Of Pumpkins and Good News

Note: this is a paper I wrote for my Advanced Composition class and I thought I would share. I realize that it is closer to Christmas than Halloween, but I had this and I thought I would update anyways.

The scent of spice cake wafting in the air. The dead leaves crunching underneath boots. Carved Jack O’Lanterns casting shadowy images on the porch. The taste of hot apple cider on the tongue. All of this could only mean one thing: Autumn is here and along with it comes the well-known holiday, Halloween. October 31st has a variety of meanings for many different people. To some, it can remind them of times they had fun dressing up as a child in elaborate costumes and getting a huge bag of candy at the end of the night; for others, however, it could have a more negative meaning.

Many people –Christians in particular –do not celebrate Halloween because it was founded in a Celtic pagan background that included human and animal sacrifices as well as the invoking of the spirits. That being said, many Christian families tend to stay in doors on the last day of October, turn out the porch light, and wait out the crowds of masked children asking for candy. But the question can be asked: “What is the ‘Christian’ thing to do concerning Halloween?” Many people would say that being in doors and not participating in the event at all would be the most “Christian” way to go about dealing with it. Others would say that the pagan traditions are not in direct influence today with going door-to-door asking, “Trick-or-Treat,” so what does it hurt participating in it?

As a Christ follower, I desire to tell others (stranger or friend) about Jesus and what He has done to change my life. If you consider Halloween from a missional and evangelistic view point, it’s always the believers going to the nonbelievers and sharing the love of God with others. For 364 days of the year, we –missionaries and other Christ followers –will say that we are always the ones going out and reaching out to people in order to further the Kingdom, but when it comes to that one day, October 31st, we clam up and hide behind our locked doors with our porch light turned off, no candy bucket waiting to be ravaged by little hands, and no carved pumpkin waiting to greet the masquerading children at the front door. But, the one day that people –namely children –come up and knock on our door is the day we yell, “No thanks! Go away! We don’t want to have anything to do with you sinners!” Does this represent the love of Jesus at all?

I’ve heard it said that Christians are not Christians on Halloween. Not because they compromise and participate, but precisely because they don’t participate at all. It’s the one day that people actually come to us, yet we turn them away with a dark porch and a locked door! Soak that in for a second. Chew on it. Relate it to your life and your actions. Imagine Jesus as a 21st century man. Imagine that it was October 31st, All Hallows Eve, and Jesus was caught right in the middle of it. Do you see Him going in His house, locking the door and turning off His porch light, or do you see Him opening the door with a smile on His face, seeing little children eager for company and yummy treats? I don’t know about you, but I see Him as the one giving out the best candy on the block, and doling out caring smiles with His front porch light brightly lit, eager to talk to anyone who wants to hear. After all, He said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14).

But you say, “By participating in Halloween, you are encouraging children to take part in witchcraft, satanic worship and the occult. So lock your doors and don’t answer when they ring the doorbell!” First of all, do you personally know any children, ages three through twelve, who are actively seeking out things of the occult? Do you think children will walk around in a ghost costume saying, “Oh, dressing up as a ghost tempts me to worship Satan,” –No! In all reality, most of these children are worried about filling their buckets till they’re overflowing with candy, rather than dabbling in satanic worship.

In my personal experience, I have pretty much grown up not participating in Halloween at all. I was made aware of the origin of Halloween and the evil events that were said to have occurred on that night at a young age. As I grew up, I was curious as to why we didn’t celebrate, but I never questioned why my parents kept us from dressing up and going out; I respected their decision. However, now that I am older and have also grown in Christ and understand fully why they chose not to celebrate Halloween, I am beginning to wonder if all we have ever done is shut people out. I find myself wondering if have actually gone against the Great Commission and not accepted people in to my house.

Halloween is such a touchy subject at times, but I believe that it can be a huge tool in order to reach hundreds of little kids and their families every year. I believe Christians can use this holiday that has such negative connotations and use it to further His Kingdom. How can we put this holiday to use, you ask? Let’s start with participation. Most children will flock to the houses that have decorations up. If you don’t feel comfortable with scary costumes or grotesque imagery, decorate your house with something out of the ordinary. Make your own world in your front yard. I have seen people decorate their houses based on scenes from various books (namely Harry Potter and Disney stories) and kids love it.

Now that you are outwardly participating, let’s talk about the treats you give the kids. Don’t just put tracts in their buckets. Give out the best candy in the neighborhood; let them know that you are the house that is not cheap, and if you want, give them the tract after they’ve seen the kind of candy you have given them. By doing this, it makes them pay closer attention to the next thing that you are presenting them with. If you are not an outgoing person, then you may choose to be discreet and slip it in their buckets along with their candy, or you can present it to them and show them what it is. Either way, most of the time the tract will make its way home with them where their parents will sort through their candy. From there, families can be reached to further His Kingdom.

For years, Halloween has been called a dark day, but don’t let that be because you are not turning on your porch light and greeting little children. Choose to serve God, by accepting the children and their families. Be willing to talk to people in your community. Be the person in the neighborhood that everyone knows has the door open to anyone who needs to talk. Be the Lord’s vessel. In Genesis 50:20, Joseph says a profound phrase that can be the words that drive us forward, “What you intended for evil, God has intended for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

To Further His Kingdom

I have been reading through Romans since I arrived at OBU, and I stumbled upon something that was extremely interesting to me.

First of all, I'm going to tell you, "Go read Romans 9."
"Yes, that would be now."
"Yeah, I want you to go into the other room (or across the room), pick up your Bible, sit down, and before you go back to Facebook and check to see if someone else commented on the same status that you did, read all of chapter 9." :)

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Yey... You read it!! It's interesting isn't it? Did verse 3 stick out to you in any particular way? Well, it did to me. I thought it was very interesting that Paul said that he wished that he were cut off from Christ so that others could know him genuinely.

Let me put it in more simple terms: He would have rather gone to Hell, if it meant that his brothers in the flesh (Jews and other nonbelievers) would be able to know Christ and establish a relationship with Him.

How crazy does that sound? As a Christ follower, doesn't that kind of scare you? Just a little bit? Paul was being completely selfless when he wrote that to the Christians in Rome. He was saying that if it would further His Kingdom, then he would be willing to take the blame and punishment for them and other nonbelievers.

To me that is extremely intimidating. I cannot picture being in a place without my Savior right beside me. I cannot imagine being in a dark place, feeling the dark flames burn me to the core, and a never ending heat singing my lungs, and smelling the sulfur and the decay of life. How hopeless would that be, knowing that you were so far away from Christ in every way?

But Paul says, if it is to further His Kingdom, then he would take that spot in Hell. I will say that Paul does know that that could never happen, but in this letter he is being completely selfless and showing the Followers in Rome how much he loves them and how he wants to carry their burdens with them. I am astounded at Paul's love for these people and his passionate drive to further Christ's Kingdom.

Lately, I have been reading and learning a lot of things that I actually already knew but did not understand. It is an incredible thing to really understand what you're reading and not just have the knowledge about the subject.

This week, I challenge you to go to a book in the Bible that you have read a billion times, but for the first time really try to understand it. Dig deep. Pray for wisdom as you read His Word. Ask Him, our Lord and Savior, to reveal Himself to you as you read.