I wrote this last year as a devotional, but with Halloween coming up I thought I would post it here. I invite you to read it with an eye toward what Church could be.. Can you "have Church" sitting in the front yard in the midst of a pagan celebration? I say yes! And if so.. What other pagan places might God lead you to experience and share His glory? I will tell you, that I often feel more spiritual in the world than I do in organized Church... Enjoy!
The knowledge of God is very far from the love of Him. ... Blaise Pascal
Halloween is not a big holiday at our house. I know some people go all out; houses get a new eerie look with fantastic light shows, out come all the scary decorations, and all sorts of scary noises emanate from hidden CD or tape players. We, on the other hand look at Halloween as an opportunity to sit out in the front of our house and greet some neighbors we have not yet met. This seems to be something that has been dying out in our rapid paced society. Since the grand invention called the “deck” most of our time in the American family is now spent in the back yard instead of on the front porch. I remember in my home town, seeing all the grand Victorian houses with the wrap around porches. Each day and especially in the evening you couldn’t drive two blocks before your arm got tired from waving to all the folks along the street sitting on their front porches.
So each Halloween becomes our time to sit in the front of the house instead of the back. I had my son bring the Chiminea out to the front (that is a little portable fire place we picked up in Mexico). I got the comfy camping chairs all set up and perfectly positioned to get the warmth from the fire. I brought out the dog’s pillow so our lazy Bulldog could sit out there and bask in all the attention he got from the little kids who wanted to see an authentic “Georgia Bulldog”. I got all the S’more making materials that I purchased that day for our family, and of course I got the big bowl of candy to pass out to the kids. But this year we also did something different. Thanks to my wife, LaDonna and her great ideas I went to the local Christian Bookstore and purchased a case of New Testaments. We decided that we would offer them to our guests as they came up to our house seeking candy. We put little stickers in the front of them that said if they had any questions about what was in that book they could contact Pastor Bob @ http://www.bobhoeller.org/.
A wonderful story was played out in front of our eyes this Halloween; we passed out 32 New Testaments. One little girl asked me when I said she was welcome to take a New Testament with her, “a New Testament of what?” This caused me to change my comments; I would now say “please take a New Testament of the Bible.” Another little boy was so excited and said to his father, “look they’re handing out books.” Another said she “really needed one so she could take it home to her mother.” Many adults also took them home to spouses. Another looked up to her daddy and asked; “will you read this to me later?” Another little girl said, “I can take this to school with me!” Some just looked at them as if the books might burn them if they touched them. Some very carefully reached down and took them by their pages, and quietly slipped it into their bag, almost afraid someone might see them. One boy was so excited he grabbed one and forgot the candy. And another boy came in such a large group than I thought they all got one, but he stood in front of me when all of the others were making their way to the road, and said to me “where are they”, I said “where are what,” not knowing what he was asking, he said “the New Testaments, where are they?” I pointed them out to him, and he rushed over to get one, he stood for a moment longer looking at the cover, smiled pulled it close to his chest and looked over his shoulder at me with a smile and said “thanks” and ran off to join the others.
I said at the beginning of this devotion that Halloween is not a big holiday around my house; that was until last night. I realized that any night, or any day can be turned into a victory for the Lord if we only let Him lead us. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait until next Halloween.
Halloween is not a big holiday at our house. I know some people go all out; houses get a new eerie look with fantastic light shows, out come all the scary decorations, and all sorts of scary noises emanate from hidden CD or tape players. We, on the other hand look at Halloween as an opportunity to sit out in the front of our house and greet some neighbors we have not yet met. This seems to be something that has been dying out in our rapid paced society. Since the grand invention called the “deck” most of our time in the American family is now spent in the back yard instead of on the front porch. I remember in my home town, seeing all the grand Victorian houses with the wrap around porches. Each day and especially in the evening you couldn’t drive two blocks before your arm got tired from waving to all the folks along the street sitting on their front porches.
So each Halloween becomes our time to sit in the front of the house instead of the back. I had my son bring the Chiminea out to the front (that is a little portable fire place we picked up in Mexico). I got the comfy camping chairs all set up and perfectly positioned to get the warmth from the fire. I brought out the dog’s pillow so our lazy Bulldog could sit out there and bask in all the attention he got from the little kids who wanted to see an authentic “Georgia Bulldog”. I got all the S’more making materials that I purchased that day for our family, and of course I got the big bowl of candy to pass out to the kids. But this year we also did something different. Thanks to my wife, LaDonna and her great ideas I went to the local Christian Bookstore and purchased a case of New Testaments. We decided that we would offer them to our guests as they came up to our house seeking candy. We put little stickers in the front of them that said if they had any questions about what was in that book they could contact Pastor Bob @ http://www.bobhoeller.org/.
A wonderful story was played out in front of our eyes this Halloween; we passed out 32 New Testaments. One little girl asked me when I said she was welcome to take a New Testament with her, “a New Testament of what?” This caused me to change my comments; I would now say “please take a New Testament of the Bible.” Another little boy was so excited and said to his father, “look they’re handing out books.” Another said she “really needed one so she could take it home to her mother.” Many adults also took them home to spouses. Another looked up to her daddy and asked; “will you read this to me later?” Another little girl said, “I can take this to school with me!” Some just looked at them as if the books might burn them if they touched them. Some very carefully reached down and took them by their pages, and quietly slipped it into their bag, almost afraid someone might see them. One boy was so excited he grabbed one and forgot the candy. And another boy came in such a large group than I thought they all got one, but he stood in front of me when all of the others were making their way to the road, and said to me “where are they”, I said “where are what,” not knowing what he was asking, he said “the New Testaments, where are they?” I pointed them out to him, and he rushed over to get one, he stood for a moment longer looking at the cover, smiled pulled it close to his chest and looked over his shoulder at me with a smile and said “thanks” and ran off to join the others.
I said at the beginning of this devotion that Halloween is not a big holiday around my house; that was until last night. I realized that any night, or any day can be turned into a victory for the Lord if we only let Him lead us. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait until next Halloween.
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