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Thoughts on “Redeeming Halloween”

Every end of October I watch the church trip over itself regarding Halloween.   I find the whole thing embarrassing to say the least but probably not for the reasons you think.

For the record, my family does not celebrate Halloween.  We aren’t scared of it, we just don’t acknowledge it. You may or may not, that’s between you, your conscience and God.  That’s fine.  Be filled with whatever you decide.

But whatever you do please don’t say you are “redeeming Halloween.”  I see people claiming to do this every year and they look more and more ridiculous doing it.  How do the “redeemers” look ridiculous?  Let me elucidate:

1.  Their first argument is almost always that Halloween was never a pagan festival.  They weave every conceivable festive action in the Fall and say it is the antecedent of the holiday.  They ignore all the death, perversion, and demonic imagery that goes along with this “festival of harvest”, ignore all saints day, ignore the obvious links to the night of the dead.  That’s fine.  You can do that. 
But if the holiday was never evil, why does it need to be redeemed?  Your own language defies your logic.

2.  They say this is the one night of the year that folks come to their house and we should use that activity as an open door for the Gospel.  AMEN!  I agree!  But when folks show up at your door what do they get?  A hand full of candy and maybe a track?  Just adding a little God booklet to the mix is redemption?  If that was redemption we would have needed nothing more than the OT.  If that is redemption stop preaching the Gospel in your church.  When someone comes to you broken and lost hand them a fist full of candy and a bible then pat them on the head. 

3.  They say that every day is a day of celebration for Christians so we should rejoice with those who rejoice.  In other words, the fact that I am a Christian, and I am doing it with a heart toward God, it’s value is redeemed.  Isn’t that like setting out to redeem a brothel by fornicating in it?  Or redeeming a bar by getting drunk in it?  If you wanted to redeem a brothel or a bar you have to change what happens there, not just join in with a "heart toward God.”

Jesus wants us to love good and hate evil.  Not turn evil to good by doing the evil thing.

You may not think trick or treating in costume is evil.  I think you might have a solid argument by saying, “I don’t believe in Halloween.  My kids like to wear costumes and get free candy.  So we do that when they can.”  There you go.  Be honest.  That’s your conviction. No problems there.

Don’t mix some hyper-religious talk and sound super spiritual because of it.  Don’t pull the God card.  You make us Christians who are doing real biblical stuff (like healing the sick, casting out devils, preaching the Gospel) look bad.  Make your decision and stick with it.

What’s Awesome About the Church? This is

You read enough blogs you will be convinced that the Church no longer works and that Christianity is lost in America. 

Wrong

Watch this

I’m Not on Facebook and I’m Not Missing It

Last Sunday I talked about a period of fasting and consecration.  Part of mine involved staying off Facebook.  It has been a lot easier than I thought.

I have nothing against Facebook.  I do have something against wasting time checking status updates 500 times a day and having nothing to show for it.

So I decided that I would just stay away from it to break the leash.

When I fast, I don’t get legalistic.  When I write a blog post, they get posted to twitter, facebook and Google+.  If I were a legalist that would be some sort of sin.  But the fast is for me, not for God.  When I post status updates they also go straight to those sites.  Pics get posted several places.

So I am not on Facebook but I am not avoiding it like sin.

If you have sent me any messages, I guess I will get them in a few days.  Or you can email me thought this site.  Or wait till the end of the week and I will hit you back.

Time Not Wasted – Wednesday What’s Up

Just because you are not doing what you feel like you were created to do does not mean you are wasting your time.  Trust God.

Stop What You Are Doing and Go Read This

If you are in any facet of ministry, whether you preach on stage or you share your testimony in walgreens, stop what you are doing and go read this by David Copeland.

Bronchitis & An X-ray

Models in the Mall – Wednesday What’s Up

Some people getting into ministry is like a model waiting to get discovered in the mall.  Believe it or not, it’s not that random.

The easiest way to your call is to begin operating in your call.

Fame for What?

Every minister wants to reach more people. It is the job of the minister to give away to as many people as possible the grace they have received.

But something happens when the ego gets involved.

Instead of a group of people being an opportunity to give the minister’s grace, they become a means to validate the minister’s call, or ego, or whatever.  The drive to grow crowds becomes more about the minister than the attendee.

Is there a ministry opportunity you would turn down?  Is there a sure fire way to grow your ministry that you won’t do because it violates your conscience?  If there is nothing you would not do to grow a crowd or gain ministry opportunity then it’s time for a Holy Ghost motivation check.

Jesus is raising up ministers in this day who are convinced that their true reward is in heaven and are not afraid to forsake some of man’s reward here to gain more there.

Be part of this move. Let Jesus keep the fame.

Social Media Meeting

Calling all  Bloggers, Vloggers and online promoters – I will be holding an instructional meeting for those interested in social media.  We will be addressing how to gain online influence as well as networking those who are already online.

The meeting will be held at Cici’s Pizza directly after tear down on Sunday.

Throw your questions in the comments below.

Remember That Day? What’s Up?

It is so easy to move our focus from Jesus and His call on our lives.  Every now and then we need someone to call us out and remind us of the call.

Church Plants in Delray Beach

I have noticed in the past year or so three or four church plants in Delray Beach and I could not be more excited.  Even though there are a TON of churches in Delray, I say the more the merrier.  There are two primary reasons I am happy:

1.  These are not the result of church splits.  The last thing Delray needs are more religious people promoting themselves by divorcing other believers.  As believers, we have to remember that our competition is the enemy, not other churches.

2.  I see the church planting focus in Delray as proof that we are stirring the spiritual climate in this city and grace is flowing to it.  We continually pray that God would bless Delray Beach.  More ministers in a city are part of it.