Dedicatons in Depth
Baby dedications and baptisms, while fun to watch, don't always blend with the rest of a worship service. The lofty theme of the day is temporarily upstaged by an entertaining infant.
At Park Springs Bible Church in Arlington, Texas, Pastor Joe Falkner takes a different approach. Once or twice a year, he gives an entire Sunday morning service to child dedications. "This lets me preach on the meaning and purpose of the Christian family," he explains. The prayers of dedication come after the sermon, with everyone fully prepared for their significance. Up to eight children have been dedicated at one time.
Falkner takes the event a step further by writing a special letter to each child and sealing it inside an envelope for later years. On the outside he writes the child's name, the meaning of the name, and a Scripture reference that fits the name's character quality.
"I challenge the parents, if they have not already chosen a particular Scripture to emphasize in that child's life, to use the one I have chosen," the pastor says. "This usually becomes a real spiritual incentive to bring their children up according to the qualities of God's Word.
"There's no magic in the name or its meaning, of course. But it's something to work with, a focus point. And I know the parents are taking all this seriously when they say, 'Thanks, Pastor—you really made this personal for us.' "
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