National Evangelism Day
by Moderator - September 26, 2023
October 31st lands on Reformation Day, but is known by many "in the world" also as Halloween or All Hallows Eve.
Fun Fact:
“Hallow” means to render sacred, to sanctify, to make holy. Notice the english transition of words over time...
*Hallowed be Thy name
* All Hallow’s eve
Same as Hallow's evening
Where we get...
*Hallowee'n
A shorter version which means Holy Evening
The name Halloween is derived from the older term for the day All Hallow’s eve, which is the evening before the Christian holiday All Saint’s day. Trick or treating has some roots in Christian tradition where the poor would go to rich houses and ask for food in exchange for prayers for the household.
For Oct 31st Today...
Many Christian churches have Harvest parties, since it is the fall harvest season, or they might participate in Reformation parties at Church or at believers homes. It is Harvest season so we can praise and thank God for the food Harvest and souls harvest.
This is why it is also National Evangelism day
What Christians need to know:
Even though "those in the world" live in darkness and live sin, wickedness and evil, yet we can use/redeem the day for Christ. Refocus it and redirect them to Christ, to the Gospel. This is a fantastic opportunity for born again believers to share how they can find everlasting life, today.
We are called and commanded in Scripture to love our enemies, to treat fellow image bearers of God with gentleness and to reach the lost for Christ. We are blessing those who hate us, and God by giving good gifts to them, and reaching out to children so they can come to Christ as well. We should not stop children from receiving the message of Christ as Scriptures says, and by handing out tracts today we are helping to plant seeds in the entire neighborhood. We are also storing up treasure in Heaven. Scripture tells us that we should not just bless those who are Christian, but also to those who are our enemies and who hate us because they wont be ones to return blessings to us instead we are blessing them and showing them the love of God. We belong to the Soverign Creator God so nothing that is evil or of Satan can have any control or sway on us and the evil ones cannot do anything to us that God has not allowed for His Will. Giving and blessing others where we get nothing in return in fact causes those unsaved ones to glorify God as they see our good works. So don't let the folk who are scaring you into not participating in Reformation Day or Halloween win. Christ is for us so none can have victory over us. Do not let any demonic fear keep you from fulfilling the Commission to share the Gospel and shine forth the Love of Christ.
Even the most introverted, scared believer who has not stepped out in faithful obedience to share the gospel with the lost can do so on Halloween. The neighborhood comes to your door.
Remember we are blessed to have freedom and liberty to share the Gospel here, it is illegal in many many countries (attempting it means jail & death), and with such a opportunity and day avail we can do so to reach others, why wouldn't we??
Here are some tips and resources for using this annual day to glorify God:
How to Tract on Reformation Day
Vid clip on what treat bags look like.
You can get holiday tracts here & fun ideas too, and candy list here.
*make sure to order them in advance, you can try next day air delivery but no guarantee the ones you want will be available
Death Beth, a link you can share and send to people to share the gospel with others, and online.
Attend or Host Reformation & Harvest parties. Keep children in safety of the Church, or party at Christian homes, keeping their minds and hearts focused on Christ that day. You can also hand out tract treat packs if the party is at your home, when neighbors knock, and let the kids participate. You are setting godly examples for them to boldly share Jesus with others.
Do not let Satan win at successfully getting you [a soldier of the Lord] to hide and cower cowardly in a foxhole. We shouldn't run from the world on Halloween to hide inside or go off to secluded campsite, just as we do not hide or live at a commune, monastery or in Amish village. We are in the world 365 247 just not of it. We Christians do things differently. We redeem days and redeem the time to live and focus on Christ. We are in the world, in a war, a battle, as a search and rescue team so to speak... trying to rescue and snatch people from the flames, and after salvation were left here as messengers of God to proclaim the gospel, >> we cannot do that by hiding our light under a basket, we Can do it by opening our door on this, the National Evangelism Day, and easily giving a zipbag with a candy and a tract in it to the entire neighborhood. We can do good towards and bless those who come to our door.
There's so many opportunities, to be a witness for Christ and the gospel, that you miss out on if you hide fearfully on Halloween.
There are several things you can do on Halloween to participate in being a light in the darkness.
So...Go into all the world and tell the Gospel. Be a light to the dark world. The world is wicked and evil 365 it is not just on Halloween. Demons flee at the name of Christ. If you are saved, you have nothing to fear. You are sent by God to be on mission for Him. He is always with you.
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20 yrs ago, we used to put a sign up on our door and said "Happy Reformation Day, we dont celebrate Halloween." But since 2002 we put tract packs together and offer them out on Halloween. It blesses them with a treat and a tract. Many teens and kids used to show up, but over the years fewer did. Mostly the families started going only to families doors or a couple people they knew and trusted. We have not had a single knock for trick or treaters in many years prior to covid.
But when we put together packs, and if it happens to you that no one knocks... you can simply hand them out the next couple days after Oct 31st. To anyone or coworkers and simply say, "hey I have leftover halloween treats... have one 😀". And they'll all be handed out by lunch or end of day 🙂.
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Bonus:
Street convos on Halloween (back up)
God bless!
Next Topic:
Halloween considerations & ideas
"... brothers and sisters, pray for us that the word of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honoured..." (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
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