High Graduation Expectation!

Parent Child Dedication at New Beginnings Church

I have been asked to write a Graduation Challenge for Graduation Sunday May 18th.

The Graduation Milestone is becoming like the opposite bookend to the Parent/Child Dedication Milestone that we observe when the church and parents dedicate themselves to raising their children to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.

This is what I have thus far:

For the Church:

New Beginnings Church through your prayers, through your giving, and through exercising your faith and gifts you have made an eternal investment in the lives of these graduates standing before you today. Because of your faithfulness, you have been privileged by our God to commit these lives to God’s purpose and God’s glory. Please stand to give this charge and challenge.

• Under the guidance and empowering of the Holy Spirit do you believe these graduates are prepared to become responsible adults and effective disciples of Jesus as they begin their journey into adulthood? (We do!)

• Under the guidance and empowering of the Holy Spirit do you believe these graduates are equipped to lead their peers and future families to love God and follow His ways? (We do!)

• Under the guidance and empowering of the Holy Spirit do you believe these graduates are ready to advance the Gospel and accomplish the mission of God to reach the world for Jesus Christ? (We do!)

Read aloud this charge from Colossians 3, to our graduates: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

For the Parents

New mother, Julie Sallee Partin, graduating from Biola U. 

Parents you love these graduates more than your own life. Although you were not perfect parents, you sacrificed time and money, comfort and ease, peace and quiet, and selfish pursuits to give these graduates every opportunity to become the young adults they are today. But today you are going to be asked to make you greatest sacrifice thus far.

• Parents are you ready to entrust your faith to your graduate and trust that they will take hold, cultivate, and own the faith for them selves?

• Parents are you ready to trust God with your graduate’s future and allow your graduate to navigate that future as responsible young adults?

For the Graduates

Do you accept these challenges and declare that you are prepared to embrace, cultivate, and take ownership of your faith, future, as disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ?

Let worship the Lord God for this glorious moment!

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What do you think about this challenge and graduate commission? I realize that these are lofty challenges, however, if we lower our expectations we can expect our kids to achieve them every time.