{"id":12848,"date":"2015-10-25T22:49:16","date_gmt":"2015-10-26T03:49:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/?p=12848"},"modified":"2020-10-31T08:21:57","modified_gmt":"2020-10-31T13:21:57","slug":"gospel-tracts-for-trick-or-treaters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flandersfamily.info\/web\/2015\/10\/25\/gospel-tracts-for-trick-or-treaters\/","title":{"rendered":"How Should Christians Handle Halloween?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/p>\n

Should believers reject “All Hallows Eve” or celebrate it? Ban trick-or-treating or grab their buckets and traipse door to door collecting candy along with everyone else? Ignore the day’s festivities or try to redeem them in some way? Is there a way to honor God on this holiday? A middle ground? How, exactly, should Christians handle Halloween?<\/p>\n

I’ve wrestled with those questions for years. One the one hand, Paul tells us, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:11<\/a>) On the other hand, Paul himself pointed to an idol of the Athenians and used it to preach to them the gospel: “For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.” (Acts 17:22<\/a>)<\/p>\n

\"Should<\/p>\n

I don’t feel qualified to give a definitive answer as to whether Christians should celebrate Halloween (other than to pray it through and follow the Lord’s leading). But I can share with you what how our family has handled it.<\/p>\n

Alternatives to Trick-or-Treating<\/h2>\n

When our children were little, we were able to avoid Halloween altogether. And that is the tack we took. But as they got older, we had to find new ways of navigating this holiday.<\/p>\n