Don’t like Halloween but don’t know how to respond? Do you turn the lights off and pretend you’re not home? Or give lollies and then feel guilty? Check out some of these great family alternatives… and share the love of Jesus.
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GOING OUT
- Dress your children as beautiful angels, or as one of their favourite Bible characters, or in one of these Biblically inspired costumes who knock on doors and GIVE something—like a small card with Bible verse and a heart chocolate. FREE Bible wallet cards, Bible bookmarks, Bible verse cards or something from an Armour of God theme would be perfect for this. Imagine people’s shock when there are kids at their door wanting to give. :)
- Start a harvest festival or a light of the world festival in your neighbourhood. Turn it into something for the glory of God.
- Do something fun with your own family. Go for that picnic at the park or the beach, and enjoy the time with your own family. Watch a family movie together and enjoy your own treats. And of course, it’s also a fun time to dress up as angels or as your favourite Bible characters.
- For the more adventurous, rather than focus on the promotion of evil and death during Halloween, take your family or a group to visit the Aliens Landing at the Creation Museum (Kentucky USA). See the planetarium show Aliens: Fact or Fiction? in the Stargazer’s Planetarium, also referred to as Area 51½—but watch out—this area is highly classified and is under alien control. Be amazed with displays of vividly realistic images upon a 30-foot-diameter dome, allowing stargazers to travel anywhere in the universe, looking for answers, and meet some new friends who have lots of questions: Are we alone in the universe? Does life exist on other planets? Did your neighbor really see a UFO? Are there answers in the Bible? Enjoy learning from scientists and astronomers who affirm young-earth creation and explain how what we see in the night sky confirms God’s Word in Genesis.
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STAYING IN ~ SHARE MORE THAN CANDY… SHARE THE LOVE OF JESUS!
- When kids knock on your door, give them a small card with a Bible verse (see the next items for suggestions), a heart chocolate and one of your biggest smiles.
- Hand out a FREE Bible verse card | FREE Bible colouring page | FREE Bible bookmark or a FREE Bible wallet card; all free printable.
- An Armour of God theme would be perfect for this, maybe a colouring page, puzzle or bookmark; all free printable.
- Or one of these FREE Ephesians 1:4 Scripture Doodle colouring pages from max7. Let them know that the God of the whole universe knows them personally, cares very much about them and wants a relationship with them. It says, ‘Long ago, even before He made the world, God chose YOU to be His very own.’ Wow! One of my favourites. What a fabulous verse to let them know how special they are to God. And if you check my ‘Before you were born, God knew you’ post, you will find more items to go with it; free printable
- Share stickers with a Gospel message (Happy Home Fairy), Halloween candy that is good for you. Your sponsored child will also enjoy these stickers; or one of these Halloween alternative ideas; free printable.
- Or one of these booklets (scroll down) from Ray Comfort and the Living Waters team; free printable
- Ideas for your family from Answers In Genesis: Dress your own kids or decorate your doorstep or classroom (pdf) with a fun Armour of God theme. Your child will love their FREE armour of God poster (here’s another one for small cost), or FREE armour of God colouring pages (scroll down), creature cards (for purchase), mini-magazine for kids (small cost), stickers (for purchase), bookmarks (for purchase), booklets, etc. Grab enough so you can also give a Treat and a Tract for any kids that come to your door for Halloween. Check out their Treat & Tract – Halloween section for more ideas. While you are there, you may like to check out the rest of their clearance section; kid’s section (lots of great free printable ideas); online resources and fabulous VBS ideas. They also have some free printable sample pages of their Sunday School Curriculum for kids. They are fun and colourful; have colouring pages; puzzles; fill-in-the-blanks; and memory verses. Other pages are for purchase. They cater for all ages (preschool to adults). Answers in Genesis (AIG) is an apologetics ministry in the USA which concentrates on reinforcing the authority of Scripture. They are also the ministry team behind the award winning Creation Museum and Ark Encounter tourist theme parks in Kentucky, USA.
- Share more than candy… Share the love of Jesus.
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WARNING: HALLOWEEN: INVITATION TO THE OCCULT?
by Dr Chuck Missler
“The celebration of the pagan festival of Halloween is now a multi-billion dollar merchandiser’s market. Fifty percent of Americans will decorate for Halloween (compared to over 80% for Christmas). It is now the third most popular party activity, after the Superbowl and New Year’s Eve. This is always a difficult time for Christians, especially those with children. It is also a dangerous time for some, since many of the seemingly “harmless” involvements associated with Halloween can also be “entries” for the occult, and can prove very tragic for the unwary. There is only one true God (Isaiah 44:6, 44:8: 46:9). Thus, only one true religion. Scripture declares “all gods of the nations are idols” (Psalm 96:5). All false religion and idolatry is by definition involved in demon worship — whether or not the participants recognize it (Acts 26:18). Hence Paul’s concern. The spiritual power and reality behind idols involves demons (I Corinthians 10:20, Psalm 106:37). The Bible tells us to shun occultic practices. This series will help you understand the Pagan background to the modern Halloween traditions practised today.”
Reader’s comment on Dr Missler’s site: After listening to your study on halloween, and being a former pagan high priestess of 10 yrs, then coming to know Christ in 1999, I have to say that the study was very accurate! Please do all you can to keep warning others about this dangerous time of the year. — From a web friend
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RELATED LINKS FOR YOUR FAMILY
- Armour of God ~ FREE colouring pages, puzzles, crafts and creative ideas for kids
- The great pumpkin debate An open letter to your family from Focus on the Family
- More Halloween alternatives from Annies Home Page
- Children’s Ministry Halloween alternatives Use this fun and creative lesson to help kids shine the light of Jesus
- Halloween church resources
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Please note: As our Compassion children often come from areas which practise black magic, halloween items are not endorsed by (me or) Compassion International. An Armour of God theme would be a fabulous and fun alternative for our children.
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