In the Reformed tradition, we believe that our covenant children are members of the church from birth, a reality that is signified and sealed in baptism. Based on God’s promise to extend the blessings of salvation to our households, we expect that as our children grow up, they will also grow in faith and make a mature profession of faith. This is necessary for them to be granted access to full privileges of communicant membership in the church. Article 43 of our Church Order states:
Baptized members who have been instructed in the faith and who have come to the years of understanding shall be encouraged to make public profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Those who wish to profess their faith shall be interviewed to the satisfaction of the Consistory concerning doctrine and life, and their public profession of faith shall occur in a public worship service after adequate announcement to the congregation and with the use of the appropriate liturgical form. Thereby baptized members are accepted into full communion in the congregation and shall be obliged to persevere in the fellowship of the church, not only in hearing God’s Word, but also in partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
When a covenant child makes a public profession of faith, we witness God’s faithfulness to his covenant promise to be not only our God but the God of our offspring after us. The following are guidelines to assist parents as they prepare their children for this important milestone.
Covenant children will be expected to:
- Articulate their personal faith in terms of Guilt, Grace, and Gratitude.
- Memorize the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments (abbreviated), and the names of the books of the Bible in canonical order.
- Memorize and understand key Heidelberg Catechism questions and answers: Q&A 1, 2, 21, 26, 27, 28, 60, 65, 66, 69, 74, 75, 86, 115, 116.
- Memorize the following Bible verses: Psalm 119:105; John 3:16; 6:37; 10:28; Romans 3:23, 6:23; 8:28; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 4:6; 2 Timothy 3:16; and 1 John 1:8-9.
- Have a basic understanding of the five points of Calvinism (TULIP)
Steps for Profession of Faith for Covenant Children:
Parents: Notify the pastor of your desire for your child to make a profession of faith. The pastor will then give these guidelines to the parent and explain how the process works.
Help your child memorize and understand the items on the memory checklist. Understanding is key: after reciting each memory item, your child should be able to answer questions based on it. Probe to see if the child understands what gratitude means by using examples from daily life, and see if they have applied that to their own walk. The goal is not memorization as an academic exercise, but to give the child an opportunity to express his or her own personal relationship with Christ.
Once the child has worked with parents to memorize and understand an item on the checklist, the next time the child is at church, he or she will ask an adult who is a professing member (not a parent) to confirm. If you pass, the adult will date and sign that item. It is not expected that the child will be flawless, but the child must be able to show mastery of the basic content with little prompting.
Once the memory checklist is complete, the child meets with the pastor to determine whether you are ready for the interview with the elders. The interview with the pastor will cover the following:
- Does the child have mastery of the items in the memory checklist, not only in memorization but also in understanding?
- Does the child express personal faith in terms of Guilt, Grace, and Gratitude? Does the child admit their sinfulness and need for Christ? Is the child trusting in Christ alone as Savior? Does the child show a heartfelt desire to live a life of grateful obedience to Christ?
- Does the child understand how the Lord’s Supper is a means of grace? Is the child able to examine himself or herself so as to partake in a worthy manner?
- Can the child say “I do” in an understanding and intelligent way to the vows required of professing members?
Be interviewed by the elders.
If approved, make public profession of faith.
Continue to grow in the faith by attending Sunday School class, in particular learning the Heidelberg Catechism in even greater detail.
