Did you know… coming up in just a couple weeks is one of the best opportunities we have to live on mission in our neighborhoods?
Halloween.
Can you think of another time during the year when making connections with neighbors is any easier? Not only is it socially acceptable to go from house to house and get to know the neighbor you might rarely see – but they actually come to your door too!
I recently read a very helpful blog article on how to make Halloween an opportunity to sow seeds of the Gospel into the culture around us. I’d encourage everyone to read this article – “Halloween is for Mission.”
In this helpful post, author Brian McCormack unpacks five good, practical tips:
- Check your conscience: A great (and brief) piece on the history of the holiday and how Christians can reject, receive, or redeem it is this blog by Justin Holcomb. An extremely helpful perspective as you are deciding how your family might respond. Whether you feel compelled to participate or not, know that others that choose otherwise might be just as faithful as you are…
- When people knock, answer: Smile. Open the door. Be friendly. The neighbors you want to get to know will be knocking on your door, and you have a chance to show them the love of Christ.
- Visit every house on your block: This holiday gives you the green light to connect with every neighbor who has their porch light on. What an opportunity!
- Be creative: Go above and beyond – and invite your neighbors to participate!
- PRAY a lot: Pray that the Holy Spirit gives you and your family eyes to see opportunities to connect, and boldness to act. Pray with your family for opportunities to be salt and light in the darkness.
No doubt, Halloween – and all that comes with it – can be a complicated issue for Christians. No one would encourage joining the cultural extremes of celebrating darkness or evil – but rather, consider engaging culture in a fun way, with an opportunity to live out the hope of the Gospel.
Better understanding the diverse history of this holiday can be very helpful. Again, I’d encourage everyone to read the blog article by Justin Holcomb, “What Christians Should Know About Halloween.” A measured treatment of history, Bible and cultural thought.
Living on mission really means living as “sent ones” (missionaries), with the Gospel in focus, right where we live. What a great opportunity that our culture serves up for us one day a year on October 31…
