Reaching Out vs. Steering Clear of the Lost at Halloween

By Andy Freeman
Guest Contributor

CBN.com – Wow! I'm thrilled at the responses from the church community in regard to my editorial entitled The Enemy's Victory: Darkened Homes and Harvest Parties. In it, I challenge believers to quit hiding out on Halloween and instead use it as a way to meet their neighbors, bless their children, and present a witness and invitation to their home fellowship, cell group, or church. As you can imagine, this is not the most popular view in the body of Christ today.

Here are some responses of those who were comfortable or uncomfortable with the challenge of outreach on Halloween*:

Margaret:– I totally agree with your vision of what the neighbors must think of folks like me. I certainly don't want to shut the door. And perhaps it is hypocritical to say you don't celebrate but then you attend celebration under a Christian disguise. We actually stopped doing that, too, not wanting to give any attention to the holiday. Anyway, thanks for your perspective.

Michael: Oct 31 is the date of Martin Luther's announcement of his 95 Theses and the turning point in the Reformation. Instead of trying to practice some kind of cleaned-up observance of Halloween, our family celebrates Reformation Day. Yes, we also pass out candy and tracts to Halloween practitioners. But for ourselves, we prefer to remain separate from the world.

Charles: I think your message is right on the mark. Why not use this time to spread good cheer and a healthy Christian attitude around the neighborhood? I can't remember one passage in the Bible where it said Jesus ran and hid from someone who was possessed by a demon, or for that matter, hid from anything!

Jeanster: Jesus needs to be spread around the neighborhood, but I believe there are other ways of doing it. Even known believers are afraid sometimes to take their children trick-or-treating because everyone has a bad "vibe" about that evening. Manners? Would Christ go trick-or-treating? I don’t think so. I think that if He saw Christians trick-or-treating for whatever reason, He would do like He did in the Temple; He’d probably beat them in anger for doing what’s wrong in place of what’s right.

Lisa: Each year on Halloween we sponsor an event called the "Hallelujah Party." Our kids invite two of the area elementary schools. We offer carnival games, food and lots of candy. Every child that attends receives a tract either in the form of a comic book or Gospel glove. They also receive special invitations to other kids' church events throughout the year. We do something similar in the summer on the front lawn. We are also beginning to see entire families that are coming into the church as a result of their children attending one or more of our special events. What Satan intended for evil God will use for good.

David: [You] look at this day as if you know nothing of its history. We dress our youngest and most vulnerable offspring in wild and often scary costumes so that they can go door to door and threaten "trick-or-treat" as a way to amass as much excessive sugar and chocolate as will fit into their loot bags so we can all -- as a society -- "have fun"?! And does dressing up as Bible characters somehow change all that? Fourthly, your article would seek to define fundamentalist Christians by what we do NOT do. BIG MISTAKE! We also do not drink blood, sacrifice animals, or dance naked and fornicate in the moonlight -- all "traditionally" part of Halloween.

Ramona: I appreciate Andy Freeman's article on Christians "hiding" at Halloween. I am a youth leader at my church and we are taking our junior and senior high students out trick-or- treating. We will be handing out tracts, church brochures and flyers for our upcoming revival. We have been teaching evangelism and we hope this will give the teens a chance to practice what they have learned. Please pray for us in this endeavor.

Mrs. Wilson: We do not celebrate Halloween. However, this year my children will be dressed as soup cans and will be collecting cans for the needy. They will turn down any offers of candy and accept canned goods only.

Sharon: Five years ago we moved to a new community and I began to do day care. I really believe that God gave me the idea to "light a light "in a dark place, and so we started Heaven Night. We decorate our house with every white light we own, dozens of white balloons all over the porch and the trees on the front lawn. We dress as angels and give out THE BEST treat bags in town -- chips, chocolates, cartoon tracts, candy -- only the best, wrapped in shiny bright foil -- lots of silver and gold. This year I even bought tiny Christmas decorations for the bags. We have adults on the lawn to talk to the adults, and this year we are preparing white candles with Jesus is the Light of the world and the Prince of Peace wrapped around candles that we will give to the adults. If we have the manpower, we will go door to door with them. Whew! I just love this, and I would love to see us really TAKE BACK THE NIGHT!

Marian: I am heading up the "Harvest Happening." We'll be out in our parking lot having a great party for the whole neighborhood. I've had a wonderful time taking groups of kids out on "invitation missions" in which we deliver information about our event to each home. The children have suggested we pray for the neighborhoods we visited. We've done that -- it's been powerful. Along with our adult volunteers who will man game booths and give wheelbarrow rides, I've let all the kids who are 4th grade and above work at this event. What fabulous help they are! And they are learning to serve and share their faith. We won't be hiding. We'll be inviting it in: costumed bunnies, power rangers, witches and goblins...along with their families.

Lauredan: NO! Don't hide. But as Jesus sought people to heal, we can share our faith in a godly manner. I would not go to a Gay Convention, sit in their lectures, or march with them with the idea I am appearing to be a witness to Jesus Christ…well, maybe to the person next to me, but the WORLD will see me as a supporter to the event.

Tony: Car trunk groups: Each car trunk group is dressed in Bible-times apparel, tells a specific Bible story, and hands out candy treats and an object to remind them of the story (praying hands key chain after Daniel in lion's den, animal tat afterward, one skit does include puppets and a boy receiving Christ as savior). Free hotdog supper for community as well. Yes, Jesus did go AMONG the sinners.

*[EDITOR'S NOTE: The above responses have been edited for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors; for style; and for clarity.]

Thanks to each and every one of you for sharing what God has called you to do. Whether you are shining a light and salting up your community this year, praying in private, caring for kids in your church, or waiting for Oct. 31 to pass, do it as unto the Lord.

And don't forget: If you stay at home, turn on your lights and love for the lost.

"I'm not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They are not part of this world any more than I am. Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself entirely to you so they also might be entirely yours. I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father--that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me" (John 17: 15-21, New Living Translation).