, believe in, love, respect, and serve Jesus as Lord all the days of their life.
Parent Declaration • It’s not too early to start “high chair time”: give individual attention, sing songs, read a story, and model prayer. • Bring your child to church regularly. Your relationship with Christ will be strengthened and so will your child’s. • Watch our teaching videos at home with your children. We have activities and lessons on-line for you. • Read Bible Stories at bedtime. Talk about how the heroes of the Bible can teach us how to have faith in God and His son Jesus Christ.
Parent Declaration “I will give grace to my child, as grace has been given to me.”
Parent Declaration “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4 • Grace means favor or good will. We are accepted into heaven by grace, not because we are “good enough”. • We give our children grace because we love them. Not because they have earned it by their talent or achievements. • The grace given to us from Jesus needs to be given to our children.
Parent Declaration “I will forgive my child, as I have been forgiven.”
Parent Declaration “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32 • Children need discipline, guidance, and boundaries. This doesn’t mean to be fierce or permissive. • It means be “slow to anger” and to see mistakes as an opportunity to learn. • Discipleship is a journey. Often it is an opportunity for both parents and children to learn. • We worship a God of second chances.
Parent Declaration “I will accept my responsibility to help my child discover their God given purpose in life.”
Parent Declaration “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother‘s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14 • CLASS 301 and your SHAPE - The personality inventory is a helpful tool in defining your spiritual gifts and abilities: S - Spiritual Gifts H - Heart A - Abilities P - Personality E - Experiences
Parent Declaration • The most powerful tool you have as a parent is prayer! Pray with your child and for your child. • Teach them by example that no matter what or when, he or she can always pray to Jesus and ask for help, say “Thank you”, and say “I’m sorry”.
