Mentoring Minutes

Halloween…Holiday or Horror?  Fear or Fun?  Sacred, Secular or Spiritual?  Participate or not?  Several have asked me about Christians and Halloween?

How is a follower of Christ to “handle” Halloween?  At Love and Lordship our focus is to point people to God and His Word as the Authority (Lordship) for every issue.  With this in mind, here’s one Christ follower’s take on Halloween from a Scriptural perspective…

I remember as a youngster (over 50 years ago) growing up in little Berry, KY (population 200) where we excitedly looked forward to Halloween every year!  We knew every other family and kid in town and we were so excited to purchase and wear our costumes (that we’d certainly outgrow before next year’s funfest) of the latest cartoon character, superhero or vintage skeleton or friendly ghost, etc.

We knew exactly the houses where we would get the most candy or gum and which ones to avoid because they would give nothing or very little or because they were “haunted” based on all the “true” stories that only heightened the suspense and excitement of the evening!  We also knew that we were not to eat more than 2 or 3 pieces of candy (always picked out the biggest pieces) that evening and all the rest was put into a pile with our siblings’ “take” and doled out over the next few weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Halloween was nothing more than a great time of dress up and candy for kids, telling scary stories and bridging the gap between summer break and the Holidays! We knew nothing of the spiritual darkness or the Occult. 

Times have changed and ignorance is not always bliss.

The Origins of Halloween 

For the sake of brevity here’s a summation of the origins of Halloween…Halloween was rooted in the Celtic festival of Samhain believing the “spirits/souls of the dead” crossed over into the realm of the living.  This would clearly be in violation of God’s Word to avoid such belief and behavior encompassed broadly in what is called “divination and witchcraft” (Deuteronomy 18:9-13).  While this is under the Old Covenant and the law it still signifies what is unholy in God’s eyes and that never changes.  We simply now have Christ who has taken away our sins once we are brought out of ignorance or willful defiance in faith by repentance into God’s Truth and holiness.  These things are still unholy and as such we should not participate in them.  (Galatians 5:19-21)

When the Romans conquered the Celtic tribes they instituted some of their own rituals to honor a goddess and in 835, Pope Gregory IV moved the celebration for all martyrs (later saints) from May 13 to November 1. The night before became known as All Hallow’s E’en or Even or “holy evening.”  Halloween is derived from and rooted in this recognition and church tradition.

As with most things in this fallen world we see the influence of the pagan and fleshly as well as that of Christian faith.  That certainly creates a tension.  So how are we to approach and respond to Halloween according to God’s Word?

Biblical Guidelines

As we consider this we also need to remember that modern day church and culture have impacted how we celebrate, enjoy or reject this holiday or pagan ritual.   Two Biblical principles from Romans 14 can give us a balanced approach to Halloween:

1. Personal Conviction (Romans 14:1-8, 14, 22-23) – be sure you have settled in your heart and mind before The Lord according to His Word regarding the issues…are you celebrating it as a holiday to remember saints and martyrs of the faith; do you see it as a secular and fun festivity to be enjoyed by you, your family and others in a similar manner; or, do you struggle with the pagan and dark spiritual roots that will affect any and all who dabble in them…the enemy is good and we must be aware of what is happening (1 Peter 5:8)  with regard to this aspect or we can be easily drawn into the darkness before we know it.

Remember, ignorance itself may not be sin but the darkness of ignorance can easily be used to lead into the darkness of sin.

• Relationship and influence with others (Romans 14:10-16) – how will we interact with believers (and non-believers) who may think differently?  You know where you are in your convictions but you must also consider the affect of your actions on others, especially those who are less mature in the faith.  If we do not consider the impact on others we are not acting in love (v. 15), which should always be our highest consideration as we represent Christ.

How Can Christians Respond to Halloween

With these two underlying principles, parent(s) can determine how they will approach Halloween…

1. Fun, festive event (with lots of candy, gum and goodies) to enjoy with others;
2. Opportunity to share the Christian history of acknowledging the saints and martyrs of The Faith; a combination of these first two; or,
3. Choose not to participate in Halloween due to the pagan connections.

Regardless of which you choose, take the opportunity to share with your children all that Halloween entails and the freedom you have in Christ as well as the dangers that are present in the realm of spiritual darkness.  This can be a great faith builder!

As with all issues of faith you must remember that, as a follower of Christ, His Word and Spirit is what guides you.  Be sure to know and apply His Truth so that the enemy does not deceive you and get the chance to do the same with your children.

Here are 10 tips to help you navigate Halloween always covered in prayer:

For those who choose to not participate:

1. Turn your outside lights off and make it a family movie night
2. Make it a date night if its just you and your spouse
3. Get together with another (or other) family(ies) for a night of Bible Study, fellowship, food and fun
4. Take the dog for a walk and smile (genuinely) at all those participating – don’t condemn, pray for them

For those who choose to participate:

• Pick costumes that depict fun and fantasy
• Avoid costumes that deal with the occult or spiritual darkness (vampires, witches, skeletons, warlocks, death, etc.)
• Make this an opportunity to have age-appropriate discussions with your children regarding Halloween (light and darkness) to help build their faith
• Be wise with the candy and gum received…if properly allocated it can last until Thanksgiving or maybe even Christmas!  Good luck with this.
• Consider passing out Gospel items (cheaper than most candy) along with goodies!  You never know what seeds may be planted!
• Join in with your church (or consider starting something with your church) that celebrates the Church and/or secular side as an outreach to your community.

We walk in God’s Word and principles, and in Christ, there is freedom for us that we are to extend to others.  

In closing, here’s an article with respect to light and darkness that may help you address not only Halloween but how to discern and decide on related issues that impact you and those you may lead out of darkness into His Light!

Make it a great day and God bless in Christ!

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – Check out the history of Halloween and determine how you and your family will approach this day.

Love and Lordship…Action Item – Share with your children or other families as you have the opportunity what you have learned about Halloween, the freedom you have in Christ and how it strengthens your faith.

A disciple is one who studies and then models whoever is Lord in his/her life.  A disciple is one who disciplines his/herself according to the principles or standards of his/her Lord.  A disciple is one who practices the disciplines of his/her Lord.  

Discipleship begins with whoever is your Lord/lord and…in the mirror.  It doesn’t begin with telling others about your Lord/lord but learning from your Lord so that when you begin to share about who your Lord is, you are actually living out a lifestyle that reflects that of your Lord’s! 

Scriptural historians have determined that there was somewhere between 1 – 2 years between Jesus calling His disciples (Matthew 4:18; Mark 1:16; Luke 5) and sending them out (Matthew 10; Mark 6).  Historians also set the time between the Apostle Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 and him publicly proclaiming the Gospel in the Jerusalem synagogue (Acts 9:26-29) was approximately 3 years (he proclaimed it briefly in Damascus after His conversion). It was another 10+ years before he is sent on his first missionary journey having been set apart by The Holy Spirit with Barnabas to do so (Acts 13).

Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, …go and make disciples of all peoples… In order to make disciples we must first be disciples.  In a previous article, “So You Got Grace, What’s Next?” I talk about this command being to all of us as Christ followers not just to trained experts.  In the original language (Greek) it also means, “as you go along the way” emphasizing that it is much more about our lives than it is just telling people about Jesus (we need to do both).  If our lives don’t match up with our words we may do more damage than good when it comes to “making disciples?”

First Be A Disciple

So what does it look like to be a disciple of Christ?  There are many commands in Scripture that point to what it means to be His follower or disciple.  I know we don’t like the word “commands” but that’s what they are and this was fully expected by the writers and understood and responded to by those who originally received the letters we’ve come to know as The Bible.   We should take them just as seriously to honor our Lord!

I want to focus on 2 commands that I believe lay a strong foundation for living out the rest.  We’ve already discussed that the 1^st and 2^nd (and 3^rd) greatest commands deal with loving God, loving who we are in Christ so we can love our neighbors.  We need to begin where God begins as we shared about His priority and order when it comes to commands and love.  But, you may ask, “How do I get there?”

Living Sacrifice – Our Reasonable Response

Paul told the believers (disciples) in Rome what it means to be a follower of Jesus after all that He’s done for us (Romans 8 – 11). “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable act of service (worship). Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2. 

Three things we are called to in this passage:

1. Give my body (self/life) back to God as a living sacrifice as this is the “reasonable” response to what He’s (Christ) done for me;
2. Don’t conform to the world’s way of doing things, but;
3. Transform my way of thinking and living in line with His Word.

As we respond “logically” (reasonably) to what He’s done for us, we choose to think in line with His Word rather than follow the culture.  In so doing we begin to recognize and live out His will in a way that others can see it, test it and realize it is from Him as well!  That’s what disciples look like…and it takes time to mature in this and as we do others begin to see more and more of our Lord!

Modeling Our Lord – Humility

One of the other key “ingredients” to being His disciple and rubbing off on others as we go along the way is that of Humility.  In another letter Paul writes, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.  In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3-5

Look what Paul does here…he clearly gives us what it looks like to live as a disciple and emphasizes that we should do so because in this way we are modeling our Lord:

1. Don’t be selfish
2. Don’t be vain (prideful)
3. Walk in humility – place others above yourself
4. Don’t just look after yourself but look after others
5. This is the mindset that comes from our Lord…build your relationships according to His design!

One Paul, One Timothy in Your Life

Following the Biblical teaching, we are to study and work to be Christ’s disciples and we are to do it in relationship with Him and one another.  Looking first to Christ as our Lord we then should find at least one person more mature in the faith than us to be a “Paul” in our life and at least one who is younger (less mature) in the faith that can be a “Timothy” that we pour into.  We should always be being discipled by one more mature and be discipling at least one who is less mature, growing together in The Lord.  

Finally, this should begin in our homes as spouses and parents.  Moms and dads be the “Paul or Pauline” in your children’s live as they are your first and most important “Timothy(s) or Timothena(s).”  If we are modeling Christ to them then He is not only encouraging and blessing them, He is growing us!  This is how we build His family, The Church, by being and making disciples first in our own! 

Make it a great day and God bless in Christ!

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – Have you accepted Christ as Savior and stopped there?  God has so much more in store and it begins with our obedient response to take what Christ has done in us (made us holy) by giving it back to Him as a living sacrifice…die to our selfish desires for His sake and glory!

Love and Lordship…Action Item – During your quiet time with The Lord this week ask Him to show you where you are surrendering to Him and the areas of your life that you’ve not been willing to sacrifice to Him for His will.

How many of you know what Jeremiah 29:11 says?  You may not be able to recall it immediately but in the next couple of lines as it is revealed you will probably say to yourself, “Oh, yeah.”

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Did you say, “Oh, yeah”?  I can’t count the number of feel-good sermons I’ve heard on this Scripture and that’s not a bad thing.  The only problem I’ve found is that the number of messages I’ve heard on the next 2 verses I can count on one hand…with 3 fingers left over.  Now I’ve certainly not heard all the sermons preached throughout history but I think you’ll see my point.

SEEKING AND FINDING THE LORD

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.   Jeremiah 29:12-13

You probably are already catching on but before I expound on these verses let me make 2 quick points…1) These words are not written to individuals, they are written to the nation of Israel (God’s people), and; 2) The best interpretation for us would be that these are words to Christ’s Church (His people) today. 

Since The Church is made up of individuals and relationships, then we can certainly pray the promise of v. 11 but we also must personally and collectively follow through with what The Holy Spirit expresses in vv. 12-13.

That brings us back to the focus of this article.  All of us desire God’s best plans for our life, family, churches and communities…or at least we should as Christ followers.  However, most of us latch onto the declaration made in v. 11 and pay little attention to our responsibility in receiving that promise. 

God desires to give us an incredible hope and future, one translation says “an expected end” or one that we believe in by faith and know it will be good.  Here are 3 things that we must do in order to receive all He has promised:

1. Call out to Him – share your heart, hurts and hang-ups with Him.  He already knows.  He just wants you to experience His presence, which is ultimately greater than His response to any of your cries.
2. Come and pray to Him – find a place and time every day to meet with Him and make your requests known.  In the process you’ll come to know Him more and He will reveal who He has created you to be and His plans for you.  He hears and responds.
3. Seek Him with all your heart – receiving His promises and all He has in store begins with seeking Him.  God makes it very clear that the way that we find and know Him is by wholeheartedly seeking Him.  Half-hearted attempts won’t work.  Doesn’t mean He won’t answer but we simply can’t get to know Who He Is if we’re only giving a partial effort to do so.

The most incredible gift in this is that receiving His promise is AWESOME…but seeking and knowing Him is far better!

GETTING ALL YOU NEED

Jesus summed it up this way in the Sermon on the Mount.  After teaching on futility of worry and anxiety in Matthew 6:25-32, He sums it in v. 33, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Our Creator, Savior and Lord knows that we will never be satisfied with anything, even everything, in this world because it is fleeting and superficial.  The only way we can be fulfilled is in knowing Him!  The awesome news is that He has made Himself known in Jesus and in His Word by His Spirit and He has made Himself available for us to seek, know and love Him and that changes everything!  The question is, will you seek Him with all your heart?  Will you seek His Kingdom (remember Kingdom always include His Kingship/Lordship) and righteousness first and above everything else? 

Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest, Oct 3, We can ever remain powerless, as were the disciples, by trying to do God’s work not in concentration on His power, but by ideas drawn from our own temperament. We slander God by our very eagerness to work for Him without knowing Him.

You can know Him!  Don’t miss out.  Spend some time every day in His Word, in prayer and seeking/asking Him to show you Who He Is.  But remember you have to do it with all your heart.  When you do, He will show up!

Make it a great day and God bless in Christ!

Love and Lordship…Food for Thought – It has been said that you can tell where a person’s heart is by looking at 2 things:  checkbook and calendar.  What do these 2 items say about your relationship with God?

Love and Lordship…Action Item – Take inventory in your own heart/life and see where you are with God and how you are seeking to know and love Him.