Baby Dedications.

[lazarus]

Some churches do not dedicate babies born outside marriage in church. They do it at home or in the fellowship hall. Some churches do dedications for members and blessings for non-members and babies of unmarried parents. What do you think?

[John317]

Some churches do not dedicate babies born outside marriage in church. They do it at home or in the fellowship hall. Some churches do dedications for members and blessings for non-members and babies of unmarried parents. What do you think?

I think that pastors ought to be willing to do baby dedications any time the parents show an interest in dedicating their babies to God and to His service. Of course it is almost completely a service for the parents, so whether the parents are SDA or not, we should not miss the opportunity of being able to talk to them about the importance of being dedicated to God so they can spend eternity with Jesus and with their children. The parents at this time may also be open to having the gospel presented to them and inviting Christ into their lives.

[Jeannieb43]

I never thought of denying a child its dedication just because of the parents' behavior. After all, it's not the child's fault; he's done nothing wrong.

As you said, the dedication ceremony is for the benefit of the parents, and to instill in them the importance of staying close to God while raising the child. It's wonderful if they even have the desire to have their child dedicated (that is, if they themselves are not Christian).

I'm glad my church doesn't make a distinction. We've had several baby dedications where the parents' names are different from each other -- but these days many wives opt to retain their maiden names, so one never can tell definitively whether the parents are married or not.

[Dr. Shane]

I have not given any thought to this issue before. I know that in our church we have had grandparents dedicate their grandchildren. Those circumstances were normally because the parents of the child were non-believers and the grandparents were making a commitment to provide religious instruction to the child.

It is a serious matter and perhaps one that doesn't get enough attention. When parents dedicated their children they are making a commitment to raise the child in the truth. The issue of unmarried parents may create the question of whether or not the parents can raise the child in the truth when they themselves are living outside of it. That is a question I have not considered before. However I do not believe that most believing parents even understand the commitment they are entering into when dedicating their child. They are committing to provide the child a godly example to follow, religious instruction in the home and church and protect it, to a certain extent, from worldly temptations.

If a church were to deny a baby dedication I do not see that the baby itself would be being denied anything. The dedication is about the parents, not the child. The child receives no divine blessing from the service in and of itself. The blessing to the child comes from the commitment the parents make to the Lord. If the parents are not willing to make such a commitment to the Lord, then what point is there in the service?

[lazarus]

I once refused to dedicate the child of my 1st Elder's son because the son and his girlfriend were living together. My position was that I couldn't stand in front of the church and say these parents wanted to raise their child to love Jesus. Having spoken with the parents they had no intention of living a Godly life.

Of course the Elder was not happy. Eventually we disfellowshiped the son. His child was dedicated after the son was re-babptised.

Shane, you're right. dedication is about the parents rather than the child.

[John317]

I once refused to dedicate the child of my 1st Elder's son because the son and his girlfriend were living together. My position was that I couldn't stand in front of the church and say these parents wanted to raise their child to love Jesus. Having spoken with the parents they had no intention of living a Godly life.

Under those circumstances, I think you were right to make the decision you made. It would have been a meaningless ritual otherwise.

[Neil D]

While I agree that the service is to dedicate the child to God, and the service is more for the parents benifit than the childs....but isn't the service also indicating that the church community is willing to help the parents to raise this child? perhaps I am wrong here, but I was under that impression...and it was the church community responsiblity to maintain it's standards with it's young....

[Dr. Shane]

I think it is a team effort. The team is home, church and school. The idea that it takes a community to raise a child is not without merit. However if the parents are not going to cooperate, the rest of the effort is almost destined to meet failure.

[Beryl]

Quote:

isn't the service also indicating that the church community is willing to help the parents to raise this child?

So true! Whatever the circumstances of the child's birth, the church has the obligation to help the parents (or sole parent) bring up her/his/their child. It is not the child's fault that they made a mistake. And this is one occasion when the church can stand to support the couple and show them God's love.

This actually happened in my church. The result was that this young couple have renewed their commitment to God, married, and with their beautiful little boy, they have set up a home dedicated to God. What would have happened if we had turned them away? "Judge not that ye be not judged."

God bless,

Beryl

[ChildOfGod4Ever]

Some churches do not dedicate babies born outside marriage in church. They do it at home or in the fellowship hall. Some churches do dedications for members and blessings for non-members and babies of unmarried parents. What do you think?

Sounds too "Country Club-ish" to me. No one is more important than anyone else, inside or outside of church membership, and it's unBiblical to give the "best seats" to the (Spiritually) "richest."

[ChildOfGod4Ever]

Shane, you're right. dedication is about the parents rather than the child.

Then why don't we call it "Guardian Dedication" rather than "Baby Dedication"? The purpose of Jesus' dedication in the Temple was three-fold.

1. Giving of His Hebrew Name for the Temple records.

2. Circumcision on the 8th day.

3. His directly being blessed and prophesied over.

The focus was entirely on His relationship with Israel and with God. His mother was also prophesied over, but there was no focus on "You are to religiously instruct this child" or whatever. It was all about Jesus as an infant. Also, the blessing and prophecy were Godly happenstances, or God-incidences. They were not the norm for the dedication of Jewish babies. Usually, it was just "Name you're kid, and if it's a boy, have him circumcised on the 8th day." The focus was still on the baby, not on the parents.

I think it's fine for parents to stand before the church and say "We're going to be held accountable for it when our child is growing and needs guidance." I think it's fine for the rest of the church to make that commitment. One thing that bothers me though is the idea that parents or church community can be given too much authority in a child's life. The purpose of baby dedication should be the recognition that this child is part of Israel and God has a relationship with that child, and is ultimately responsible for that child.

I was fortunate when I was dedicated at the age of 8: this was the focus of the service. It had nothing at all to do with the parents. The focus was on God's being responsible for us kids, and how we were simply "on loan" to our parents who ought to be thankful for us as Gifts from Him. All of us kids got up in front of the church and were blessed by our pastor. Not one child was missing from that service, and our ages ranged from infants to about 12. It was then that I first recognized that my parents are fallible and God is more in charge of me than they are, and I thank Him that this was the focus of the ministry that day. It put everything into proper perspective.

Also, I want to note that among our group of kids that day, were children of divorce and remarriage, children of single or estranged moms, etc. Perfection in behavior of the parents was not a requirement for their children to be so Blessed by God Himself as we all were that day for having been invited to participate in that ceremony. It wasn't because we were dedicated that the Blessing came - it was because of the focus of that dedication that we kids realized Who's Children we really are.