Halloween and the Great Commission

Let me tell you my ideal evening home from work. I get out of my car and walk from my car to my front door, successfully avoiding any eye contact or small talk, until I am through my front door and there I stay, never having to leave my comfort zone or exchange pleasantries, for the rest of the evening. The idea of talking to my neighbors exhausts me, and quite frankly, makes me feel a bit queasy. But here is the problem, when Christ commands me to go out and make disciples, He means my neighbors too. If I want to reach my neighbors with the gospel, I actually have to talk to them.

For this reason, Halloween can be a great opportunity. It is the neighborhood equivalent of speed dating. What better time is there to reach out to my neighbors, then when they are standing just in front of my house as their kids are collecting candy from my wife? I cannot imagine less threatening circumstances from which to strike up a conversation.

There is lots of controversy surrounding Halloween within Christian circles. But what is not controversial is that we are called to be lights to the world. For hermits like me, next Monday night is a good time to start.