Is it OK to celebrate Halloween?

As a pastor I’m often asked, “Is it OK to celebrate Halloween?” Halloween is certainly a big part of the American culture. According to Time Magazine, Americans will spend close to $7 billion on Halloween this year, making it second to only Christmas in terms of consumer spending. The church’s response to Halloween falls all over the spectrum - some churches teach against Halloween and others take part in one way or another, whether participating fully in their neighborhood or by offering alternative activities at church. So, what is my view? Before I answer that question, I want to stress the mission statement of The Well. Our mission is to connect people to God, one another, and the world. I believe that in order for us to connect with people inside and outside of church, we need to be loving our neighbors. This means that being rooted and grounded in Christ, we should participate not just in Halloween, but also in other neighborhood activities. A lot of Christians have missed opportunities to demonstrate God’s love to their neighbors in the name of church. I believe Halloween may be the best time for us to live out the gospel among our neighbors.