10.24.25
Hey, Calvary Fremont –
This is the time of year when all the videos start popping up as to why Christians should avoid any and all participation in anything having to do with Halloween. The bottom line logic is that since Halloween is a pagan holiday celebrating the dead, and since Christianity is a celebration of Him who rose from the dead – stay as far away from Halloween as possible.
Halloween has its historical roots in Samhain, a Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. But it was more than an annual harvest festival – it developed darker undertones. Samhain was celebrated on October 31 where it was believed that the boundary between the living and the dead thinned out, allowing departed spirits to roam the earth. People lit bonfires and wore costumes to ward off wandering ghosts. Which makes perfect sense if you really believed this.
Well, in the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as All Saints’ Day (also called All Hallows’ Day) to honor the saints and martyrs of the Church. The evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve – eventually shortened to Halloween. Some argue that since All Saints’ Day was already celebrated throughout the empire on different dates, that the Pope was merely standardizing the date empire-wide. Others argue that Pope Gregory was deliberately attempting to Christianize Samhain and that the date he chose wasn’t coincidental – it was intentional.
Whether intentional or coincidental, Halloween today certainly looks and feels more like the pagan celebration of Samhain than the night before the holy celebration of the saints and martyrs of the Church. This is why we are counseled to avoid any participation in Halloween and are scolded if we do. This is the devil’s night and followers of Jesus should have nothing to do with it.
I don’t think that Halloween is the devil’s night and that we should have nothing to do with it. I believe that October 31 is the day that the Lord has made and that we should be glad and rejoice in it. So what if Halloween has pagan roots – it can be redeemed for the Lord. Don’t look now – but you have pagan roots and Jesus redeemed you. Ephesians 2 tells us that we were dead in sins and trespasses and that the spirit of the devil was at work in us. But Jesus redeemed us and claims us as His own. Jesus redeems people and we are told to redeem the time – all time. October 31 doesn’t belong to the devil – it belongs to Jesus. I was once for the devil and Jesus made me His. October 31 was once for the devil, but October 31 belongs to Jesus.
On October 31, we have what we call the Jesus Loves Me Party at Calvary Chapel Fremont. We have game booths and candy and a prize room and free hot dogs and popcorn and a Mariachi band and a mechanical bull ride and jump houses and a maze and gourmet food trucks and evangelism and prayer, etc. Hundreds and hundreds of people show up to bring their kids to a safe and fun time. Yes, costumes are welcome, too. We discourage the darker type costumes, but if someone shows up as a witch or a vampire, no one gets in their face. We know that it’s just a kid who likes a Snickers bar as much as the next kid.
For someone to call this evil or compromise or flirting with the world is nuts. We are not celebrating the dead – we are celebrating Jesus! We are not promoting the devil – we are promoting Jesus! We are not shrinking in fear before the darkness – we are rising up and celebrating Jesus, the Light of the World! A night dominated by the fear that the dead walked among the living is now given to the twice born walking among the once born! This isn’t hell invading the earth – this is heaven invading the earth. Redemption stands darkness on its head!
I get it – if your conscience prohibits participation in the party – you need to honor that. But I hope you can develop a redemption mentality that declares that whatever Jesus touches, He can redeem and make new and make it something for the glory of God.
Be blessed and stay healthy and follow Jesus – Pastor Tim
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