Honestly, I have a mixed relationship about Halloween. On the one hand, the kids look so cute in their costumes, and they enjoy it so much. I absolutely love fall festivals and autumn celebrations and Book Character Dress-up Days, which allow kids to wear non-scary costumes. I've even dressed up on Halloween as an adult, in order to distribute candy at our door.
What I don't like is anything that celebrates the evil dimension of the spirit world. I don't watch The Walking Dead. (I did enjoy the movie Young Frankenstein several years ago as comedy, but again...comedy.) I really don't view such media as total "fiction", you understand, because I am acquainted with the demonic origins of such "legends".
Yeah, there is a part of me that acknowledges Halloween to be a high holy day of the Satanic calendar.1 And, that makes me want to hurl. Most of us, even Christians, want to pretend that Satanism and occult activity do not exist. But, they most certainly do. We get lulled into ignorance on the topic because, of all religions, Satanism is the most highly secretive. You would never know who the high priests of Satanism are in your community, because they lead and live double lives.
So, with all that in mind, yet not proceeding down the rabbit hole, I exhort all of us believers to have nothing to do with the unfruitful ways of darkness, but rather, to speak out against them, to expose them (Ephesians 5:11).
Here's how I was able to do this on Monday night past, our most recent Halloween. A small group from our new church set out a table with treats, lemonade and bottled water at the end of the driveway of a home in a large neighborhood. It was a very warm night, and the lemonade was a huge hit! The treat bags contained a postcard introducing families to our new church. It was a pleasure to meet the neighbors of our friend whose home we borrowed, and it gave me supreme joy to "poke Satan in the eye".
What Satan means for evil God can always use for good. Will everyone respond by visiting our church? Probably not. But, what if a few families attend and get to hear the gospel for the first time? Or, what if a family looking for a Bible-believing church is able to find a church home with us? What if only one life is impacted positively for Jesus Christ and for the sake of the gospel?
Then, I'd say last Monday night was a "Hallo-win"!
Father, thank you for creative opportunities to share the good news of our Savior! I pray that the seeds planted two nights ago will germinate and flourish. Even if a family does not visit us, I pray that their souls will be pricked to visit another Bible-preaching church, where they can meet Jesus and where as a family they can learn and be discipled together!
Sources:
http://www.theopenscroll.com/hosting/SatanicCalendar.htm
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