So, three years ago I wrote a post about Halloween titled, “Halloween = Satan?”
I had almost forgotten that I wrote it. Since Halloween is coming in a few days, I figured I’d address it.
Like I said before, I didn’t celebrate Halloween as kid. We always went to the church to hide. It was a fun family night of games, bon fires and candy. If we did stay home that year, we turned the lights out and locked the doors. We were not going to celebrate this evil holiday. I’m not saying that this behavior was wrong or that I have any regrets, but my wife and I have decided to make different decisions about this holiday.
Three years ago we decided that Halloween is a huge night for our culture. If Jesus were here today, he wouldn’t be at the church hiding or he wouldn’t have his door locked and lights out. He’d be at the party or trick or treating with the neighbors. So, we decided that we’re not going to hide, but we’d meet our culture where they’re at.
So, three years have passed now and I’ve got something to say. We got complacent and missed the point. The last three years we’ve attended Halloween parties where Titus got to dress up and do a little trick or treating. It was so much fun and it created some great memories. However, the three parties we attended these last three years were parties with church friends. We didn’t meet our culture like we decided three years ago, we just did what the culture did. Oops!
I feel that what we’ve done the last three years is just the polar opposite. We isolated ourselves with our church friends just like we did 30 years ago at the church, but now we’re just celebrating the holiday like everyone else does. This is just my opinion and personal conviction (so don’t at all feel judged or anything), but if this holiday based on a premise of evil, even though it isn’t really that on the surface today, then why is it okay for us to just celebrate it.
This year, Sara, Titus and I are on mission and doing what he thought about three years ago. We have a small group and we’re going to set up in the driveway where we meet. We’re going to provide free hot chocolate, games for kids and lots of candy. We’re just going to use it as an opportunity to meet our neighbors. If it’s the one night that our neighbors come knocking at our door, then why not take advantage of the opportunity and keep them in the driveway a little longer while they sip hot chocolate and their kids play carnival type games? Sara and I are really excited about this as it’s a way our whole family and be a little more on mission on this holiday.
BTW, here is a great article on the origin’s of Halloween.
Kenny,
Our church has done the same thing over the last 5 years. We called it “Next Door Lights”. We give families an orange tub with goodie bags with a tract, candy, and a business card. The business card says, “We hope this small gift brightens your night. It’s a simple way of saying that God loves you. May the light of Jesus shine in your heart this night.” On the front it has our Next Door Lights logo and says, “a ministry of The Church Next Door” in small font. We don’t want it to be about us, but about letting people know that Jesus loves them, even on Halloween.
In the kit we also include a music CD with kid friendly Christian songs, Instruction sheets with game ideas, instructions for host homes, and a yard sign that they can put out front that says “Next Door Lights, LIGHTHOUSE”.
It has been a fun outreach. However, over the years it has become similar to what you said. This year we pulled it back and are planning to give it a break for 1-2 years and then reintroduce the idea. It’s important that we keep the vision at the forefront. If the vision is lost, it becomes just passing out candy and tracts on Halloween.
Thanks for this, it helps me to remember the vision of the event and to be less discouraged that we aren’t doing it this year. I would be glad to share materials with anyone interested, so email me.
Thank you for not being a Halloween hater!! I cannot think of a better night where you see the kids faces light up and families interacting by going door to door to random people’s houses! Amazing night to connect with other families!
Ha! Yeah, I’m not a hater. It’s an opportunity.
Well said, Kenny.
Just last week, a local tv news reporter came to our church to ask us how we feel about Halloween. The response that I shared was much the same as what you have written here.
I am not afraid of Halloween! (Colossians 2)
OK…
So, no one here has any conviction at all about exposing their lives and their children’s lives in a holiday that is completely rooted in evil? I don’t understand that… I don’t want to be seen as a “hater” but then again the Bible does say that “the fear of the Lord is to HATE EVIL” (Proverbs 8:13)
Halloween is NOT an innocent day of fun for kids. That is what the devil wants us to think. If you step back and observe what Halloween actually is, you will see that is drowning in horror, fear, and witchcraft. Why in the world would Christian parents allow their children to partake in evil? The Bible says to stay away from evil! 1 Thessalonians 5:22 – Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Again, I am not trying to be “hater” – I am trying to be a shepherd and a protector because that is what God has called me to do. Please understand that I am not bashing your beliefs but trying to shine some light from God’s Word!
To me, the Halloween night is the greatest opportunity to talk to kids & with kids!!
In my country, France, Halloween started about 10 years ago,and people were divided about what to think about. Some said “We’re not going to have that american feast in here”, others said “Great, another day of pleasure & candies!” Shopkeepers pushed for it to happen, openly saying that it a long time to go till christmas to make people spend their money on something, so why not promoting Halloween shopping!
In a french christian school, they did a feast of the light, great for the christian kids, but for others???
10 years ago, when my kids where very young, I started to prepare all sorts of salted crips & crakers. No, I wasn’t going to give out candies as I wouldn’t not rejoice about wars, dying kids, murders & so on. Yes, I wanted to talk with the kids about meaning & purpose in life, & eventually about the horror of being nailed to a cross & die in such suffering while being innocent. Some kids were very open to talk. Last year, I offered (first) an onion, saying “onions make you cry, and I’d rather cry about the despair of this world rather that rejoice. Then we could go on and share about Jesus, in a way that is according to the age of the kids (from 3 to 15!). Some remember me, “Oh, yes, last year, you gave us salted crisps already). Some also take christian leaflet for children. No way to have a follow up, our church is 20 km away! But I tell them they may come anytime if they need to talk. Sometimes, Mums are with the little ones so I talk for both. Rarely, young have been agressive, but it happened. May God bless all these precious souls!
Isabelle, thanks for the input, great perspective from your community in France. David, thanks for your frankness. I totally agree with you and I don’t make light of the darkness for which Halloween is based on. The roots, theme and origins are evil. For most of my lie I ran and hid from that evil. However, in recent years many believers have come to embrace Halloween, participating in the parties and trick or treating and I’m not sure I’m okay with that either. To me it seems like a compromise, but that’s my conviction. However, I believe that it’s better to be missional, to take advantage of what the enemy means for harm and destruction and make it an opportunity. Honestly, based on the scriptural context of who Jesus was, I don’t see him hiding in his house with the lights off or at the Temple at a halloween alternative. I see him in the streets and and the parties showing love and speaking truth and loving his neighbors… but that’s why I titled this blog post “How I’m Dealing with Halloween.” My convictions and thoughts.
Kenny, Thanks for your response to my thoughts. Like you, I also was hidden from Halloween as a child but never understood why… Later, as I learned the origins I realized that there was no way that I could partake in this day as a Christian adult. Again, I am not trying to be a “hater” (despite what your readers probably think of me) but I just see way too much in scripture to ignore. I believe that the real crime would be too ignore God’s Holy Word rather than ignoring some possible good that could be found in a day that is rooted in evil… Thanks Kenny and God Bless.
OK, I am a Halloween hater buts it’s because I got lost on Trick-or-Treat at 5 years old dressed as BULLWINKLE!