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Baby Dedications vs Water Baptism

We encourage you to read this comparison. This may help you explain a baby dedication to your friends and family who may be unfamiliar with this practice.

• 1 Samuel 1:24-28

• Mark 10:14

• Luke 2:21-40

In the story of Hannah and Samuel above, we see the practice of dedicating the lives of children to serve the Lord. Further, as we see in the other Scriptures above, Jewish custom required the presentation of a male infant at the age of eight days before the priest, if possible in the temple in Jerusalem, for the purpose of circumcision and dedication to the Lord. Christians have adopted the dedication part of that custom, and often like to have their children dedicated publicly to the Lord before the congregation. That is what we do at Calvary Chapel Old Bridge.

Baby dedication services should not be confused with infant baptism. A number of churches practice infant baptism feeling it is comparable to the Old Testament covenant of circumcision and some churches treat it as necessary for salvation. Dedication, however, is a blessing for parents to publicly bring their child before the congregation of God’s people to commit themselves to raising their child in accordance with God’s will. At the same time, it affords the congregation the opportunity to under-gird the new parents with prayer and Biblical support in the ensuing years.

At Calvary Chapel, our baby dedication services are very simple and are usually held before the sermon during the Sunday morning service. We simply have the parents bring the baby up onto the platform, then we go before God in prayer, asking His blessings on the child and the parents.

Following the dedication, we give the parents a completed baby dedication certificate.

We believe that it is a great honor to present God’s precious little ones to Him in prayer.

Water Baptism

• Matthew 28:19

• Mark 16:16

• Acts 2:38

• Acts 10:48

• Acts 22:16

• Romans 6:3

• Galatians 3:27

• Colossians 2:12

Water baptism is one of the two ordinances of the church instituted, as we see in the Scripture above, by Jesus Christ (the other being communion.) While neither one can save you, we are commanded by the Lord to do both. Therefore, water baptism is a regular and important part of CCOB where the Body of believers is afforded the opportunity to be obedient to the Lord by following Him in baptism.

While we are not legalistic at Calvary Chapel concerning baptism, we believe that baptism is for believers only. For an unregenerate person baptism is a meaningless ritual. A person should be born again, trusting Jesus Christ for their salvation before they are baptized.

Baptism is for any person who has accepted Christ, regardless of age. Some fairly young children have accepted Christ and understand enough of water baptism to make it meaningful for them. Some families like to be baptized together.

We practice baptism by full-immersion in water unless circumstances do not allow. While the word baptism comes from a Greek root that means to immerse, to dunk under the water, God looks at the heart, and certainly accepts the cup of water poured over the invalid’s head as baptism. We believe that baptism is a symbol that the old man is dead and buried with Christ, then raised again in newness of life.

Please complete the form below. Baby Dedications are held on the second and fourth Sunday of the month during the 2nd service. Pastor Lloyd normally performs the Baby Dedications. In the event of his absence, another CCOB pastor will perform the dedication. Upon receipt of this completed form we will contact you to schedule a date. Please try to allow for up to 2 months for scheduling.