Hosting or attending a baby dedication soon? We’ll help you navigate the order of the event and whether or not you should be bringing a gift to the newly dedicated baby.
A baby dedication is a wonderful time for new parents to allow the holy spirit to be with them as they walk in this new journey. It’s also a great time for friends and family, as well as their church family to come alongside them and help them in the spiritual growth of their child.
We’ll discuss how to host a baby dedication service, as well as what exactly is the difference between a baby dedication and infant baptism.
Let’s dive in!
Estimated reading time: 11 minutes
Table of contents
What is a Baby Dedication?
A baby dedication is a wonderful ceremony in which Christian parents, and sometimes the entire family, commit before the Lord to raise that child according to God’s Word and God’s ways. Depending on your church, this occasion may occur once a month, once every quarter or as often as you need. This portion of the service on a Sunday, usually takes place near the top of the service, perhaps after worship.
This is an important and often emotional time for new parents as they dedicate their children before the entire congregation. Baby dedications are typically a ceremony for parents and the church family to commit to raising a child with a knowledge of the Christian faith and supporting them if or when they decide to follow Christ and be baptized.
A Baby Dedication is not water baptism, as parents will typically wait for the child to be a few years older to make that decision for themselves.
When Should a Child be Dedicated?
Child dedication is a great step for your family, but it’s certainly not the same thing as salvation. Salvation is what happens when your child decides for themselves to start a relationship with God, and baptism is when they decide to go public with their faith.
A baby dedication is less about your child’s choice now and more about setting them up for those choices later. When you dedicate your child, you’re committing to raising them in an environment where they hear about Jesus Christ and have an opportunity to accept Him. It’s a great practice, but it is optional.
It’s 100% a parent’s decision then! You can dedicate your child whether they’re three days old or 13 years old. The age doesn’t matter as much as the principle. Baby dedication is an important step in your family’s faith life because it sets a foundation that your family will be known for following Christ.
Why have a Baby Dedication?
You might be wondering if it’s optional, then why have it at all? There are a few passages in the Bible from the Old Testament and early church that speak on baby dedication.
The practice of baby dedication is rooted in this passage found in Deuteronomy 6:4–7:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (ESV)
Hannah, a barren woman, prayed for a child:
And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the LORD for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” (1 Samuel 1:11, NIV)
When God answered Hannah’s prayer by giving her a son, she remembered her vow, presenting Samuel to the Lord:
“As surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the LORD. I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” And he worshiped the LORD there. (1 Samuel 1:26-28, NIV)
Raise a Child Up
Christian parents who dedicate their child are making a promise to the Lord before the church congregation to do everything within their power to raise the child in a godly way—prayerfully—until he or she can decide on his or her own to follow God. As is the case with infant baptism, it is sometimes customary at this time to name godparents to help raise the child according to godly principles.
Parents who make this vow are instructed to raise their children in the ways of God and not according to their own ways. Some of the responsibilities involved include:
- teaching/training the child in God’s Word
- demonstrating practical examples of godliness
- disciplining the child according to God’s ways
- praying earnestly for the child
The precise meaning of raising a child “in a godly way” can vary widely, depending on the Christian denomination and even on the particular congregation within that denomination. Some groups place more emphasis on discipline and obedience, while others might regard charity and acceptance as superior virtues.
The Bible supplies abundant wisdom, guidance, and instruction for Christian parents to draw from. The importance of baby dedication lies in the family’s promise to raise their child in a manner consistent with the spiritual community to which they belong, whatever that might be.
Infant Baptism vs. Baby Dedication
Many churches practice baby dedication instead of baptizing infants (also known as Christening) as their primary celebration of a child’s birth in the faith community. The use of dedication varies widely from denomination to denomination.
Roman Catholics universally practice infant baptism, while Protestant denominations more commonly perform baby dedications. Churches that hold baby dedications believe baptism comes later in life as a result of the individual’s own decision to be baptized. In the Baptist church, for example, believers are usually teenagers or adults before being baptized.
Generally speaking, Baptist, non-denominational, and some other Protestant churches practice baby dedication, while Catholic, Orthodox, and other Protestant traditions (several mentioned above) hold infant baptism ceremonies where infants are ‘christened’ into the faith through the sprinkling of water and blessed. According to the Baptist view, baby dedication is not an act of salvation, baptism, or church membership.
It is seen as a symbolic way to present the child to the church and make a covenant to raise the child in a godly home. There is no water involved, as according to this view salvation and baptism are events that will come later on when the child grows and accepts Christ personally. This is often called ‘believer’s baptism,’ as it happens when the child makes a profession of faith.
Depending on whether you identify with the traditions you grew up with or have come to adopt different and new traditions, you have the opportunity to determine which historical Christian traditions you want to embody and embrace for your child. So whether you want to baptize your infant or wait for them to make the decision to be baptized, you have the final say.
So You’re Hosting a Baby Dedication…
As a church, there are a few things you should always follow when hosting or holding a baby dedication ceremony. Depending on the size of your church and how many children will be dedicated during one service this will determine how you proceed.
Usually, the ceremony involves the reading of key Bible passages and a verbal exchange in which the minister asks the parents (and godparents, if included) if they agree to raise the child according to several criteria.
Sometimes, the entire congregation is welcome to also respond, indicating their mutual responsibility for the child’s wellbeing. There may be a ritual handing off of the infant to the pastor or minister, symbolizing that the child is being offered to the community of the church.
This may be followed by a final prayer and a gift of some kind being offered to the child and parents, as well as a certificate. A closing hymn may also be sung by the congregation.
An outline of a baby dedication:
- Introduce the child to the congregation. (It’s fun to show pictures, but that’s optional.)
- Ask the parents to verbally commit to the responsibility of raising the child to know the Lord.
- Ask the congregation to verbally commit to support and help the family to do that.
- Pray together and lay hands (gently!) on the children, for their futures and for God to bless them.
Feel free to spend as much time or as little time with each family on stage. Of course, with babies and children, they might not like the lights or all the attention on them, causing them to be fussy. Be mindful of this and sensitive to the parents as they take this time.
Now, for the parents, there might be a few optional things you want to do before the baby dedication occurs.
As the Parents:
- Make invite cards for those you wish to invite
- Host a small get-together or meal after the dedication to celebrate
- Pray with your family again, blessing the child with those you love
Jesus’ Command
Jesus Christ said that we were to love him more than our biological family in the New Testament (Matthew 10:37-38). He mentions that becoming his disciple could cost us the support of our parents, our kindred, and our community (Matthew 10:21). But he also said that if we pass through the eye of the needle – if we squeeze through the wicket gate, we will be greeted and welcomed by a whole new family. We will have mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunties, and uncles on the other side.
“Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Mark 10:29–30 ESV)
So You’re Invited to a Baby Dedication…
Parents who dedicate a child are making a promise to the Lord to do everything within their power to raise the child in a godly way, prayerfully until he or she can decide on his or her own to follow God. Parents who make this vow of commitment are instructed to raise the children in the ways of God and His Word, and not according to their ways.
Just as above, some of the responsibilities include:
- teaching/training the child in God’s Word
- demonstrating practical examples of godliness
- disciplining the child according to God’s ways
- praying earnestly for the child
- faithfully bringing them to Church often.
So now that you know the difference between these terms, you’ll want to get a gift that correctly states what specific ceremony the child/person is celebrating. If you can’t remember what specific ceremony it is, reread the invitation or ask the invitee. You don’t want to make the faux pas of gifting a present that states dedication on it when it was a baptism.
It is optional to bring a present when invited to a baby dedication. But it is always a good idea to not come empty-handed. Discuss with the host if there is a food item you can bring, flowers for the family or even a child’s bible or Godly book.
Gifts:
There are a few different really great options that you can bring for the baby being dedicated.
Books:
Choose a book, such as a Bible or group of Bible stories. Don’t forget to write your name in the beginning of the book so that the family will always remember who it came from and what it’s for!
- Babies first Bible
- God Loves You (customizable book)
- Prayer and Memory Book
Personalized Gifts:
Another option is to go the route of personalized gifts such as an ornament or personalized cross marking the date of the occasion of the baby dedication. Here are a few great options below.
- Personalized Ornament
Personalized Cross
Toys:
And seeing as they’re gifts for children, you can’t go wrong with toys! Find something in theme that goes with the even such as a stuffed animal or Bible toy.
- Stuffed Animals
- Noah’s Ark
Celebrating the Event
Now that you understand how the event works and when it takes place, get ready to celebrate! This is a fun and heartwarming time for everyone as you get to help dedicate the child and help commit to raising the up in the Lord’s House!
More Resources on Baby Dedications
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