Happy Reformation Day

However you are choosing to spend today, be it with friends and family at a church event, trick-or-treating in your neighborhood or staying warm at home, Julia and I pray that everyone stays safe and has fun! 

Julia and I both grew up in Christian homes that each held their own unique views and opinions about what to do with Halloween. Julia did not grow up trick-or-treating, while I did. As parents, prayerfully and creatively decided what your own family stance on Halloween will be, based on Scripture and in light of your present cultural influences, friends and church involvement. Here is a good article from What's in the Bible: How to Talk with Your Children About Halloween

Don't forget that today is also Reformation Day!: The Gospel Coalition: Five Key Concepts

Some principles that our family follows during the entire Halloween season:

• Focus on positive things, not negative. Fun pumpkins, Fall leaves, cider mills, harvest decor, positive costumes are all fun and acceptable things to enjoy during this season! We stay away from things like: haunted houses, zombies, ghosts, witches, skeletons, spiders and other spooky things.
• Choose costumes that are age appropriate, positive and modest. Animals, princesses, superheros, etc. There are plenty of options out there to keep the focus on positive things rather than encouraging things that are negative, dark or mean.
• If you do choose to go trick-or-treating, know the neighborhood. Is it little-kid friendly or is there an overload of dark, creepy stuff that is just going to scare your child and send them home crying?
• How can you best use this season to glorify God? As a Christian, there are plenty of ways to get out there and claim Halloween in the name of Jesus. Our church provides Halloween Tracts to hand-out to trick-or-treaters (along with candy of course!). Pray for your neighborhood as you walk with your kids. Pray for God's blessing on the children and for their safety. Pray that any evil spirits will flee as you bring the name of Jesus to each doorstep. 
• If you choose not to participate in a church or community event that centers around trick-or-treating, are you providing opportunities to be a light to those around you or missing out? For several years now, trick-or-treating with my family means a large group of friends from church, walking together around our community, having fun and enjoying time with our kids, then ending the night with a bonfire, hot cider and donuts. We have also done Halloween alternatives at church where we allow kids to dress up and recite Bible verses to receive candy. Weather you trick-or-treat, or host other fun fall activities with your kids and their friends, put Christ at the center!