Redeemer Update - 31 Oct 25

A reflection from Halloween 2024

Tonight we drove to Meadowbank wharf to take Eden for a walk. Along the way, the streets were filled with kids cutely dressed up as witches, skeletons, pumpkins, fairies and vampires with baskets in hand, ready to collect delectable goodies.

Growing up, Halloween wasn’t much of a thing for us in Australia. My knowledge about it was almost all from US TV shows like Home Improvement and The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episodes. But now it’s a big thing. ABC news thinks more than 1 in 5 Aussies will partake in Halloween celebrations, and as a nation we’ll spend $450 million on costumes, decorations and confectionery.

Which had me thinking, as a Christian if we participate, we should really understand what it is and how we can thoughtfully engage with it.

In our neighbourhood some people are going all out!

Today, halloween is a day of:

  • Decorations (cobwebs, skeletons, and pumpkins (Jack-o'-lanterns) and costumes around spooky themes.
  • Trick-or-treating which is kids knocking on the doors of houses in the neighbourhood - ones with decorations showing they’re participating and asking for either: a trick (a playful/mischievous prank) or a treat (candy).
  • Parties and events where things are everything from food, drinks and activities are Halloween themed).

But it has a deeper history.

Origins of Halloween

Different sources give slightly different answers (Wikipedia, Britannica, Google Gemini), but generally Halloween is seen to have started more than 2000 years as a Celtic pagan festival.

The 31 October was the end of summer/harvest when all the crops had been harvested and the herds returned from the pastures. So it marked the beginning of the darkest time of the year.

It was believed that this day was the transition point for the world of the living and the world of the dead - so this allowed for spirits, fairies and souls of the dead to cross over and walk on earth. People lit bonfires on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits and they sometimes wore masks and other disguises to avoid being recognised by the bad spirits that were present. That’s why in today’s halloween we see witches, goblins, fairies and demons.

The meaning of Halloween

While your average kid or parent might not think about it this much, here is what Halloween is about.

It is having themed fun with the following ideas:

  • That good and bad spirits exist in the universe and also enter into our world.
  • That supernatural things happening in our world when the spirit world enters this world (houses being haunted, objects being cursed, people being cursed and possessed, objects having the power to ward off evil spirits).

Christians engaging with Halloween

If I want to participate in Halloween stuff (because we have freedom to - 1 Cor 6:12), how can I do it well?

Here are three things to think about.

  1. We don't mess with dark and evil stuff (the occult)

While Scripture doesn’t specifically talk about Halloween. But it does address some of the roots of Halloween - witchcraft, the occult and divination. In the Old Testament, witchcraft was a crime punishable by death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27). The New Testament teaches that the occult and Christian should not mix. The story of Simon the Scorerer in Acts 8:9-24 teaches us that sorcery and Christianity are fundamentally opposed and cannot co-exist. The account of Elymas the sorcerer in Acts 13:6-11 reveals that sorcery is violently opposed to Christianity. Acts 19 shows new converts who were previously into occultism confessing their sins, bringing their magic paraphernalia before the apostle and burning them before everyone (Acts 19:19).

Yes, I do think it is possible to do Halloween stuff without worshipping/believing in/dabbling in the spiritual stuff as long as you’re conscious about it.

Application

So while we may be happy to dress up, attend a party or join neighbourhood friends in trick-or-treating, make it clear to your kids and yourself that we’re not celebrating and connecting with the stuff about evil spirits and darkness. Have a pep talk with them beforehand. Remind them as your pass by stuff. Debrief with them at the end of the night.

Why? This leads me to my second point. What is our view on ghosts, haunted houses and demons?

  1. Remember that Jesus defeated all evil

What is the biblical view of all the dark and scary stuff in the world? We don’t believe in the ‘halloweenised’ view of evil spirits. We believe that Jesus has disarmed the powers and authorities, made a public spectacle of them and triumphed over them by the cross (Colossians 2:15). His victory is total; their defeat is absolute.

Colossians 2:15 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

We don’t have to fear an elaborately set-up haunted house with creepy music and dim lighting. We don’t have to fear zombies or the grim reaper. We don’t even have to fear Satan, the adversary of God and humanity.

Because Christ is Lord over all! Satan and his army of evil spirits have been disarmed.

Application Halloween opens the door for great conversation with your family but also with friends and strangers about your views of evil and dark stuff in the world. Jesus the light of the world came so that I don’t have to walk in darkness (John 8:12).

Look for opportunities to talk to bring up Jesus in conversation - which is my final point.

  1. Use it as an opportunity to connect with people

Probably the best reason for Christians to engage with Halloween is to hang out with people and talk about Jesus.

Application Dress up, drive out to a fun neighbourhood that gets into it, give out candy if you’re in a high trick-or-treat traffic area… and make friends with people, get to know people better, use different aspects of Halloween to bring up Jesus. Apostle Paul a version of this when he engaged with people in various cities - notably in Acts 17.

Upcoming events

Thanksgiving Lunch

  • Date: 2 November
  • Time: After Sunday service
  • What is it: Our annual special church lunch! It's a wonderful time to gather as a family to thank God and express gratitude for the fellowship and memories we've shared throughout the past year.
  • Open Mic Sharing: This year will feature an open mic session! We encourage you to start thinking about some nice words or encouraging messages you'd like to share with your growth group or ministry team.
  • Cost: around $15 per adult and $10 per child (over 5).

Annual General Meeting

  • Date: 9 November
  • Time: 12PM
  • What is it: Our family gathering where we talk about God’s work at Redeemer City Church.
  • Agenda items:
  1. Confirm minutes of 11 August 2024 AGM
  2. Elder Board report
  3. Finance report
  4. Receive new members
  5. Elect Elder Board members to serve until 2028 AGM
  6. Thanksgiving and closing prayer

**Christmas time events **

This year we plan to have a Christmas day mini service (on Christmas day - 25 Dec). It will be a short 40 min service with carols, a short talk (child friendly), a game/activity and a dress theme. Morning tea will also be provided. Also, we plan to have an end of year picnic on 27 December at Berry Reserve (Narrabean).

More details on both to come shortly.

Other updates

This week Rev. Joe was away (Mon-Thu) at his third and final Leadership development intensive training week with Reach Australia.

Prayer points

  • Praise God for a successful weekend retreat away. We had lots of laughs, late night snacking and chats and warm yet challenging words from the book of James.

James 2:17 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

  • Give us strength to continue to persevere through trials and to fight temptation, Lord. So many things compete for our attention and our love, but we resolve to give you our everything. You said, "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37). We desire to love you more than even the greatest and most dearest things to us.

  • We give thanks for good godly friends who served us over the weekend: Boon and Marianne, Letitia and Alex. May Apostle Paul’s words ring true that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35). May serving draw them closer to Christ, develop their character and give them a greater sense of purpose and well-being.

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