Tuesday, 21 October 2008
-
Tricked or Treated? Churches Sharing the Gospel at Halloween Events
Guest post submitted by tracyoquinn
I was at Fans for Christ where there was a thread discussing the pros and cons of celebrating Halloween. One member posted that her child's school was not allowing Halloween parties, costumes, or decorations. She was disappointed. She wanted to come in costume and read a story to her child's kindergarten class. After several issues and opinions were brought up, here is what I posted:
I think many adults don't want to admit how much fun they would have in a costume!
I suggested that we have a family Halloween party at church with an adult costume contest to encourage the parents to participate. I feel parents do not get silly and have fun with their kids enough. Anyway, the idea never really got anywhere, and my church is doing what it always does. Having (really lame) games set up in the gym and inviting the community the evening of Oct 25th.
They keep saying how important it is that they give the gospel message to the kids in the community. For one thing, not that many families come. Secondly, it turns many people off. Third, wouldn't inviting the community with no ulterior motive influence them more? Just to make friends and have relationship with them would seem to make more difference to me.
When I was not a Christian, I took my daughter to churches on Halloween for the safety factor. I felt like they were treating me like I was stupid to then ambush me with the gospel. How many people will just take the candy/fun and not feel obligated to stay to listen to the lecture? While it did not bother me to hear about Christ per se, it still felt oddly like deception – like they had to trick people into coming to church, which did not seem like what Christ would do.
How about just recognizing that Christ's body needs to change its rep from a stuffy fuddy-duddy judgmental place to a place of fun, friendship, love, and acceptance? And using whatever is going on at the moment to try to do it?Does your church host any alternative Halloween events?
RecommendRelated Posts
Post a Comment
- Back to revelife's Revelife Site!
- Note: your comment will appear in revelife's local time zone: GMT -05:00 (Eastern Standard - US, Canada)
Comments (18)
People are so boring nowadays they have no concept of fun when they grow up its really sad!
"Does your church host any alternative Halloween events?"
When I used to go to a private school, every year one of the elder members of the school would go and deliver this huge sermon about Halloween. He said it was evil, that it encourages kids to dress up as demons and witches and evil things that are not represented in the Bible. Pretty much, it was the devil's day, and no Christian family should partake on such a pagan holiday. What's funny is that I think he also told us scary stories to scare us away from Halloween (at least to scare us away from dressing up). Good times.
As an alternative, my old church would hold this "Fall Festival" for the kids, with games and such. Then there was the whole "Dress up as a Bible Character!" contest. We had Angels, Moseses, Jesuses, Peters... Then some kid comes in dressed up as a Clone Trooper from Star Wars. Then we see a Fairy. And then one of the faculty teachers is wearing a Skull mask or something, and then I started wondering, "Uh, wait... Isn't that BAD?!"
I agree with the post though; I think we should have events like these that have no specific ulterior motive. I don't mean don't share the gospel, but rather don't be so blinded that you forget to foster friendships with people. Imagine how awkward it would be for a non-believer:
"Um, excuse me miss, do you and your kids know Jesus?"
"Uh... Well... um..."
"I'll direct you to the tracts over here while your sons finish their pumpkin pies."
"Actually, I'm really here just for the safety factor-"
"After the tracts, we got some free Bibles, and you can talk to me about anything you want to know about church, God, etc."
"But I'm really here to just have a nice time-"
"Then at the end, we'll have an alter call for everyone here."
To me, it would sound like another attempt to sell the "Jesus Product" on, of all nights, Halloween!
I think churches either need to embrace Halloween, or withdraw entirely. I don't see the point of offering the same activities (dress up in costumes, get candy) on the same night, yet coming up with some alternative name for it.
I don't think it's wrong to participate in trick or treating, but I respect those who have an issue with it. But just pick a side! If it's OK, do it. If it's not, don't!
I agree with NoHerosForTomorrow. I think that some churches are so fake and cheesy in their outreah when they try to draw people into the church. I think it's okay to have a festival or something, but I don't think they should bombard the people who come with "outreach" junk. Luckily, my church doesn't do that. But I have been to a few that do, and, even for me, a Christian visitor, the tracts and free Jesus necklaces got on my nerves.
Our kids go to a GEMS and Cadets fundraiser in our church that night - and it's called the Fall Harvest Festival. Dressing up is discouraged, but not forbidden. Most kids wear their GEMS and Cadets uniforms anyways. Dinner and dessert is served, there's a silent auction, along with tables selling baking etc ......and then games for the kids with candy as prizes.
I prefer this over trick or treating and all that comes with halloween, just because halloween is truly a pagan holiday. There is nothing christian about it. And I believe, that the devil and his dominion work pretty hard that night with their people - Wiccans and witches and the like. Not much good can come from that! But then, that's just my opinion.
We also celebrate Reformation Day ------ it;s surprising how many Protestants have no clue what that is all about - or that October 31st is the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door at Wittenburg, Germany in defiance of the wrong that the then corrupt RCC was involved with. To me, and to our children, this is the most important thing about October 31!
This will be the first year I will be at an alternative Halloween party.
They call it a light party.
No costumes here though, just a family fun night.
I really personally dislike the idea of celebrating Halloween and pleased for somewhere else to be that night, rather than having to explain to every 6 year old that knocks on my door why I have no sweets for them.
@hotpinkstarberry@xanga - how do you mean?
I have just started a job as a youth minister for a church and they do the "trunk or treating" Halloween thing. That is where we open up our parking lots, fill our trunks with candy and let the kids go to each car and get candy. Each trunk has a "church theme". LIke "fishers of men" so instead of scary decorations it would be like fishes and fishing poles. The gospel message is only presented this way, no sermons or tracts or anything else.
I do not feel like it is deceptive because most of our kids that come are bused in from our community. They come to a special program we have on Wednesday night. We are located in a really bad part of town. So homeless people stop by our festivals and other "non church" people. The point of the night is to provide a safe night of fun for the kids.
I do not think people should be surprised to go to church events and hear the gospel. The problem is in how the church views the events and the intention. If it is to make a christian out of that little boy dressed up as a storm trooper, and then never follow up with him and care about him any more after that night, I have issues. You are right though, church should be a place where people can come have fun and fellowship.
The church I attend actually hosts a very large family fun night event where children and parents are encouraged to dress up however they want. They also tell us to invite all of our friends and did plenty of advertising last year, some of which they cannot do this year because they ran out of room last year. I have not actually gone to this night because I usually have other things to do (working mainly), but my siblings go and have an absolute blast. The church rents various games like the blow up stuff that you can jump on, and they also have things like bobbing for apples or trying to get donuts off of strings and just all kinds of stuff.
I think one of the biggest reasons the church has a such big turnout with this event is that its represented as a Halloween party and they do not actually preach to you, unless of course you start asking questions.
a church i went to when i was little did, and my mom made us go one year, all the other years we just went trick or treating
i must have been lucky... when i was a kid, my church did a cheesy haunted house, apple bobbing, etc. no preaching at all. it was quite awesome.
I know what you mean about alternatives being lame--I think our church does a pretty nice one, but it's probably due to our resources. We have inflatables and other fun games. It's usually really successful.
I don't agree with the mentality where people view Halloween as a Satanic night or whatever. I think we should treat it like any other night. It seems that Christians become more aggressive with the message on nights like Halloween or Mardi Gras. Shouldn't we be delivering the message at all times? And with a method that isn't "I'm going to shove this down your throat?"
@too_pretty_to_die@xanga - Ooh yeah. Had that too. The "cheesy haunted houses", I mean. But we called it the "hell house". Probably the same thing though. We just wanted to scare the hell out of everybody. By that, I mean scare them to heaven. It's funny because at the end of the hell house, there was the "heaven section" where some people dressed up as angels and said, "Welcome to HEAVEN!"
Our church is having a "Fun Festival" this weekend where the point of it was to just meet the neighbors and let them know what we're about. There's going to be carnival games and free food. I dont' think any type of sermon and such will be presented because the purpose of the event is just to "get to know the neighbors"
I think any time that the church does anything to reach out to the community and foster interaction, it is a good thing. But to me the church is, at its core, more so than a community center, more so than a neighborhood resource, more so than a place to have weddings, a place where the Gospel is spoken.
Don't get me wrong, those other things are also very good and needed things. But to expect the church to ignore its true charter is diluting its one true mission to be a light for God's message to the world. Granted, this can be expressed in many ways, but there is a danger that the church, in trying not to offend, will start compromising on fundamental things.
I've heard it said on many occasions that a church is like a hospital. A hospital's primary duty is to treat the infirmed. Yes, it can also do things like hold preventative care classes, be a place where medical students further their training, and even x-ray halloween candy for harmful things... All these things actually help it carry out its charter. But, in the end, though those things are good, it must go about being a place of healing. And none of those other things should take priority or focus away from this.
So if the hospital, after x-raying someone's candy for free, handed them a pamphlet about the dangers of diabetes or obesity, would they be justified in feeling ambushed or tricked? Perhaps, but would anyone think that it was malevolent deception on the part of the hospital? I doubt it.
BUT just so that I'm not misunderstood (which I seem to be a lot these days).
1. I don't think it's wrong for churches to do community outreach things and not preach the Gospel at that moment (as long as the Gospel is being spoken, in general)
2. I don't think that churches, by doing these things, are diluting the message of the Gospel
3. In comparing the church to a hospital, I'm NOT saying that everyone who doesn't go to church is a bunch of sickos.
4. I'm not a doctor and don't claim that there is a direct link between Halloween candy and diabetes or obesity.
5. My statements are my own and do not reflect the opinon of revelife, xanga, or any of its subsidiaries, partners, affiliates, or shareholders - express or implied. Void where prohibited. See package details for rules. And neither Presidential candidate approved this message.
6. I like puppies... but that does not mean I hate cats (but I sorta do...)
7. Okay, fine, I like cats... as long as they're de-clawed.
8. I am not endorsing that all cats be de-clawed as some see that as animal cruelty... but if they happen to be already, I like them better than their clawed counterparts.
Mine does....we just have a lot of fun games that the Youth Ministry puts together, and it's a lot of fun. A lot of the teenagers friends come out actually, and depending on what day Halloween is on, I think they have a lock-in
@NoHeroesForTomorrow@xanga - haha, nah it wasn't even that. ours was entirely secular. my church was smart in that way. the only Jesus freak kids were the pastor's children... the rest of us were pretty apathetic.
I think it's more about the motivation. If it's "get candy and get wired" night for the kids, then fine.
But the thing is, if a church has alternate events for Halloween, how is that different from when the winter solstice festival was morphed into Christmas, or when the spring festival was morphed into Easter?
Or is that not even a problem?
I'd say it depends on the motivation of the church in question. And the church really truly needs to try to spread the gospel. But it shouldn't be so cheesy-pushy about it as some churches are. Some places are so bad, it's practically like those timeshare seminars "free candy, but you have to listen to the Gospel story".
but then again, as a church, is telling of the Gospel mandated at every function? yes, or no?
منتديات حوامل |
الولادة الطبيعية |
الولادة القيصرية |
الحمل والولادة |
دردشة حوامل |
اطفال الانابيب |
اعراض الحمل |
علامات الولادة |
علامات الحمل |
الاجهاض |
ملابس اطفال |
مراحل الجنين |
الوحم |
حساب موعد الولادة |
حساب الحمل |
طرق الحمل |
علامات الحمل بولد |
علامات الحمل بتوأم |
بعد الاجهاض |
اسباب الاجهاض |
الحمل بعد الاجهاض |
اعراض الاجهاض |
حكم الاجهاض |
حبوب الاجهاض |
الاجهاض المنزلي |
الاجهاض بالاعشاب |
تنظيف الرحم |
الدورة بعد الاجهاض |
الرحم بعد الاجهاض |
نمو الجنين |
مراحل نمو الجنين |
مراحل الحمل بالصور |
ولادة طبيعية يوتيوب |
الاجهاض المتكرر |
الوحم اثناء الحمل |
علاج الوحم |
اعراض الوحم |
متى يبدا الوحم |
تحديد موعد الولادة |
جدول الحمل |
طريقه الحمل |
حبوب ياسمين |
حبوب جينيرا |
حبوب مارفيلون |
ايام التبويض |
فترة التبويض |
ايام الحمل |
التبويض عند المرأة |
التبويض بالصور |
علاج تكيس المبايض |
تكيس المبايض وعلاجه |
منع الحمل |
ولادة طبيعية |
ولادة فيديو |
ولادة قيصرية فيديو |
اسماء بنات مواليد |
اسماء بنات |
اسماء مواليد جديدة |
حبوب منع الحمل |
التبويض |
تكيس المبايض |
المبايض |
فساتين حوامل |
فترة النفاس |
مراحل الحمل |
حبوب الحمل |
اللولب |
موانع الحمل |
اشهر الحمل |
سكر الحمل |
هرمون الحمل |
هرمونات الحمل |
علاج الحمل |
الجماع والحمل |
لمنع الحمل |
اضرار الحمل |
ايام الحمل |
اختبار الحمل |
اختبارات الحمل |
تحليل الحمل |
الولادة المبكرة |
صور ولادة |
فيديو ولادة |
اسماء مواليد |
ازياء اطفال |
صور حوامل |
علاج العقم |
ازياء حوامل |
نمو الجنين |
جنس الجنين |
حركة الجنين |
هدايا مواليد |
الولادة |
حبوب الحديد |
تسهيل الولادة |
مستشفى الوطني |
مستشفى العسكري |
مستشفى الدمام |
مستشفى الولادة والاطفال |
مستشفى الولادة |
الرضاعة الطبيعية |
الرضاعة الصناعية |
ملابس حوامل |
الحمل الكاذب |
الطلق الصناعي |
تأخر الدورة |
الالم الدورة |
حبوب الكلوميد |
الكلوميد |
حمض الفوليك |
حبوب الفوليك |
دخول في الشهر العاشر |
نزول المشيمة |
نزول الدم اثناء الحمل |
غذاء الحامل |
الجماع اثناء الحمل |
الجنس والحمل |
الأزياء |
علاج الغثيان |
علاج الإمساك |
الختان |
منتديات نسائية |
منتدى نسائي |
السوق النسائي |
الاكسسوارات |
المكياج |
العطور |
العناية بالشعر |
العناية بالبشرة |
الرشاقة |
الرشاقة والصحة |
العروس |
السوق التجاري |
الوظائف النسائية |
المشكلات الأسرية |
المطلقات |
الأرامل |
الدايت شوب |
ديكور المنزل |
ديكور المطبخ |
الطب البديل |
الصحة الغذائية |
الحمل الكاذب |
الحمل خارج الرحم |
حساب الوزن |
التحويل الهجري الى الميلادي |
حساب العمر |
التجارة الالكترونية |
بوابة التجارة |
منتدى التجارة |
منتديات التجارة |
منتديات تجارية |
أمازون |
بيدز |
بايز |
منتجات أبل |
آي فون |
البلاك بيري |
بنوتات |
منتديات بنوتات |
منتديات نسائية |
العلوم الطبيعية |
منتديات تعليمية |
منتدى التعليم |
منتدى التربية والتعليم |
دم الحمل |
تحليل الحمل المنزلي |
اسباب تاخر الحمل |
تنظيم الحمل |
الحمل الطبيعي |
بعد الحمل |
حساب الحمل والولادة |
صور الحمل |
المواد التعليمية |
العلوم الطبيعية |
تحاضير العلوم الطبيعية |
المواد العملية |
تحاضير المواد العملية |
اللغة الانجليزية |
تحاضير اللغة الانجليزية |
العلوم الدينية |
تحاضير العلوم الدينية |
اللغة العربية |
تحاضير اللغة العربية |
التربية الخاصة |
الاجتماعيات و التربية الوطنية |
تحاضير مواد الاجتماعيات |
المواد العملية |
تحاضير المواد العملية |
محو الأمية |
رياض الاطفال |
مجموعة اتفاق |
إتفاق |
تاخر الحمل |