This blog is the final in a three-part series on reaping a spiritual harvest through a Gospel Halloween. What to do about Halloween is always a problem for the modern evangelical parent. We chose to use this as a ministry or outreach opportunity. The parents in the neighborhood would call and ask, “Are you having the Mahon Halloween Party again this year?” That is because we provided a safe environment both physically and spiritually for the children. Following are a few tips on how to host an evangelistic Halloween Party of your own.
To keep the goriest costumes out of the mix, we would have a theme. Disney Characters, X Men, Historical Figures, Hollywood, Noah’s Ark, Disco/Retro, Star Wars, Hobbit - the list is endless, but by doing a theme, you keep out the scary stuff.
The time needs to be fast-paced. The modern child has a very low toleration for dead space. One game or event must be followed immediately by another. By doing this, the children – from pre-teen to single adult - should leave the party saying, “Boy, that went really fast.”
Next, the games need to be a mix of the traditional as well as contemporary. Get on top of this early and have more games than you anticipate time allowing. From the time your child's guests enter your home, they need to be active and winning quality prizes. (For game ideas, visit the GCI website at http://gciweb.org/2011/07/holidays-resources. This site provides you ideas for the types of games you can play.) Your Halloween Party should be a very real alternative to the ones offered by the world. The next day at school, those who attended your party ought to have fun things to share.
There needs to be quality prizes. This depends on the social and economic group of the participants. The recipient of the prize, though, should respond, “WOW!” This is especially true with any games that entail the Bible.
There should only be one spiritual game in terms of the Gospel. This way both child and parents will not feel tricked into a Sunday School class. If the spiritual game is quality and rewarding, then there will be no complaints. If, on the other hand, they leave thinking their parents, church or authority figures are “of the devil,” you probably will not see them again.
For the younger children, in addition to the traditional games, we did the Pumpkin of Salvation and each child went home with a pumpkin (see blog dated 10/19/13). For the older students, we did the Halloween Trivia Test (see blog dated 10/26/2013). Junior Highers and teens will really get into this test, as well as college students and (yes!) even adults. Christian and secular apocryphal myths are so ingrown that the truth is captivating. We would put a pile of Bibles on the floor, give out the test, have them fill it out and then give the answers. There would immediately be an outcry as the truth collided with myth. Bibles would then be opened, passages read and debated. Remember - the key is to have prizes so good that the participants have a stake in winning.
Last but not least – FOOD. There needs to be plenty of food. God the Holy Spirit is very cognizant of the role of eating and spiritual relationships. This experience is either by design or reality. In the Garden of Eden, the issue of fellowship with God turned upon eating, Jesus describes salvation with the visual picture of eating (Revelation 3:20) and our eternal relationship with God is pictured in terms of eating (Revelation 19:9) - to name but a few. Make sure there is a festive atmosphere which makes a later invitation to church a real possibility.
By His mercy, II Corinthians 4:1 Rev. John S. Mahon – in the last stages of departure for Nigeria
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