It’s about that time of year again so I thought I would bust out a retro post and get your thoughts on a timeless question in Kidmin. What about Halloween?
This time of year there is always a bit of a hub bub about all saints day.
As a children’s pastor I am frequently asked about child related controversies, Harry Potter, Pokemon, and every year Halloween.
How I feel about it is best illustrated in a recent event that took place in my house. My son turned 3 recently he loves swords, pirates have swords, so he wanted a pirate and pirates travel by ship, so he wanted a pirate ship. With a pirate ship comes a skull and crossbones. I have no problem with them. My wife does not feel comfortable with them so we did not put the skull stickers on the ship in any way.
To me this is where I have a problem. Many times we as Christians are more concerned with “external issues” and totally ignore the more important “internal issues”.
Being a Christian in culture is a very difficult thing. But I think at times we focus on the wrong things that make us different.
Do we want people to think of us as the people who turn their lights off and hide on Halloween?
I feel we need to be less concerned about projecting an image than reflecting an image?
One article a good friend of mine pointed me to address our role in culture in a brilliant way. The blog is called Experimental Theology check it out.
Last year, we had our City Parks & Rec department ask us to be at a Halloween event. They were so thankful we had accepted because no churches would help with a halloween thing. This baffled me, because we had such a great opportunity to invite people to church and we were asked to do it! We treat Halloween as an opportunity to get kids to church so they can know Jesus. Isn't that the goal? or is it to make sure everyone knows we are so holy that we do not participate in the devil's holiday? 🙂
at the event, we see hundreds of people from the community. we hand out candy with kid-specific invite cards, balloons, paint faces, etc etc. it's so easy! doing it again this year!