Making the Most of Halloween

In some circles of Christendom, you can start a great fight by talking about Halloween.  We have well-meaning brothers and sisters who point to the nefarious beginnings of Halloween and suggest that Christians who participate in Halloween activities are guilty of syncretism or worse.  Whatever Halloween may have started out as, when it comes to children, Halloween is nothing more than kids walking around in costumes and asking for candy. (We can have another discussion on another day about the trends in adult Halloween costumes.)

Increasingly the Christian church is facing a situation where having big events to get people in our doors is becoming less and less effective.  We have done “you come to us” events for a long time and the cultural mood is pushing us back to a “go and tell model” of mission.  This is a good thing.

Here’s where Halloween comes in.  In the suburbs, people tend to treat their homes like forts where they escape from the world around them.  It’s not uncommon for people to pull up to their mailbox, roll down the car window to get their mail, and then pull into the garage without ever seeing a neighbor.  This phenomenon further shows itself in suburban homes having small front porches and expansive back porches.  On Halloween this changes.  People are knocking on their neighbors doors and meeting people that they sometimes only see this one time a year.

For the Christian, this is a great opportunity to love and engage our neighbors.  They will be knocking on our doors and we will be knocking on theirs, so it is important to be intentional about connecting with your neighbors in a way that opens the door for getting to know them more down the road.

Give Out Good Candy
This sounds simple, but don’t skimp on the candy.  We live in a day when everything communicates.  Buying candy that kids are just going to throw in the trash is bad stewardship and sends a bad message.  Buying good candy for your neighbors is a simple way to communicate to the people around you that you put thought and effort into this.

Introduce Yourself to People
If you are walking around with your children and there is not a long line at a house, take a minute and introduce yourself to your neighbors.  Use their name a time or two in the conversation with them and you will be more likely to remember it.  I mention doing this because it is amazing how often you will introduce yourself to someone in the neighborhood and then see them in town in the next several days.  Remembering a person and calling them by name makes a huge impression on them.

These are just a couple of ideas.  I would encourage you to check out the Verge’s free ebook, “How to Be Missional This Halloween” for more ideas.

(photo credit: ecstaticist via photopin cc)