Child Dedication Right Or Wrong?

Of course the church should be welcoming to children, & new parents should be encouraged to bring their children for blessing & prayer - and pray for the family. Jesus was especially concerned for children. Special children's services & Sunday Schools are important introductions to the Christian faith, together with simple hymns that have the children singing basic truth about Jesus.

The local CofE church has a monthly cafe-style gathering one Sunday a month, & we went last Sunday, as the afternoon service doesn't clash with the Evangelical church we attend. It was a "baptism" service, for a 6 y-o boy who was featured in the local paper as saving the life of his mother & unborn sibling when she had an asthma attack & couldn't breathe. He phoned 999 & also called a neighbour.

There were about 40 family & friends present. We sang "Morning has broken" then gathered round the font. Vicar used his hand to sprinkle 3 times. Matthew obviously didn't have a clue what was happening, as Vicar explained that baptism meant the child was being born again into the family of God. He got the parents to promise to bring him up as a Christian, & the rest to support them.

They all went off to the party in the village hall, leaving 5 to clear up & enjoy the tea provided.

It was a very convincing demonstration of the meaninglessness of unbeliever's baptism.

The special provision for the children is the monthly "Messy Church" which is basically an unstructured gathering for painting & games, followed by party food & a micro Bible lesson & simplistic (as distinct from simple) hymn.

The net result is that the 5 village churches in the group each have a monthly service with about 20 in attendance.

 

Me too. But I think you'd agree that it's more than that. In our church, the congregation takes a vow to assist the parents in the Christian nurture of the child. This shows both the fact that it is the parents' primary responsibility and that we, as fellow believers, have a role to play as mentors, nursery workers, SS teachers, youth leaders, etc. in the raising of these children in the Christian faith.

 

A baby dedication, as I see it, is nothing more than a public demonstration of something that took place privately at home. It is a father and a mother publicly declaring that they have given their child to the Lord all the days of his/her life (I Samuel 1:11) and have resolved to raise him/her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4).

 

Children ought to be brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4), but this is the responsibility of the parents in the home. The church cannot possibly do for a child in one hour a week what his parents should have been doing all week long.

 

Yes, sir. I have practiced this both as a parent and as a pastor. As a pastor, if a couple wanted to have a public dedication of their child, they would typically invite both sets of grandparents (if they didn't attend already). We would have the entire family come to the front and I would read a passage (typically Psalm 127) and then pray with the family that God would give them the wisdom and discernment to raise this child for Him. I would pray that this child be saved as soon as it reaches the stage of life where he/she understands.

This pretty much occurred three of four weeks after a couple had their baby. It was an individual family event. I have, however, been in a larger church that scheduled a specific Sunday as Baby Dedication Day and there would be several couples and their babies standing in the front.

 

Agreed but when the women in my family (my wife, my mom, my MIL) all stood up and demanded a infant baptism

Recently my wife found pictures of the event and she commented that I didn’t appear happy I reminded her that I think the kid should have been able to make his own decisions, I was bluntly told I was overruled.... this is the way Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed and Catholics do it!

 

I think the right text is not 1 Samuel 1:11 but Matthew 19:13-15. Parents were bringing their children to our Lord and asking Him to bless them. We can't bring them physically to Him these days, but we can do so in prayer but privately and publicly.

I don't see infant dedication being an essential, but I would not emulate the apostles in turning the parents away.

BTW, all three of my children were 'christened' into the C of E as infants before I was saved. It was an almost entirely secular event with unbelieving parents, 'god-parents,' and priest. Nothing more than an excuse for a party

 

On one hand, I agree with you. Yes, it is the responsibility of the parents and this should not be replaced. On the other hand, at our church, we are called to supplement and assist the parents. For us, church is more than a one hour a week kind of thing. We are a community of believers who share life together. We not only worship together on Sundays, but we are together in Bible studies, small home groups, mid-week services, mission trips, etc., as well as just doing life together.

We are blessed as many of our close friends attend the same church. Many of our kids go/went to the same school. I think of many of these kids as my own - and I know other parents who feel the same about mine. Believe me, it's far from perfect, but we have been blessed in this regard.

 

In which state do you and the church reside?

 

My Pastor has done quite a few of them over the years, and its more a parental dedidcation before the assembly to raise the child in the ways of the Lord, and the church commiting to assist the parents to do that!

 

In Florida.

 

oh ... there is a great Primitive Baptist Church in Winter Garden where my son is living. They would discuss this with you and even allow you to see them in action... Pastor Glenn is the guy to speak with.