Part 2 - The Christian and Halloween
Thank you for the loving way some have disagreed with my blog on Halloween.
http://dougrea.posterous.com/the-christian-and-halloween-run-mighty-armyru
That speaks volumes to me concerning your hearts for Jesus Christ and the unity of the Body. I am always fearful about sounding argumentative or debating because there is no love in either of these. Having said that, I would love an opportunity to address some specifics questions as respectfully as you all addressed yours to me.Halloween is just one example of a major issue I have with the church: "different = separate."
Just look at the life of Jesus how he never found time for "church" people unless he was training them to get among the "sinners." He found company in prostitutes, tax collectors and others. I can't imaging Jesus doing anything less then allowing those costumed children of Halloween to come to Him to be loved and blessed and yes - even receive a piece of candy. Don't we give the church kids snacks on Sunday mornings and at church socials? Well then why not give these kids snacks on a day that WE KNOW where they will be? Makes sense to me.
I realize it doesn't sound like something most churches would do but it does sound like something the early church or even Jesus would do. And since Jesus did choose to sit and dine with the sinners, it was only the bound-in-tradition "church" people who would get angry about it. Jesus violated everything that they assumed a man-made religion stood for and that the man of God should look an act like.That's what we did last year on Halloween. "What makes us different?" one asked. We were not just some people in our homes giving out candy -we were a visible "church." The building was there. We didn't preach "Come on in." We preached "Go Tell!" Those children were learning NOT what we stand against but that we welcome them with open arms. We went right into the middle of Satan's camp and touched those children with their parents watching.In a nutshell we showed them that we love them even as they participate in this most unholy of so called holidays. They got to see that the church of Jesus Christ knows no bounds of acceptance and forgiveness. Parents, children and passers by got to see that there is nothing that can keep us from extending God's hand of love to them. Yes we will go to the pits to give them a peice of candy because we love them.We always talk about getting outside the church walls - but then we take the walls with us and try to get to people NOT where they are but rather we try and pull them into our mindsets. Jesus always went where the people were. On October 31st - the people were on the streets. That's were we went. We went out with no secret agenda to get them into church. We simply sowed seeds of love and grace. I like that word, grace!all things to all men... Doug
