NAME: DAVY MUSHEKWA

COURSE: PASTORAL THEOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT: CRITIQUE GROUP PRESENTATION

DUE DATE: 13TH AUGUST, 2023

Topic: Baby Dedication

Thesis: Baby Dedication is a Church Tradition Activity

OUTLINE

I. Introduction
II. Definition of Baby Dedication
III. Is Baby Dedication Biblical
IV. Importance of Baby Dedication
V. Conclusion.
INTRODUCTION

Baby Dedication is a common ceremony conducted in most Churches, especially the

Evangelicals. It is important to immediately note that Baby Dedication is not infant baptism
as is practiced in many non-evangelical Churches. In Baby Dedication Parents bring their
children to Church and present them to the Pastor who guides them through a vow before
praying for children a prayer of dedication.

The order of service differs from Church to Church. Some Churches conduct mass dedication
of all children while others will do it as and when parents wish to bring their children for
dedication. Dedication can be held during the service before or after preaching.

MAIN BODY

(1) Baby Dedication Description – Baby dedication is a ceremony conducted mostly by

Protestants or Evangelical Churches. Parents who wish to vow or make a pledge to
bring up their children in a godly way by teaching them at the tender age to fear God
and by allowing children observe and copy parents’ godly way of life. Baby
dedication is also a way of giving thanks to God for the gift of a child and accepting to
take the role of a steward in the life of a child. The pastor usually holds the baby in
his or her hands and prays a prayer of dedication, believing that God will provide
divine protection upon a child. Parents may also bring a special offering to the House
of God for this occasion.
(2) Is Baby Dedication Biblical – Baby dedication is not specifically mentioned in the
Bible. It is a Church tradition that has gone one for a long time. The nearest examples
of baby dedication in the bible are recorded in the following scriptures, both in new
and old testaments:
- Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 these commandments that I give you today are to be on your
hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you
walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Proverbs 22:6 Start children
off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. – These
scriptures give charge to parents to teach and train their children in the fear of the Lord.
- 1 Samuel 1:11 And she made a vow, saying, “LORD Almighty, if you will only look on 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.” - Hannah presented her son Samuel to the Lord, this is a form of dedication of
a child to the Lord.
- Luke 2:22 When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of
Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – Jesus presented
in the temple as a baby

It is therefore, clear that, the practice of baby dedication is a Church tradition practice
influenced by the above Bible verses. In addition, Jesus in the book of Matthew 19:14, gives
a general charge that children should be allowed to come to Him. The scripture goes further
to say that Jesus, “placed His hands on them and blessed them.”

(3) Importance of Baby Dedication – Baby dedication is an opportunity for the parents
to publicly declare their resolve to look after their children in the fear of the Lord. It
is vow made by parents to also live practical godly lives as an example in prayer,
study of the word and general Christian conduct.

It is therefore important to note that baby dedication is a lifelong pledge for parents to fulfil.
Parents do this knowing that God is the one who blessed them with a child as established in
Psalm 127:3.

CONCLUSION

Baby dedication is a practice embraced by the Church as a Tradition influenced by

scriptures that talk about a charge to parents to teach and train their children. Parents seek
a divine help from the Lord to bring up their children in the fear of God. Baby dedication is
also viewed as a celebration and thanks-giving for the blessing of a child to the couple.