I Love Halloween

I have some of my favorite childhood memories around Halloween. From dressing up like my hero (my dad) to running around getting free candy, what is not to love about Halloween?

Honestly, I never heard anything negative about the holiday until I got involved in church ministry. The amount of Christians who have a problem with Halloween or don’t “celebrate” it because some people have demonized it is like not celebrating Christmas because most Americans focus on gifts and not Jesus. 

I’m not writing to give a history lesson about how Halloween was started and the meanings behind why it changed over the centuries from the original ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain. I’m writing to give perspective. In today’s American culture, we as Christians have an incredible opportunity to love on and get to know our neighbors. Unlike any other holiday in America, neighborhoods come together, parties are expected, and people come to YOUR door. 

What are you going to do?

Turn off the lights and condemn whatever powerless enemy you think is being celebrated? Or throw the best neighborhood party and get to know the people who live next door?

You get to decide what Halloween means for your family. You can be the person that brings your neighbors together.

Or…

You can miss the easiest opportunity to begin a relationship that could impact the people you live around.

Remember, it’s the spirit of Christ that brings people together. It’s the spirit of religion that rips people apart. As Brennan Manning once said, “Jesus did not die at the hands of muggers, rapists, and thugs. He fell into the well-scrubbed hands of deeply religious people."