Few issues are as sticky in Christian Churches as Halloween. This year Halloween 2008 falls on Friday night. Should we just find the best Halloween crafts and Halloween recipes and throw an outreach party? Or is the history of Halloween too involved in witchcraft?
I want to hear your ideas about Halloween. Is it really Devil’s day? Is it something we should use to reach children for Christ? What is your church planning this year?
If you have some solid Halloween ideas, or links to Halloween coloring pages, leave them in the comments below.
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Let me begin by answering my own question. Our pastoral staff talked about it with some intensity. In the end we are opting for a 5PM “Fall Fun Night” for the kids. This will be early enough to bring in some kids from the community. We will definitely downplay the dressing up, although we assume kids will come in costume.
We are planning a Fall Festival for the Wed night. Our association has 2 blow up rides, cotton candy maker, and snow cone machine. We will be seeking the invite the community by offering an alternative. Of course we won’t forget lots of candy. We carve pumpkins w/ Christian symbols and have a contest for the best. For church members I have put together a set of costume guidelines that exclude witches, ghosts, anything about death or the occult or evil. I also include some positive suggestions for costumes. However, when it comes to the lost/unchurched all will be welcome. We provide a registration table and try to get prospects for followup.
i have gone back and forth on this for years – mainly for two reasons. first, most people in the us see halloween as nothing more than candy night. very few seen it as having anything to do with true ‘devilish things.’
second, i think it is silly (and a little hypocritical) for Christians to do an ‘alternative.’ you’re still celebrating the event! you can call it a fall party, or autumn celebration, but you’re still ‘partying’ on the same night as the rest of the world. if we as Christians are having fun apart from exalting the devil, and if the world is having fun apart from exalting the devil, then what’s the difference?
i know this will not be the most popular position, but it is my honest thinking and continuing struggle over the issue. blessings!
john
p.s. love the blog – keep up the good work!
Halloween History and Christian Life
Halloween, we hear, is now the third most popular “holiday” in the USA. Many Christians are very concerned about the meanings of Halloween customs, the seeming glorification and celebration of witches, ghosts and other spiritual beings, and the whole idea of having a holiday related to the dead.
We’re going to take a look at Halloween history, customs, the dead and the question of Christian involvement in the celebration. Be ready to be startled by some of the surprising things we’ve learned…
For the writer’s complete opinion article of the above excerpt…and my opinion as well, go to: http://thescroogereport.wordpress.com/2007/10/06/halloween-history-of-the-dead-fun-and-christian-angst/
Blessings!
I’m celebrating Reformation Day! (And, no, our family does not observe Halloween, nor does our church.)
Personally I’ve always loved Halloween. I don’t think at all that as Christians we should sweep Halloween under the rug. We should use it as a outreach. Have fun. Dress up. But keep Christ first and the center of your Halloween festivities.
We’ve been looking toward Oct 2008 and thinking about a “Heroes of the Faith” emphasis. Basically it would be a good time to remind the church its past. It might have the flavor of a Reformation Day.
Doug,
What kind of activities do you guys do for Reformation Day?
As a Christian school music teacher, I have emphasized it by teaching the students “A Mighty Fortress” and reading from a children’s book on Luther’s life. I have also created a little 1 page (front and back, folded like a booklet) activity sheet with Scriptures on the 5 solas and a Luther Rose to color, as well as the words and music for “A Mighty Fortress” (I’d be glad to send you a copy as an attachment if interested). Sometimes I have shown excerpts from movies on Luther.
Our pastor usually preaches a text that was related to a key point in the Reformation (such as sola scriptura, 2 Tim. 3:16-17). This year on Oct. 31 (a Wednesday night), we are going to learn a new Luther hymn, “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word,” and attempt to sing the original tune of “A Mighty Fortress” with a translation that better suits it (such as those printed in many Lutheran hymnals). (We have meals each Wednesday and then read a chapter in an epistle, taking a break between books to sing from the hymnal, and then we pray-that’s our regular format). So, we’re not doing a huge activity as a church.
My wife and I like reading about the Reformers. She’s reading the Legacy of Sovereign Joy right now (by Piper and includes bios of Luther and Calvin). We usually watch a Luther movie around Reformation Day each year. I’m blogging this week about some resources if you’re interested in more specific recommendations of particular resources.
I forgot to add that our meal theme the week of Oct. 31 is German food (each family brings food)!
As a child, I participated in Halloween but, now that I have children of my own, we do not participate. When I asked my kids what they thought was so fabulous about Halloween, they said the candy and that they would get to dress up in costumes with their friends. So, every year about the first weekend in October we invite all our friends over(adults and kids!) for a party. We don’t give it a name but, everyone comes dressed as the bible character of their choice and we have to guess who they are.(last year we had Esther, Elizabeth, Caleb “the spy”, and many others) Then, we play games(which the kids get candy and prizes for) and have a big, fun meal together. Now, my kids and everyone who comes don’t even think about Halloween when it comes. It’s just another day other than all the consumer garbage in the stores and store windows that we can’t avoid. There is an “Adventure’s in Odysey” story out that really helped me explain Halloween to my kids. It simply explains how Halloween originated and why as Christians we may not want to participate.
Doug Smith–Please do post or send me the “little 1 page (front and back, folded like a booklet) activity sheet with Scriptures on the 5 solas and a Luther Rose to color, as well as the words and music for “A Mighty Fortress” “. It sounds like just what I need for our Sunday school students! Thanks
Hi Tony!
Our family doesn’t do Halloween, though we used to. We became convicted by simply looking at the visual aesthetics of Halloween and they aren’t “true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, or worthy of praise” (Phillipians 4:8). Instead, all the imagery of this day focuses on death, evil and wickedness to a large degree. This is not even considering the heritage behind the practice of dressing up in costume, jack-o-lanterns, trick or treating, etc.
And also, we were helped along in our conviction by 1 Thess 5:22: “Abstain from every form of evil”, also translated in some versions as the “appearance of evil”. I think the principle there is pretty clear that we who are Christians probably ought to think it through pretty carefully.
For our church, we are doing a reformation day, but not on Halloween evening. We’re doing it on the prior Sunday just because we are a reformed church and really need to learn, share and be encouraged by what God did through the reformers. We’re going to have a day of activities and skits and will fellowship together with a meal and general comraderie.
Hope this is useful to you, brother!
Scott
Cathy,
Here are links to the booklet from http://glorygazer.blogspot.com/2007/10/review-of-reformation-resources-some.html (print out the Word .doc using the 2 page per sheet option under zoom in the print dialog box; if this doesn’t work, email me [glorygazer AT gmail DOT com] for a copy of it in the format of a 1 page front/back booklet, and ask for the Reformation booklet). There is a copy of the battle hymn of the Reformation, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” a sheet with Scripture references for the 5 solas, and a coloring page for the Luther rose.
Reformation Celebration Activity Booklet
Word document http://smithministry.50webs.com/ReformationCelebrationBooklet.doc
.Pdf file http://smithministry.50webs.com/ReformationDayCelebrationBooklet.pdf
Quick Update on Reformation Day at our church:
On Wed., Oct. 31, we’re planning to sing the original tune of Mighty Fortress (kinda bouncy), learn “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Thy Word,” another Luther hymn, eat German food, and watch the 1955 Martin Luther B & W movie (the 2003 is not suitable for kids).
Cathy, click on my name to visit my blog (which has a link on my Oct. 11 entry) or email me at [glorygazer AT gmail DOT com]. I didn’t see your email here or I would have sent it to you. Sorry, Tony, I know this has strayed from your original post!
Doug – It’s a good angle. I’m glad to hear about it. Reformation Day or Heroes of the Faith could be a good trend for churches.
Our church is doing a Reformation Day celebration , which for lack of a better term, will function as an alternative for Halloween for the children in the church. This is actually the third year we have done it, and it has always gone well. Adults (if they choose) dress up as individuals from the Reformation era, while kids can dress up as anything they want. There are game stations (such as a ‘throw away the indulgence’ relay) where the kids can get candy while learning about Reformation history. Finally, there is a music and story time where one of the adults dresses up as a Reformation character and tells his story. It has been a fun event, and the kids have always enjoyed it.
A group of parents from Sunday School have organized something like an “all saints day” kind of program. They call their party an opportunity to celebrate Christ-like actions, attitudes, and behaviors. So, children are asked to come dressed like their favorite hero – but hero is defined as someone who helps others, lives for the greater good, has a sacrificial lifestyle as Jesus had, or is unselfish in their life and attitude. By coming together, the children are not tempted to want to go trick or treating, yet they are together in fellowship and celebrating living a Christ-like life, and are motivated to think of living a better life rather than emulating Halloween characters like the devil, ghosts, etc.
Wow, some really great thoughts! I just found out last night that Reformation Day in the same as Halloween, Where have I been?
Hears a little excerpt from a resent sermon of mine.
“We have a very wise spider at our house. He wove his web right near the porch light so that all the insects who like to fly into the light will get tangled up in his web. That’s how Satan does it. He doesn’t say, “Hey, I’m Satan, I want to kill you.” He makes sin look desirable and harmless.
“Deuteronomy 18:9-13—It is to the devil’s advantage for us not to think seriously about him. Just as he did when he appeared to Eve as a serpent, he makes evil things seem fun and trivial. Satan wants us to believe that his things are innocent and fun. A couple of examples of how he does this are Halloween and Harry Potter. Most people view these as harmless fun. Some claim that Harry Potter is good because it’s teaching kids to read. But anytime we make a game out of the devil’s things we open ourselves up to his deceptions and traps. (See Galatians 5:19-21). That’s why God is so clear that we should have nothing to do with these things.”
I’m not willing to surrender any day that God made to the devil, so I have no problem with doing positive things (like the Reformation day party mentioned above) on October 31st. and if we can provide alternatives for families trying to follow the Bible, great!
One more thing. One year I planned a walk through the Bible event at the church which was intended to have the kids experience different Bible stories as they went from station to station.
Then I ended up moving away before October 31 so it didn’t happen but I still think it could be a good idea.
Christian Outreach Includes Horror House, Jesus Message
Thought you guys might appreciate this story on what some Liberty University students do…and my opinion.
Found at:
http://thescroogereport.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/halloween-christian-outreach-includes-horror-house-jesus-message/
To be spiritually minded is life and peace. Roman 8:6
Stilled now be every anxious care,
See God’s great goodness everywhere;
Leave all to Him to perfect rest;
He will do all things for the best
From the German
We should all endeavor and labor for a calmer spirit, that we may the better serve God in praying to Him and praising Him; and serve one another in love, that we may be fitted to do and receive good; that we may make our passage to heave more easy and cheerful without drooping and hanging the wing. so much as we are quiet and cheerful upon good ground so much we live, and are , as if were in heaven.
possess yourself as much as you possibly can in peace; not by any effort , but by letting all things fall to the ground which trouble or excite you. This is no work, but is as it were, a setting down a fluid to settle that that has become turbid through agitation.
And finally let us always love one another as Christ as loved us, with long suffering and forebearing each other.
I want to apologize to anyone who received that obscene comment on this thread. I’ve deleted it and added another layer of comment security. Thanks for your patience. And lets look forward to day when Jesus will stop the mouths of all such men.
Just wanted to thank you, Tony, for this post and the opportunity to participate.
I pray we all have a fruitful October 31st as the result of being close to Jesus and maybe just simply because of His love for us!
We’ve challenged our congregation to be lights in their neighborhoods rather than shut off their lights and come to church. We equipped them with tracts and magnets with info. about our church to give with the candy they pass out. Too many Christians, I fear, huddle together at church when this is the only night everyone in their neighborhood is coming right to their door.
Thanks for the insigh, Doug Smith.
We also celebrate Reformation Day, as a church & a family, and those are some good tips on how to do so.
I particularly like the German food idea.
It was interesting… my weak stomach inclined me away from the more authentic German type foods toward the “Diet of Worms cake” (obviously a play on words) – basically dirt cake (you know, oreos, cream cheese and whipped cream type of concoction). It was a delightful evening (what I got to spend of it there), and I particularly enjoyed playing the guitar with one of our men playing violin to teach a new hymn (and sing the original tune for “A Mighty Fortress” – the syncopation is quite interesting).
That sounds like a great tradition. We are talking about doing something like a Reformation Festival next year. It would include dressing kids like Luther and parading them through the church. The German food would be a good touch.
I am looking for an object lesson on Peter Pumpkin. You carve the pumpin and put a candle in it. It represents Christ cleaning us up and putting his light in us to shine for him. If tells of Peter having some bad days and his light getting dim. You put the carved out pieces back in place as he doesn’t let his light shine. Soon his light goes out!! Does any body out there have it? Thanks Sharon
I found a Peter Pumpkin Story along with some other ideas at
http://www.christiancrafters.com/pumpkin.html
Hope this helps you out.
My feelings on the matter are the same as John’s. I find it very confusing to young kids to explain in a simple way why we don’t celebrate Halloween and then turn around and still do some kind of alternative celebration on the same night. Our family has opted to not observe the day as anything more than another day and instead maybe go out somewhere away from the house and have a family evening together to avoid the tricker treaters (and our kids feeling left out). Besides, it’s a bit confusing to tell kids all year long to NOT take candy from strangers and then to encourage them to do so one night a year. Instead, we wait for the halloween candy to go on sale and buy a few bags of candy for our kids so they can still satisfy their sweet tooth!
As a parent of a 6 year old who attends a state school, I can no longer ignore halloween. Also, as a kids pastor, I am discovering that many of our kids will have some connection with an organised party, be it at school or some other club. I understand that for those entrapped in the occult, Friday 31st is a celebration of some ungodly stuff and I’m certainly unkeen on some of the fear-inducing children’s masks on sale. However, as christians I don’t think we should be concerned about throwing a party on the same night as the devil. Let’s just make it better! It is Jesus that speaks about a life lived abundantly. So, this year we will have a ‘Halo’d Bean’ Party at the church where kids can have a blast in a safe environment. We’ll have a disco with party songs and kids praise songs. We’ll play messy and fun games. The kids can dress up, with the one condition that it’s not scary to them or other children. And Jesus will be there in the room (where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name….).
That’s my take on it and I know that it’s just my opinion.
God bless you as you serve to equip and empower our kids in the Kingdom.
Much love…
I don’t get at all how some christians think hallowwen is about devil worship. It is All Hallow’s Eve – the eve of the Feast of all saints. Like all our other Christians Feasts, including Christmas, the early church replaced pagan festivals with Christian feasts. the ancient Celtic people in Scotland, Ireland and Brittany celebrated and remembered thier dead on that day, the last day of the Celtic year. The early church used it as the feast of all Saints, to remember all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith and now dwell in God’s heavenly Kingdom. As some one of Irish ancestary, I can assure you that has nothing to do with devil worship in it’s country of origin, that’s hollywood. Brush up on your church history and celebrate the Eve of All the Saints who are safley home with Christ our Lord and Savior.
“I don’t get at all how some christians think hallowwen is about devil worship.”
Stacie, not to sound glib, but all you have to down is walk down the aisle at your grocery store and see what Halloween is, regardless of the debate as to what it once was.
At a minimum, it’s hard to not see it as a desensitization to evil and/or the glorification & fascination with death, the macabre, and the unholy.
Wow! Another Halloween coming at us…it’s been a year since this discussion started!
Now, we have the economic crisis…how fun is it to spend money on costumes and candy this year?
I didn’t think so.
Again, a time to be Light of the world!
@Alexander: I have a feeling this one will be debated again next year too.
Easter is celebrated during the same time as the spring solstice and selected for that reason because a pre-existant holiday. Many people see it as a time for eggs and chocolate bunnies. Christmas is celebrated when it is to coincide with winter solstice events because those celebrations were already in existence. Advent is almost identical down to the advent wreath and the candles to druidic festivals of light. The Christmas tree is a druidic tradition. Now many people see Christmas as a day for presents and fat men in red suits. Halloween is a night that many people associate with being scared and getting candy. Personally, I don’t see the problem with the third holiday but the first two. How can we put a Christian spin on Halloween when we can’t even keep the spin on our two most sacred holidays (speaking from a protestant christian perspective)?
If we want to have an impact on the lives of others we need to understand them and love them not reject them as evil, this is especially true in a post-modern world. Look at what children are exposed to. They are not taught to love and trust others. Things that are learned by giving out candy and receiving candy from total strangers. We get so worked up about Halloween and yet it is so small in the bigger picture. By pulling our children out of things like that we further ostracize them in a world that is already set against them. It is the world that needs our impact. It is not for us to pull ourselves out of the world. Before someone quotes “in this world not of it” keep in mind that if we do not participate in the “normal” aspects of society then we are no longer in the world we have moved into safe “Christian land” and if we are not in the world then we can have no impact on it. If I recall that is our primary goal too, the whole reaching others thing.
Hi, Quite the discussion going on here. I am a youth coordiantor. We give the children the opportunity to dress up and have some fun and games at our Midweek Program and then we read the Pumkin Parable and finish with a Salvation message. There is a great coloring page that is being given away if you would like an inspirational pumkin coloring page. God Bless all, Shar
http://www.karladornacher.typepad.com/karlas_korner/2007/10/let-it-shine-co.html
This message is for Sharon Pletcher. Ijust re-read all the comments and would like o respond. Liz Curtis Hig is the author of The Pumkin Parable. A wonderful written story of the Pumkin message. Sharlene