Halloween Ideas

[Guest]

I once knew a Baptist who had a home-made, propane-powered, tract-gun, and could shoot a whole package of tracts (25 per pack) a few hundred feet.

I love this! I want to make a tract gun! But my wife says I'll put somebody's eye out.

[Guest]

Christopher wrote:

Reverse trick or treating

Historically, we’ve always felt that as Christians, we shouldn’t participate in Halloween in any way. Most people in our former fellowship were adamantly opposed to it. In the past, we usually would either go to a church alternative, or turn off all our lights and retreat to some room in the back of the house for a quiet evening.

Last night however, I felt really convicted when I came home from work, shut my garage door and turned out the lights while there were kids trick or treating just one house away. I felt like I was turning my back on them.

As I sat there for a moment, I asked the Lord “What do you want me to do?”. And I felt like he was saying to me “Did I ever ask you to completely avoid others on this night?”.

So I went and told my wife that I’d rather not be hostages in our own house and that we should go ahead and turn on the porch lights and let them come. Her first response was that we didn’t have anything to hand out. When I mentioned that our own kids have an abundance of candy in their own stock from previous birthdays and holidays, we both quickly discounted it as a bad idea to take that from our kids and give it to others’. However, my five year old (who was busy peeking out the window at all the other kids), overheard me and became excited at the idea of giving other kids his candy. Although we were shocked (he treasures his candy), we decided to let him hand it out.

As kids came to our door (some of them teenagers with deeper voices than mine), they were greeted by my two kids (ages 2 and 5) eagerly serving them “treats” and having fun doing it. Some of the kids had puzzled looks on their faces and some of them were clearly touched by it (I could tell by the adoring “ohs”).

There was a concern about whether we had enough or not, but I told my son that if God wants us to give out candy, He’ll provide enough. Not only did we have enough before the night was over, but our neighbor across the street came over with her bowl of candy to give some to our kids. I thought it was an awesome lesson to them of God’s provision in a language they could understand (candy)!

I’ve never seen him so excited to serve others and give away his own things before. It was a great opportunity to talk about kindness as a fruit of the Spirit and the joy of giving that God puts in our heart. I probably didn’t even need to explain it…he was experiencing it!

The lesson for me was that God is big enough to reveal Himself even on a day that doesn’t bring glory to His name. It’s amazing how much easier it is to hear His still small voice when there’s not the constant mooing of sacred cows in my head.
_________________
"If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31-32

Hi Christopher, as Halloween approaches my mind went back to this wonderful story from last year. I realize you can't duplicate what God did last year but have the last 12 months of reflection made you re-think your traditional position in any way?

For all, here's a link I stumbled across. It's written by a pastor who wanted to correct much misinformation that's circulated about Halloween in Christian circles. I haven't verified it accuracy.

http://www.new-life.net/halowen1.htm

I stumbled across it while looking for info to confirm to a fellow Christian that the Proctor and Gamble/satanic worship connection is actually false. How many more decades will this slanderous lie continue in our circles?

[Guest]

Thanks for the article Steve.

I didn't check out his sources, but I generally agree with his conclusion that a more sane approach to Halloween is to be preferred over an alarmist view of the day. I also agree that we shouldn't stand in judgment of other Christians' convictions about it also.

If last year taught me anything, it is that hiding in our house with our porchlight out from little dressed up neighborhood children is probably not the way Jesus would have us be "salt and light" to the world.

We still do not have a plan for this Halloween, and you're right, we can't duplicate a specific thing that God did last year and call it "the right thing" for us as Christians to do (that would just create yet another tradition of men). But we do want to honor God in whatever we decide to do. I'm still not keen on the idea of having my kids beg candy door to door.

If the weather permits, maybe we'll have a campfire in our driveway and hand out candy to the kids and hot chocolate to the parents and invite them to hang out with us around the fire for a few.

[Guest]

Campfire...Hmmmm, cool idea. However since an open fire would not be allowed in my community it might work to have the outdoor grill going and serve hotdogs to the parents and candy to the kids. I think I'll give that some thought.

[Guest]

That's a great article Steve. Thanks for posting it.

It's too bad I'm a few hundred miles away or I'd come hang out at Christopher's Halloween driveway campfire!

[livingink]

Ryan and I would love to hand out candy to neighborhood kids on Halloween as a way to get to know the neighbors and possibly build some relationships. The only problem is that our kids do not like people dressed up in masks/full costumes (i.e. - the cow at Chick Fil A or the mouse at Chuck E. Cheese's).

I can't imagine what their reaction would be if they saw someone in a "Scream" mask or dressed as a vampire. Anyway, it's something we are open to doing in the future as they grow up and mature, but right now we want to generally stay away from things that are going to scare them.

Ryan and I have both dealt with fear from things that we were exposed to as children, and already seeing that our children are easily freaked out, the last thing we would want to do is expose them to more things that would scare them.

They don't have nightmares and such about things, just like to keep their distance (a far distance) from "characters".

Anyway, I think what you are doing, Christopher, is awesome! But I think it is also good if a parent (especially of younger children) feels the need to stay away from the horrific costumes that are around every year.

[Guest]

Hi Rae,

I think your kids are very blessed to have such wise and caring parents. You are very right...it will matter.

Bless you.