Kids & Baptism – A Parent Guide

What Is Baptism for a Child?

When a child says, “I want to get baptized!” it is a beautiful and holy moment. At Purpose Life Church, we celebrate that God is drawing the hearts of our sons and daughters.

Baptism is not a casual ritual. It is a public declaration that a person has placed their trust in Jesus, has turned from sin, and desires to follow Him. For kids, we look for a simple, age-appropriate understanding of:

• Who Jesus is and what He has done for us,
• What sin is and why we need forgiveness, and
• What it means to follow Jesus personally.

Is My Child Ready to Be Baptized?

There’s no exact age that guarantees readiness. Instead, we listen for clarity, personal conviction, and a growing relationship with Jesus.

Three signs we look for:

• Repentance: They understand they’ve sinned, need God’s forgiveness, and can describe this in their own words.
• Belief: They believe Jesus is God’s Son who died and rose again to rescue them.
• Decision: They personally want to follow Jesus and obey Him, not just please a parent, friend, or leader.

Helpful open-ended questions:

• “What does baptism mean to you?”
• “Why do you want to be baptized?”
• “When did you decide to follow Jesus?”
• “What does it mean to trust Jesus each day?”
• “What does it mean to turn away from sin?”

As they answer, listen more than you talk. You’re not looking for “perfect church answers,” but for their own language, understanding, and desire.

What If My Child Isn’t Ready Yet?

Sometimes your child’s curiosity is very real, but their understanding is still forming. That doesn’t mean something is wrong — it simply means God is still writing the story.

Common signs it may be “not yet”:

• They can’t explain baptism without only repeating what they’ve heard adults say.
• They want to be baptized mainly because a friend or sibling is doing it.
• They cannot describe who Jesus is or why He died and rose again.
• They don’t yet understand what sin is or why we need forgiveness.

In these cases, a loving response might sound like: “I love that you’re interested in baptism. Let’s keep learning about Jesus together and talk again soon.”

Keep praying together, reading Scripture, and talking about what it means to follow Jesus day by day. You can always revisit the decision when their understanding and readiness deepen.

What’s the Difference Between Dedication and Baptism?

Many families ask about how child dedication and baptism fit together.

Child Dedication is when parents publicly commit to raise their child in a Christ-centered home and invite the church to partner with them as a spiritual village. The focus is on the parents’ commitment and the church community’s support.

Baptism is the child’s personal declaration that they have put their trust in Jesus and want to follow Him. The focus is on the child’s own relationship with Christ and their decision to obey Him.

Some children are dedicated as infants and later, when they are ready, choose to be baptized as a personal step of obedience.

What Should We Do If We Believe Our Child Is Ready?

If, after prayer and conversation, you believe your child is ready to be baptized, we would be honored to walk with your family through this moment.

Here’s how to move forward:

• Complete the church Baptism Interest Form for your child.
• Plan a conversation with one of our pastors or Kids Ministry leaders.
• Help your child prepare a simple, 1–2 minute testimony in their own words.
• Talk through what Baptism Sunday will look like so they feel secure and supported.

Our general Baptism Class materials explain what baptism means, what to expect on that day, and how we support every person after they come up out of the water. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}