Spiritual Milestones

There are moments in your child's life that you want to celebrate – their first birthday, their first steps, and, yes, the daunting sense of accomplishment in potty training. Although these are all worth the festivity, I would offer other significant events we, as parents, should work towards and celebrate. Markers of progression on the spiritual formation journey of a Christ follower, these spiritual moments are known as spiritual milestones. The first spiritual marker begins with the parent, as the spiritual leader of their home, dedicating their child to the Lord. This first spiritual milestone will occur on February 12th; our church will celebrate the families who have chosen to present their children to God. It is a first step in partnering with a community of believers from the beginning of your journey as parents. We hope the local church will be a consistent source of encouragement, strength, and resources as you raise your child to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our Lord Jesus was the perfect example of these spiritual milestones, which began with his parents. Joseph and Mary brought their child to the temple and presented him to His heavenly Father (Luke 2:22). Jesus would then affirm John the Baptist's message with His baptism and identify Himself as the One who will fulfill the demands of God's law as the perfect sacrifice (Matthew 3:1-16; 2Corinthians 5:21). Baptism would be the next spiritual milestone to celebrate after the child decides to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

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