SPEAKER: Pastor Russel Moldovan
Pastor Russel begins by celebrating the baptisms from the previous Sunday and connecting baptism to Christ’s Great Commission in Matthew 28. He explains that according to Scripture, baptism is a believer’s response to hearing, understanding, and accepting the gospel—something infants cannot yet do. Sharing his own story of being sprinkled as an infant and later choosing baptism after personally receiving Christ, he emphasizes that biblical baptism always follows personal faith, repentance, and a conscious decision to follow Jesus. He then introduces the idea that while infant baptism is not practiced at Blanchard Church of Christ, the church joyfully embraces baby dedication as an intentional, biblical practice that partners with parents to help children one day make their own decision to follow Christ.Pastor Russel then outlines the purpose and meaning behind baby dedication. Baby dedication is an act of praising God for the gift of a child, publicly committing to raise that child in the house of the Lord, pledging to nurture the child’s heart to love Jesus, and preparing the child for eternity. Using Hannah and Samuel, Mary and Joseph with Jesus, and Old Testament examples of consecration, he shows that dedicating children to God is solidly rooted in Scripture. He reminds parents that while they cannot make their children’s spiritual decisions for them, they can “stack the deck” by surrounding them with Christian community, godly teaching, and faithful example. The sermon concludes with Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 18, calling all believers to enter God’s kingdom with childlike humility, trust, and dependence—just as children trust their parents.