Baby Dedication

Good morning, church! What a joyous day. One of the greatest privileges we have as a faith community is to celebrate new life. Today, we get to do just that as we celebrate with [Parent 1's Name] and [Parent 2's Name] as they present their precious child, [Baby's Full Name], to the Lord.

Pastor: [Parents' Names], what a beautiful child! We are so thrilled for you.

Before we pray, I want to take a moment to explain to our church family what we are doing today, because a baby dedication is a powerful and significant moment.

What is a Baby Dedication?

For many, especially if you're new to our church or new to the faith, you might be wondering, "What is a baby dedication?"

First, it’s important to understand what it is not. This is not infant baptism. We believe baptism is a personal, public decision that [Baby's Name] will have the joy of making for himself/herself one day, when he/she is old enough to understand and believe in Jesus as their personal Savior.

So, what is it? A baby dedication is...

An Act of Thanksgiving: It’s a public moment for [Parents' Names] to say "Thank you" to God for the precious gift of life. The Bible tells us in Psalm 127:3 that "Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him." We are acknowledging that this child belongs first and foremost to God.

An Act of Commitment (by the Parents): It’s a public promise made by [Parents' Names] before God and their church family. They are committing to raise [Baby's Name] in a home that honors Christ. They are committing to pray for this child, to teach him/her God's Word, and to model a life of faith. We see this modeled by Hannah in the Old Testament, who, after God gave her a son, brought Samuel to the temple and said, "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 to the LORD."

An Act of Care (by the Church): This is not just for the parents. This is also a commitment for us as [Church Name]. We are the "church village." We are publicly committing to partner with this family—to pray for them, to encourage them, to support them, and to be a community of faith that will help show [Baby's Name] the love of Jesus.

It’s a beautiful, two-way covenant of love and support.

The Charge to the Parents

Pastor: [Parent 1's Name] and [Parent 2's Name], standing before God and this congregation, I ask you to affirm these commitments:

Do you recognize [Baby's Name] as a precious gift from God, entrusted to your care? (Parents answer: "We do.")

Do you commit, with God's help and by the power of the Holy Spirit, to model a life of faith for [Baby's Name] and to create a home where Jesus is honored and loved? (Parents answer: "We do.")

Do you promise to faithfully teach him/her the truths of God's Word, to pray for him/her, and to guide him/her toward a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? (Parents answer: "We do.")

Do you commit to being a part of this church family, faithfully bringing [Baby's Name] to be nurtured in the faith, so that he/she can grow up surrounded by a community that will love and support you all? (Parents answer: "We do.")

The Charge to the Congregation

Pastor: Now, I have a question for our church family. This commitment is too big for [Parents' Names] to do alone. They need our help.

As the family of God here at [Church Name], do you promise to be a community of grace and truth for [Baby's Name]? Will you commit to supporting [Parents' Names] with your prayers, your encouragement, and your love? Will you partner with them in showing this child the love of Jesus?

If so, please respond with a heartfelt, "We will."(Congregation responds: "We will.")

The Prayer of Dedication

Pastor: Thank you, church.

(Optional: "I'd like to invite our elders/pastoral team to come forward and lay hands on this family as we pray." Or, "Let's all extend our hands toward this family as a sign of our blessing and agreement.")

(Optional, if you are comfortable and the parents are: "May I hold [Baby's Name] as I pray?")

Let us pray.

Father God, we are in awe of You. You are the author of life, and we thank You for the miracle of [Baby's Full Name]. What a precious gift. We thank You for his/her life, for his/her health, and for the joy he/she has already brought to this family.

We thank you for [Parents' Names] and for their desire to honor You by dedicating this child to You today.

And so, Lord, in the name of Jesus, we dedicate [Baby's Name] to You. We pray Your hand of blessing and protection over his/her life. Just as Jesus did, we bless this child.

We pray that [Baby's Name] will grow in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with both God and people.

I pray for [Parents' Names]. Give them supernatural wisdom for the journey ahead. Give them boundless patience, a deep well of love, and a home filled with laughter and grace. Help them to be the models of faith you have called them to be.

We pray that as [Baby's Name] grows, he/she will one day come to know You as his/her personal Lord and Savior, and that he/she will use the gifts You have given him/her to bring You great glory.

Lord, bless this family. Bless this child. And bless this church as we commit to walking this journey together.

In the strong and wonderful name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Presentation to the Church

Pastor: (Handing the baby back to the parents, if you were holding him/her)

Church, it is my great joy to present to you [Baby's Full Name], dedicated to the Lord! Let's celebrate with this family!

(Lead the congregation in applause. The family can then return to their seats.)