All Hallows' Eve!

For Friday, October 31, 2025:

Deuteronomy 18:10b-11 NLT, Instructions for people living in the Promised Land: “Do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead.”

Q: Should Christians celebrate Halloween? A: Only in an innocent and fun way!

All Hallows’ Eve is the night before All Saints’ Day. Pagan Celts erroneously believed that graves would open, and the dead would walk among the living. That’s why we see cemeteries, tombstones and skeletons as Halloween decorations. Witches with their black cats and brooms filled out the dark side of Halloween, practices Christians should avoid at all costs. But Halloween doesn’t have to be like that!

There’s nothing wrong with kids dressing in fun costumes and seeking free candy. My church held a “Trunk of Treat” event. We ate popcorn, drank hot cider, and signed people up for the New Members’ class. The kids played simple games in which everybody won free candy. We signed some of them up for Sunday School! I brought my grandson, dressed as Spiderman. He had a ball! I saw four Spidermen at the event!

We did not have witches, ghosts or ghouls. No “spirits,” evil or otherwise, walked among us. We kept the good, fun parts of Halloween, while discarding the evil.

I want to close by reminding everyone that Satan is real, and he’s always looking to get his foot in our doors. Halloween presents a perfect opportunity for the Devil’s evil plans. His demon helpers are still problematic today. Jesus spent a fair amount of time casting out demons. There’s a lot of evil in our world, and Satan is fueling most of it, so we need to stay alert. Avoid the Evil One at all costs, while loving the children who enjoy a fall party and free candy!

Happy Halloween!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

All Hallow's Eve!

For Thursday, October 31, 2024:

2 Corinthians 5:8 PHILLIPS: “We would really rather be “away” from the body (in death) and be “at home” with the Lord.”

In the US, today is “Halloween” or All Hallows’ Eve. Kids don fun costumes, ring doorbells, shout “Trick or Treat” and receive candy, allegedly for not ‘tricking’ anyone! It can be a fun holiday celebrating autumn, harvest and sometimes the first snowfall.

But there are dark parts of Halloween to be avoided. ’Witchcraft’ means the use of magic or supernatural powers to inflict harm or misfortune on others. If anyone has such power, it comes straight from the devil himself. When believers die, our spirits are instantly with the Lord. Non-believers get to hang out in Satan’s realm. The Bible makes no mention of souls caught midway between this life and the next. So there really are no ghosts. Graves do not open up. Once we’ve entered the next reality, there’s no going back. Sorry, Ghostbusters! You’ll have to find another line of work!

The Lord will show you everything you need to know. Hauntings, séances, tarot cards, Ouija boards, and crystal balls are attempts to offer insight into an unknown world that lies beyond the limits of our physical existence. The truth is that we cannot go there.

Tomorrow is “All Saints’ Day,” often celebrated the following Sunday. We remember both our ancestors and other great people who have gone before us. Our Mexican neighbors celebrate Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos,) similar to All Saints’ Day.

So let’s enjoy the holiday, savoring the fun parts, the good parts, and setting aside rumors and bad theology. Stick with what the Bible teaches!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship