Most Jesus loving Christians have a strong opinion about Halloween. Some have already printed a sign to post on their front door that will read “We Do Not Celebrate Halloween.” Others have already bought a Spider man suit, anxiously awaiting the dawn to turn into dusk. Some vehemently argue that celebrating Halloween is like having a date with the devil. Others are more relaxed in their approach.
Some have adjusted the terminology to steer clear of any ghostly connotation. “Trick or Treat” has been supplanted with “Trunk or Treat.” “Halloween” has been replaced with “Fall Fest” or “Harvest Festival.” Regardless of the moniker, we can clearly see that the culture we live in is creeping in steadily and influencing the way in which we are leading our lives. It pains me to say this but I think that next year, Halloween will eclipse Christmas in terms of the amount of money being pumped into this holiday.
Here is the thing though: You can’t just say “I do not celebrate Halloween and I do not need to explain to anyone why I don’t.” Well, you do need to know why you do what you do and your answer should be rooted in Scripture. Of course, there are bible verses you can take, twist them and make them work in your favor. I strongly oppose this approach. Our approach and stance to various cultural holidays needs to come from an informed biblical perspective. You must be able to explain your reasoning behind it. Cliché answers wont work because people can and will call your bluff right away.
So tomorrow, the country we live in will celebrate Halloween. Whatever your stance on it is, here is what I urge you to do before making any rash decisions and defaming the name of Christ before the watching world:
- The bible teaches us that we must be well thought of and have a good reputation with outsiders (1 Tim. 3:7).
- The bible teaches us to behave as the wise before those who do not belong to the household of the faith (Col. 4:5).
- The bible teaches us to always be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet we must do this with gentleness and respect (1 Pet. 3:15).
So in an effort to be distinctly gospel-governed during this eve upon which ghost and goblins will gravitate towards you, here are few links to posts that are well worth your time. This will help us assume the right attitude and glorify God while being in this world:
1. Sent Into The Harvest: Halloween On Mission
What if a crisp October wind blew through “the way we’ve always done things” at Halloween? What if the Spirit stirred in us a new perspective on October 31? What if dads led their households in a fresh approach to Halloween as Christians on mission?
What if spreading a passion for God’s supremacy in all things included Halloween—that amalgamation of wickedness now the second-largest commercial holiday in the West?
This coming Monday offers a great opportunity for many to engage in new relationships with those around us or to revisit some old relationships with new missional intentionality. Regardless of what you think of the holiday and it’s roots, the culture we have been sent by Jesus to reach is going to celebrate Halloween this Monday. We all have in front of us a wide open door for missionary engagement in our neighborhoods. I want to encourage you not to miss out on the opportunity.
If you are looking to be more intentionally engaged this year, I want to present you with a few ideas for how you can more effectively walk through the open door that Halloween presents to us as Jesus’ missionaries.
I’ve often wondered why it is that Halloween has transformed from what it was to what it is today. Along the way I’ve developed a theory. It may seem a little far-fetched, but hear me out and let me know what you think.
There is no doubt that, culturally, we are in a time of immaturity. There is little expectation of maturity for children and adults alike. As I’ve written in books and often shared at conferences, many people seem trapped in perpetual adolescence.
4. Should Christians Participate In Halloween?
In this video @RevMarkB tackles the tough topic of Halloween, what should Christians do?
5. Five Hilarious Things Russians Do On Halloween. (written by my friend and uber-blogger Yuriy)
When we first came to America we were told it was a nation of Christians. Within days, the differences between immigrant Christians and some of these American Christians began to be very apparent. Later, we found out it was worse. Not only are these so called Christians far more worldly than us, but they celebrated a holiday we feared.
I hope you enjoy looking at the above posts that come from a distinctly gospel-centered perspective. I believe by reading this counsel, we can function this day and eve in a way that will bring glory to Christ.
Question: Do you celebrate Halloween? If you do, in what way do you justify celebrating it? If you do not celebrate Halloween, how come? Do you see the potential to be missional through this event in your community? I would love to hear your feed back in the comments’ section!
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