In our Presbyterian Church, baptism is received in one of two ways.  Unbaptized converts to Christ are baptized upon their profession of faith.  This is called "Believer's Baptism".    Children of believers are baptized dependent upon their parents faith, and this is called "Covenant or Infant Baptism".   

Both practices have Biblical warrant, but it may be surprise you to know that infant baptism is dependent on believer's baptism, even as infant baptism is obviously dependent upon the parent's faith.  In fact, when the church is advancing, the most common baptisms are "Believer's Baptisms", because the Gospel is triumphing lives that were completely unchurched, with no godly parental influences.    Parents who present their children for baptism are required to make public vows to God that they will teach their children the scriptures, pray with and for them, and model authentic Christian living  through a life marked by faith and ongoing repentance. 

A common problem regarding the practice of infant  baptism is parents who do it out of sentimentality with no real engagement about the seriousness of the vows.   (Believer's baptism can be practiced in a perfunctory way also.)   Baptism does not make  an infant  Christian, but rather places the child in the context of the church to be nurtured.  If a child is going to come to a clear and prevailing faith it will take a miracle. This miracle is called the second birth, or regeneration.   The normal  or unmiraculous course of events would be for the temptations of the flesh and the prevalence of unbelief all around to completely neutralize and wipe out the influence of being raised in the faith.  The child must be purposefully taught and every means of spiritual nurture given by God must be utilized or the baptism will be in vain. 

An infant baptized without the constant nurture  of their Christian life,  nourished by the Word, and bathed in  prayer will almost certainly lose the battle, and lose the faith, and incur the guilt of despising God’s promise given in his or her baptism.   To present a child for baptism is to embrace a calling as a Christian parent that prioritizes that child's spiritual nurture beyond ever other area of development. 

We want to build a culture at Covenant of parents (and even non-parents) who seek the overthrow of unbelief in young  children by a self-conscious devotion, and even passionate priority of seeing  children profess faith and cherish the privilege of belonging to God. 

I'm praying about how to better prepare parents before baptizing infants as I think I need to improve to better serve our parents, and the infants I baptize.   Perhaps this will take the form of a prerequisite course in parenting as we develop new ministries.   The faith of the upcoming generation is one of Covenant's most important legacies and opportunities.  A strong youth group may  be launched in these baptismal commitments.   Pray that the Lord will turn our hearts towards our children, and unite our children's hearts with living faith in Christ  ( see Malachi 4:6).  Perhaps no greater evidence of the Holy Spirit working in our midst could be sought than this.  We want our children to say "from my mother's womb you have been my God" ( see Psalm 22:9-10).