The Challenge
If you’re serious about following Jesus, Halloween can pose a real challenge. How do you engage—or not engage—with a holiday so deeply rooted in our culture, and at the same time, remain true to your faith?
Different Perspectives
Some Christians respond by taking an isolationist approach. I understand that. Others choose to participate but use the opportunity to clearly share their beliefs—to witness for Jesus in the midst of it all. That’s a valid response, too. Then there are those with young children, seeking out alternatives like church “Harvest Festivals” that avoid any focus on death or the darker aspects of the holiday. I can see the wisdom in that as well.
The Reality
Still, we have to acknowledge the reality on the ground here in the United States. The National Retail Federation estimates that 73% of Americans will celebrate or participate in Halloween, and about 23% will actually go door-to-door trick-or-treating. Even more striking, according to the National Confectioners Association, 98% of Americans will open their doors to trick-or-treaters.
What Would Jesus Do?
That brings us to an important question. In the words popularized in the 1990s, “What would Jesus do?”
When we look at Jesus’ life, we see someone who didn’t isolate Himself from the world. He walked among sinners. He challenged the religious status quo at the Temple, but He also stepped into situations that violated cultural and religious norms. Think of Him speaking with the Samaritan woman in John 4 or touching a leper in Matthew 8. In Luke 7, He allowed a woman with a tarnished reputation—some say a prostitute—to approach Him.
At the time, these were radical acts, even if they seem less so now.
Jesus’ presence never meant He condoned everything happening around Him. Rather, it meant that God’s power was present in those moments.
I’m reminded of an older church leader I once heard, with a thick southern accent, who said, “Sinners, you can hang out with sinners. Jesus hung out with sinners. Just make sure you know which way the power’s flowin’.”
Making Your Own Decision
Ultimately, each of us has to decide how (or whether) to engage with the third largest holiday in America—one that’s projected to see over $11 billion in spending this year. It’s a personal decision, and it deserves careful thought and prayer.
A Positive Approach
At The Pocket Testament League, we encourage a simple idea: Offer the Gospel alongside your candy. Not instead of candy, but in addition to it.
Our gold standard is this: put out two baskets—one with candy, one with Gospels of John—and let them choose! Again and again, we hear stories that surprise us: “The kids reach first for the Gospel. Many then shyly ask if they can have candy as well.”
On a night when darkness is celebrated, God’s Word can shine as a light—offering hope, planting a seed. Will you bring hope to someone on Halloween?