The introduction of a new baby into your family is an exciting time! God has given parents the most influence in the lives of their children, and baptizing or dedicating your child is a way to welcome them into the family of God and to commit to modeling and raising your children in the Christian faith. This doesn’t mean that you’re going to be perfect—no one is—but it does mean that, with the help of the church family, you’re going to give them opportunities to explore who Jesus is and grow in their relationship with him.

It mostly comes down to tradition, personal preference and different ways of interpreting some themes of Scripture. But they both can represent the gospel story of your child being born into the church family and beginning their journey of discovering Jesus for themselves and deciding to follow him at the appropriate time.

Other families believe that the Bible states that the beginning of their child’s faith journey is to not to be marked by infant baptism but rather infant dedication. This comes from the belief that the New Testament reserves baptism for adults who come to believe and from the concern that infant baptism may confuse the need for the child to make their own personal decision to receive salvation. Therefore, some parents would prefer that children are only baptized once this adult confession of faith has been made.

In conclusion, we honor these differences of opinion and, regardless of whether a child is baptized or dedicated, each child grows up in the covenant community of Christ and we help them grow to the place where they choose to follow Jesus when they are older. Neither Infant Baptism or Dedication means that this new child is born again (that can only be their decision when the time is right): but these important practices are external symbols of being welcomed into the family of God and through the faithful modeling and nurturing of the parents and the wider church family the prayer is that the child grows to accept Jesus as his or her personal Lord and Savior.

Some families believe that the Bible states that the beginning of their child’s faith journey is to be marked through infant baptism. There is a long tradition in some Christian denominations of baptizing infants and this practice comes from the belief that, in the Bible, baptism replaces circumcision as the mark of a child being welcomed into the covenant family of God. In the Old Testament, though only infants, boys were circumcised as an external symbol of being received and welcomed into the covenant community of God. In the New Testament, children are still born and to be welcomed into the covenant community of God, but now the external symbol is no longer circumcision but infant baptism. In summary, infant baptism is believed by many to be the external symbol of a child being born into the covenant community of Christ and beginning their faith journey until such time as they make a decision to follow Christ for themselves.

It is important that the family considering an infant baptism or dedication be active participants of the church family, as both the parents and faith community commit to play a part in the spiritual development of the child. That is why we ask the following requirements be met prior to the ceremony:

1. At least one parent must be a Christ-follower.

2. At least one parent must have made Vintage their home church.

Absolutely! As this is a commitment on the part of parents AND their faith community, we encourage friends and family to attend. Some family members or friends even choose to participate in the ceremony.

Yes. For those who come from a tradition of Godparents, we welcome them to join us at the ceremony and be an active part of the dedication or infant baptism service.