The Gospel of Boo!

Good afternoon!

Can you believe that October is about to come to an end? Just the other day, I heard a commercial on tv that had Christmas music in the background! It got me excited about the Thanksgiving/Advent/Christmas season, while at the same time the anxiety rose a decibel or two.

Before we get to our November/December holiday season we still have to get through the one coming up at the end of October - HALLOWEEN. Honestly, I've never gotten much into the "Halloween Spirit". I know that many really get into, decorating their houses and their bodies from themes that are light and funny to themes that are dark and gruesome. Since scary movies give me nightmares and make me regress into childlike behavior (a lot of shaking, crying, and other things I'd rather not speak of), Halloween has always given me an eery feeling.

This year, however, I have decided to face my fears! I have decided to approach this season on our calendar in a much different way. Many Christians have a negative reaction to Halloween. They feel it is an evil time and a time when demonic forces are at work. While it may feel that way, I think it is important to remember that the existence of Halloween is a Christian phenomenon.

So that I don't bore you to death with the details, just consider the fact that Halloween was created by Christians as a way to combat the pagan holidays and harvest festivals that were going on around them. The observance of All Saints Day (November 1st) actually began at sunset the night before (Oct. 31st). Later, All Souls Day was added on November 2nd. By 1500, All Saints Day and All Souls Day evolved into Hallow Time (October 31-November 2nd), with most of the celebrations occuring the night before All Hallows Day...known as All Hallows Eve. It wasn't long before this time was referred to as Hallowe'en.

With a little history out of the way, what does this mean for us today? Well, one of the common phrases during our modern-day Halloween festivities is the excitement of scaring or shocking people by yelling, "Boo!" I want to suggest to all Christians that we shock people this Halloween with the Gospel of Boo.

Halloween is one of the only times in the year where strangers come and knock at our door. Granted, they are wanting a hand-out of candy, but in our very isolated culture, we should celebrate the fact that they are standing before us and see it as an opportunity to shock each stranger by handing out GOOD NEWS!

On the dark night of Halloween, let's not hide the light of Christ under a bushel, let's share it with everyone we have the joy of meeting. Here is my Halloween Challenge...

Share a principle the gospel or a Scripture passage with each trick-or-treater this year. Attach it to each piece of candy, or hand it out with your candy as a little slip of paper. Or, share a Scripture passage like, "Taste and see that the Lord is good!" - Psalm 34:8. Also, give generously the candy to each child or whatever you are handing out this year. Use this opportunity to share the Gospel of Boo! Not scaring people into seeing Jesus, but shocking them by shedding light in the midst of darkness.

Who's up for the challenge?

"Thank you Lord for being the Light in our lives and in our world. As we celebrate Halloween, remind us that you have called us to be the light of the world and that you can use us in simple ways to share the good news of Your Presence and Your Son. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen."