"Grunge Christianity?" - by John MacArthur

Under the link http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/A172 John MacArthur responds to the downgrading of Christian ministers and ministries and its effect on life changing evangelism and discipleship. Please consider this short, but thought provoking article…Pastor Paul Guay.

Grunge Christianity?

James 4:4;John 15:18-19;John 17:14-16

Counterculture’s Death-Spiral and the Vulgarization of the Gospel

John MacArthur

One of the favorite topics on the evangelical agenda these days is how the church should “engage the culture.” Do Christians need to imitate the boorish aspects of a quickly-decaying civilization in order to remain “relevant”? Some evidently think so.

We keep hearing from evangelical strategists and savvy church leaders that Christians need to be more tuned into contemporary culture.

You have no doubt heard the arguments: We need to take the message out of the bottle. We can’t minister effectively if we don’t speak the language of contemporary counterculture. If we don’t vernacularize the gospel, contextualize the church, and reimagine Christanity for each succeeding generation, how can we possibly reach young people? Above all else, we have got to stay in step with the times.

Those arguments have been stressed to the point that many evangelicals now seem to think unstylishness is just about the worst imaginable threat to the expansion of the gospel and the influence of the church. They don’t really care if they are worldly. They just don’t want to be thought uncool.

That way of thinking has been around at least since modernism began its aggressive assault on biblical Christianity in the Victorian era. For half a century or more, most evangelicals resisted the pragmatic thrust of the modernist argument, believing it was a fundamentally worldly philosophy. They had enough biblical understanding to realize that “friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

But the mainstream evangelical movement gave up the battle against worldliness half a century ago, and then completely capitulated to pragmatism just a couple of decades ago. After all, most of the best-known megachurches that rose to prominence after 1985 were built on a pragmatic philosophy of giving “unchurched” people whatever it takes to make them feel comfortable. Why would anyone criticize what “works”?

Whole churches have thus deliberately immersed themselves in “the culture”–by which they actually mean “whatever the world loves at the moment.” We now have a new breed of trendy churches whose preachers can rattle off references to every popular icon, every trifling meme, every tasteless fashion, and every vapid trend that captures the fickle fancy of the postmodern secular mind.

Worldly preachers seem to go out of their way to put their carnal expertise on display–even in their sermons. In the name of connecting with “the culture” they want their people to know they have seen all the latest programs on MTV; familiarized themselves with all the key themes of “South Park”; learned the lyrics to countless tracks of gangsta rap and heavy metal music; and watched who-knows-how-many R-rated movies. They seem to know every fad top to bottom, back to front, and inside out. They’ve adopted both the style and the language of the world–including lavish use of language that used to be deemed inappropriate in polite society, much less in the pulpit. They want to fit right in with the world, and they seem to be making themselves quite comfortable there.

Mark Driscoll is one of the best-known representatives of that kind of thinking. He is a very effective communicator–a bright, witty, clever, funny, insightful, crude, profane, deliberately shocking, in-your-face kind of guy. His soteriology is exactly right, but that only makes his infatuation with the vulgar aspects of contemporary society more disturbing.

Driscoll ministers in Seattle, birthplace of “grunge” music and heart of the ever-changing subculture associated with that movement. Driscoll’s unique style and idiom might aptly be labeled “post-grunge.” His language–even in his sermons–is deliberately crude. He is so well known for using profane language that in Blue Like Jazz (p. 133), Donald Miller (popular author and icon of the “Emerging Church” movement, who speaks of Driscoll with the utmost admiration) nicknamed him “Mark the Cussing Pastor.”

I don’t know what Driscoll’s language is like in private conversation, but I listened to several of his sermons. To be fair, he didn’t use the sort of four-letter expletives most people think of as cuss words–nothing that might get bleeped on broadcast television these days. Still, it would certainly be accurate to describe both his vocabulary and his subject matter at times as tasteless, indecent, crude, and utterly inappropriate for a minister of Christ. In every message I listened to, at least once he veered into territory that ought to be clearly marked off limits for the pulpit.

Some of the things Driscoll talks freely and frequently about involve words and subject matter I would prefer not even to mention in public, so I am not going to quote or describe the objectionable parts. Besides, the issue has already been discussed and dissected at several blogs. Earlier this year, Tim Challies cited one typical example of Driscoll’s vulgar flippancy from Confessions of a Reformission Rev. The sermons I listened to also included several from Driscoll’s “Vintage Jesus” series, including the one Phil Johnson critiqued in October.

The point I want to make is not about Driscoll’s language per se, but about the underlying philosophy that assumes following society down the Romans 1 path is a valid way to “engage the culture.” It’s possible to be overexposed to our culture’s dark side. I don’t think anyone can survive full immersion in today’s entertainments and remain spiritually healthy.

Let’s face it: Many of the world’s favorite fads are toxic, and they are becoming increasingly so as our society descends further in its spiritual death-spiral. It’s like a radioactive toxicity, so while those who immerse themselves in it might not notice its effects instantly, they nevertheless cannot escape the inevitable, soul-destroying contamination. And woe to those who become comfortable with the sinful fads of secular society. The final verse of Romans 1 expressly condemns those “who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.”

Even when you marry such worldliness with good systematic theology and a vigorous defense of substitutionary atonement, the soundness of the theoretical doctrine doesn’t sanctify the wickedness of the practical lifestyle. The opposite happens. Solid biblical doctrine is trivialized and mocked if we’re not doers of the Word as well as teachers of it.

We could learn from the example of Paul, who engaged the philosophers on Mars Hill. But far from embracing their culture, he was repulsed by it. Acts 17:16 says, “while Paul waited for [Silas and Timothy] at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given over to idols.”

When Paul spoke to that culture, he didn’t adopt Greek scatology to show off how hip he could be. He simply declared the truth of God’s Word to them in plain language. And not all of his pagan listeners were happy with that (v. 18). That’s to be expected. Jesus said, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

Even Jesus’ high priestly prayer included a thorough description of the Christian’s proper relationship with and attitude toward the world: “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14-16).

Whenever Jesus spoke of believers’ being in the world, He stated that if we are faithful, the world will be a place of hostility and persecution, not a zone of comfort. He also invariably followed that theme with a plea for our sanctification (cf. John 17:17-19).

The problem with the “grunge” approach to religion is that it works against the sanctifying process. In fact, in one of the messages I listened to, Driscoll actually boasted that his sanctification goes no higher than his shoulders. His defense of substitutionary atonement might help his disciples gain a good grasp of the doctrine of justification by faith; but the lifestyle he models–especially his easygoing familiarity with all this world’s filthy fads–practically guarantees that they will make little progress toward authentic sanctification.

I frankly wonder how any Christian who takes the Bible at face value could ever think that in order to be “culturally relevant” Christians should participate in society’s growing infatuation with vulgarity. Didn’t vulgarity and culture used to be considered polar opposites?

The Gift

If you were being offered a gift that was beyond any other a man could give, one that was so precious, so priceless because the cost of it was beyond comparison; a gift that you could not only delight in now but for always; one that would give you endless joy, security, and peace and would make you richer than any king - would you reject it?

If the gift meant that you would never again have to struggle, never again have to fear, that all sorrow, worry and trials would cease - would you take it then?

If this priceless gift would mean a renewal of life, health never again affected or damaged, and peace of mind beyond comprehension - would you take the gift being offered?

The price of the gift has been paid in full by another, the conditions surrounding it have been met, and there is nothing more you need do except receive the gift and begin to enjoy it - would you still refuse to take it?

Many have refused it. Many have turned from the hand offering it, preferring instead to amass their own wealth, seek pleasures on their own terms, set their own standards and conditions, and attempt to attain life by their own merits. But they will always fail.

At the end of their lives, they will mourn for their refusal of the gift that was once offered. They will long to go back to the time when they still had a choice before the offer was withdrawn. Then they will know the true value of the gift that had been offered them and they will forever grieve because they rejected it.

If you are reading this and you have yet to seize the gift that is being offered you, there is still time. The Gift Giver is patient and He will not force you to take it. But it is His will that you take it from His hand and begin to enjoy it now while you still have the opportunity. Continued rejection of His gift will eventually drive Him away, and what you could have had will be lost forever.

So, what are you waiting for? Take the gift He is offering you and begin to truly live. And while you are at it, invite Him in to stay, for the gift He is giving is only the beginning of wonders to come.

A "burden" ... A "choice"... A life.

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The Church Divided

I recently heard a Pastor recount an event he recently experienced. He received a request to come to another town and give his aid in planting a new church. When he arrived, he took it upon himself to investigate the number of churches that currently existed in the community. The final tally revealed there were already one hundred Christian congregations that served the area. The result of his investigation forced him to ask the question why it was necessary to add one more. What progressed from that point, he did not say, but it compelled to the forefront a problem that has been nagging me for a long time. Why is Christ’s church divided, and what is it that makes it so?

Of course, there are obvious reasons that cause a split in congregations. To list them all here would require more space than is prudent and there is no need to write a thesis on them. The most legitimate reason is to plant a new church in an area that is in need, and the most disturbing, a turning away from sound doctrine and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness. There is no shortage of preachers who teach health, wealth and prosperity. Their message, “God has a plan and a purpose for you” is usually void of any solid teaching of what God expects from Christians. Then there are the churches that teach God’s Word evolves as times change, perverting it to suit the sinful natures of the congregants and giving them license to continue in their sin. The consequences of a sinful life are rarely taught, hell is never mentioned, and a head-count and full coffers are all too often the driving force in filling the pews. The list is endless and, I might add, nauseating.

However, I found it troubling that the Pastor I mentioned above also has a divided congregation. Two identical sermons are preached each Sunday because the older generation prefers hymns and dirges to the contemporary music the younger generation desires. Instead of the worship leader placating both by providing a good mix of each, this congregation of less than one hundred people has chosen to part company, and as one group files out, another group files in. In other words, the Pastor can see beyond and into other church’s shortcomings, but he fails to recognize a petty and disturbing problem within his own. If he has recognized it, he has chosen to let the flock lead the shepherd rather than the other way around.

There is never a valid reason for division in the church that is preaching the fullness of the Gospel and providing sound Biblical teaching. If this qualification is met, the congregants should be satisfied. However, because of the importance placed on certain things such as the type of worship service that is led (great music provided by big bands and large worship teams that stir the emotions, and entertainment that pleases the congregants), the real message is being missed. There is one church and it is Christ’s church which is comprised of all true believers who are in Christ Jesus. Christ’s church represents “one body” which is “not made up of one part but of many,” and is unable to function effectively if one part dictates its will over the other parts. To put it in simpler terms, no single part is more important than another. “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it…” If the “ligaments” that hold the body together are weakened by division, the result is an unfruitful church. But if the body is held together, drawing its strength from its Head Jesus Christ, then there is unity and a common goal. (1Cor 12:12-27)

Satan has been very effective in causing unrest, petty arguments and breeding contention that tears apart the body of Christ. When Christians allow him to assume control over their emotions, the result of his interference spills over into the rest of the body. The conclusion is always division, and it is usually catastrophic. I have personally witnessed the destruction of a church that became divided. The Apostle Paul cautioned the Romans “to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles” in their way to disrupt and destroy their unity in Christ Jesus (Rom 16:17). If in our commonality we remain devoted to Him and His will, the “obstacles” that are thrown in front of us are easily overcome by reason and through the strength of the entire body.

Jesus, in response to the false charges the Pharisees brought against Him, responded with this: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” (Matt 12:25, NKJ) When a church finds itself in this position, the reaction is to divide itself and go their separate ways rather than to unite and solve the problems within it. Paul asked the Corinthians, “Is Christ divided?” (1Cor 1:13). The answer to his question should be clear to us: Never! His question should pierce the heart of every Saint and cause us to re-examine the petty complaints or arguments we may have that causes separation.

Jesus Christ is building an eternal kingdom, one that will last and never be divided. However, at this juncture, it is up to us to help hold it together until that great day, remaining united in all things of Christ. And if we are faithful in our endeavor to hold Christ’s body of believers together, there will not be a need to build another church.

David Phelps singing "No More Night" - Please share this with your Spanish-speaking friends! It's beautiful!

"Justification By Faith" - By Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

Like my niece, Becky, who writes on more than one blog (I honestly do not know how she does it!), there just does not seem to be enough time to post new articles. My life is not overwhelmed by physical activity (although my physical condition could USE more physical activity!), but it does seem to be full of a great deal of spiritual activity lately. And, unfortunately for my readers, it is not here on the blog!

This morning's devotion from Oswald Chambers is a good reminder of how we are justified - found innocent - in God's sight. As my witness has reminded me lately, it is not me who does the work, it is the Holy Spirit. All I am capable of doing is giving the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have not yet received it and by expressing the truth that it is by His atoning work on the cross that we are able to stand and be found innocent before God's throne. And as the conclusion of Mr. Chamber's devotion states, there is nothing more I can do to acquire salvation than that which has already been done by my Savior Jesus Christ.

I, like Chambers, know that I am saved. The marvelous "how" will be explained later when I am standing face-to-face with my God and He spends an eternity telling me all about it.

I hope the following devotion also blesses you this morning as it has me.


"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:10

"I am not saved by believing; I realize I am saved by believing. It is not repentance that saves me; repentance is the sign that I realize what God has done in Christ Jesus. The danger is to put the emphasis on the effect instead of on the cause. 'It is my obedience that puts me right with God, my consecration.' Never! I am put right with God because prior to all, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals I can accept, instantly the stupendous Atonement of Jesus Christ rushes me into a right relationship with God; and by the supernatural miracle of God's grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, not because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings it with a breaking, all-over light, and I know, though I do not know how, that I am saved.

The salvation of God does not stand on human logic, it stands on the sacrificial Death of Jesus. We can be born again because of the Atonement of Our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creatures, not by their repentance or their belief, but by the marvelous work of God in Christ Jesus which is prior to all experience. The impregnable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We have not to work out these things ourselves; they have been worked out by the Atonement. The supernatural becomes natural by the miracle of God; there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done -

'It is finished.' "

Knit One, Purl One

Several years ago I took up the art of knitting. Or better yet, I should say knitting took up me. My Mom had taught me to crochet when I was young and I had taken a stab at knitting, but my knit one, purl one career was short-lived and my first project, a vest, went into the “let’s forget this ever happened” box.

When my grandbabies started coming into the world, I scoured the yarn shops for crochet patterns and spent hundreds of hours creating booties, sweaters and blankets. But I began to notice that it was difficult to find delicate and cute crocheted clothing, especially as the kids grew. One Easter, I crocheted myself into the wee hours of the morning, developing a raging case of tendonitis, because I was determined that my granddaughter would have her sweater to wear to church. That was the turning point in my needlecraft career. I knew I had to make a change and so I threw myself into learning how to knit. The possibilities were endless, at least much more so than crocheting, and I discovered knitting used as much as half the yarn crocheting required.

Mom had given me a “Learn to Knit” book, that had been hers before she was married, and her old knitting needles. I dug them out, fearlessly grabbed up some yarn, and tackled what to me seemed the impossible. I bought scads of books of baby sweaters and clothing and started knitting sets of sweaters, hats and socks. When I ran into trouble, I went to the internet where I discovered web sites that offer as much help as a fledgling knitter needs, including videos of more difficult stitches. I also spent hours searching for free patterns to print out. But as the pile of baby sets grew, I began to wonder what I was going to do with them. After all, my sons and their wives, much to my dismay, were not going to continuously produce babies to knit for, and those I did have were growing faster than I could knit. I knitted for niece’s and nephew’s and friend’s babies, but the pile continued to grow. There just were not enough babies - or, at least I thought that was the case.

My sister, Dana, is a board member of a local pregnancy center in her area that offers alternatives to abortion. They also have a small gift shop in the center. As the girls that come to the center progress in their pregnancy they earn points that can be used to purchase items in the gift shop. There was my answer, and fourteen sweater-hat-sock sets later, I had learned to knit. However, it was not without its trouble.

Let me set the stage for you: as I began each sweater, I would pray over it as it was created. If I ran into a problem, I would ask the Holy Spirit for help. I recall a particular sweater I was going to make and how I would get to a certain point and make the same mistake over and over. Frustrated, I ripped it out for the last time, picked up an identical yarn in a different color, and the same sweater pattern was created without a hitch. I guess He required the second color for a particular baby that would receive it.

Another example of divine help was over a pair of baby socks. I would often knit in the car as my husband and I traveled. It made the trip over the Oregon Blues go faster. I was knitting the last sock and worriedly kept looking at the amount of yarn I had to complete it. I just knew this second sock would not have a toe. I started praying that the Lord would increase the yarn in order to complete it. When I was done, I had three inches of yarn left over, just enough to bury to prevent it from coming loose. Another baby needed that second sock.

As I have progressed in my passion for knitting it has become obvious to me that it is an art that was created with divine guidance. There is no other explanation. The oldest knitted item that has been discovered is a pair of very delicate socks that were found in an Egyptian tomb. It looks as though they were made with needles the size of a strand of hair and yarn from a spider’s web. However, fishermen and sailors are given credit as the first knitters who whiled away their time on board ships doing needlecraft. When you think about it, it is a little amusing to think of a burly man creating such delicate items. But if you ponder why someone had the thought to sheer a sheep, card its wool, spin it into yarn, then take up two sticks the same size to join loops to create a blanket or clothing, it does defy common reasoning. The mathematics behind knitting is also mind staggering. One may think it is a simple matter to create a pattern out of two stitches, but experience has taught me otherwise. I will leave that to someone with a better brain than mine.

If you have the interest to take up a needlecraft such as knitting or crocheting, I would highly recommend beginning by making items for charity. There is endless help one can find in books and on the internet to aid you in becoming proficient at it, and a vast supply of free patterns can be found. Also, there are several organizations that can be found on the internet that provide patterns and assistance in knitting for charity. But if you ever run into a real snag, the greatest help will come from the One who developed the craft. If you ask Him, He will take your hands in His and knit one, purl one right along with you because there is a child somewhere waiting for your gift.

Oh, and by the way…just be sure you are knitting with the right color, and do not worry about having enough yarn.

The Lord Of The Harvest

“Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He will send forth labourers into His harvest.

Matthew 9:38 (KJV)

I would like to take a moment to do some visualization. Imagine, if you will, a vast field of ripe wheat that stretches from horizon to horizon with no end in sight. The stalks of wheat sway in the breeze like undulating waves of the sea, their heads heavy with golden kernels bowing to the earth below. It is a unimaginable harvest of great proportions and if the sickle is not put to the straw, the kernels threaten to break loose from the heads and fall to the ground in waste.

The owner of the wheat field understands this threat for he sowed the individual seeds, watched them grow and tended them, and knows there is only a small window of opportunity that remains to gather the crop to his storehouses. He looks for laborers who will help him harvest the fruit, promising to reward them handsomely if they will. But the workers who come to him are few in number and the success of the harvest relies upon the intensity with which they toil. As the harvest continues, the bushels of grain are brought in and counted. Each basket is placed on scales and it becomes obvious to the owner they are lacking in weight. His eye searches out others with a willingness to join in the labor of securing this great harvest, but he only finds those who are wanting to enjoy the fruits of others labor instead of offering a hand to help. (John 4:34-38)

As the allotted time for the harvest draws to a close, the owner looks out over the field where he sees only dead stalks that remain standing. He knows there was great loss and that the final tally will indicate such. He closes the doors to his storehouses that hold the glistening, golden kernels and goes out to burn what remains.

Now, if you are able, put a face on the head of each stalk of wheat; a loved one, a friend, a stranger. The wheat field has become a sea of humanity, a swaying mass of souls whose roots cling to the hard-packed soil of the world and sin. The final harvest is near (Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:15), and God looks out to see who will come and help Him save some from it. It is a “plentiful” harvest, “but the workers are few.” (Luke 10:2) The majority of His children are unwilling to be sent out among the “wolves” (v3), even at the expense of knowing a soul may be lost to the flames that burn what remains.

In the original Greek, the word “send”, or “ekballo,” implies pushing forward or thrusting out. It is the same word used in Scripture for the expulsion of a demon in a possessed man, thus indicating a action with a degree of force compelling it. God does not force man to bend to His will. But He will send His Holy Spirit to compell a man to “thrust” himself into the harvest field and help Him bring souls into His storehouses for safe keeping. By doing so, the worker is reaping a harvest of righteousness that will last an eternity. Paul tells the Galatians to continue to do good, for “the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:8b) He exhorts us to “not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (v9) By having a willingness to labor for Him and trusting God to strengthen us, we are able to help Him bring others to Christ and are also rewarded for our toil.

The sea of faces that stretches from horizon to horizon are in great peril of becoming over ripe and falling to the dust below if there is not a desire within our hearts to assist the Lord in gathering them before they do. We all know someone who does not yet know their Savior Jesus Christ and whose soul is threatened with the “winepress of God’s wrath” (Rev. 14:14-20). We should be in constant prayer that the “Lord of the harvest” will send out His workers to reap the fields that are ripe and ready. But more importantly, we should be willing workers who yield to His gentle prodding and allow Him to “thrust” us out into the fields of humanity to help gather a great harvest for Him.

C. H. Spurgeon once wrote, “Lord, it is harvest time! Put in your sickle and reap!” While there is still time, push forward into the fields and plant the seeds of God’s Word in the hearts of men. Then watch Him reap a bountiful harvest of untold proportions!

"Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends." John 15:13

Halloween

Fall is here and with it comes the celebration known as Halloween. Traditionally, Halloween is recognized on October 31st. From its introduction into American society by Irish immigrants, pumpkins are carved with ghoulish faces and children dress in costumes ranging from ghosts to goblins to pirates and princesses and travel door to door demanding candy and treats in lieu of tricks enacted upon the homeowner who is unwilling to comply. When the evening is over, a month's worth of tooth decaying candy loaded with sugar is brought home and secreted away, and parents attempt to wind down their hyped-up children who have had their hand in it the entire evening.

It all sounds pretty benign and innocent from this perspective: children engaged in fun, receiving yummy treats and participating in dress-up and games. Halloween was a time of year that even I looked forward to. I spent hours creating scary costumes for my sons and looked forward to joining my sister and her children in walking the streets of our town. The fall leaves had dropped from the elm trees that lined the streets, the air was crisp and cold, and our children ran laughing into yards that were turned into cemeteries or haunted houses with sound-effects for an added touch. The kids had a blast and we ended the evening with doughnuts and apple cider at my parent's house.

Several years ago, a local church pastor wrote a letter to the Editor of our small paper following the celebration of that year's Halloween. It left an indelible imprint on my memory and caused me to question just what we were allowing our children to participate in. He recounted memories from his own childhood in his Scandinavian homeland where Halloween had a totally different meaning. The details have faded, but I do remember him recalling child sacrifice and dark rituals. He concluded that if we had experienced what he had, we would eliminate the practice of celebrating Halloween from our lives. So, let us take a very brief look (for the information is plentiful if one takes the time to Google it) into the history and practice of what we are now touting as a "holiday." Also, bear in mind that I am not condoning or condemning the practice of trick or treating, only providing food for thought so parents can make their own determinations.

Halloween began with the pre-Christian pagan Celtic people in Ireland. It was known as the festival of "Samhain" (pronounced "sow" like the female pig, and "en") - also known as the Celtic New Year - and was to mark the passing of harvest into winter by slaughtering livestock and stockpiling provisions to see them through the cold months ahead. They believed that October 31st signified a day where the boundary between the living and dead dissolved, and that the deceased were allowed that one 24-hour period to wreak havoc, sickness, crop failure, and death upon the living. The Celtic pagans would build bonfires into which bones of slaughtered livestock were thrown, dress in costumes and don masks to copy or placate the evil spirits, and even carve faces into turnips or rutabagas. They clung to the belief that the "head" was the most powerful part of the body and by using the head of the vegetable it would frighten off the embodiment of spirits and superstitions. This brought about the emergence of the jack-o-lantern, which is derived from a legend of a "greedy, gambling, hard-drinking farmer" who "tricked the devil into climbing a tree and trapped him by carving a cross in the tree trunk." The farmer was cursed by the devil and made to wander the earth by night with only the light of a candle inside the turnip to guide him.

The Celtic people also participated in games that were often in the form of divination, such as blindfolding a person and making them choose from among several saucers placed in front of them. The contents of the saucer, whether good or bad, determined the person's life in the year to come. Another game, one that has survived and is continued today among Irish and Scottish households, is one where a long strip of apple peel is tossed over the shoulder and believed to land in the shape of the first letter of the person's future spouse. Unmarried women were told if they gazed into a mirror on Halloween night, the face of their future husband would appear. However, if they were going to die before marriage, a face of a skull would hover in there. It is reported that this custom continued even on greeting cards into the 19th and 20th centuries.

Samhain became "All Hollows Eve" when the Catholic Church began to "Christianize" the pagan Celts. Rather than eliminate the practice, the Catholic Church chose to combine it with their celebration of "All Saints Day." It was moved from May 13th by Popes Gregory the III and IV (which, according to sources I found, was the date of a pagan holiday, the "Feast of Lemures", whereby the ancient Romans performed exorcisms to rid their homes of the "malevolent and fearful ghosts of the dead") to November 1st. They believed that by uniting the two celebrations the Celts would embrace theirs.

We all know that Satanists and Wiccans have taken Halloween as their own "holiday." I found one particular website that admonished anyone who believed their "rites" and "practices" on this day were anything but innocuous and harmless. In fact, it was not long ago that a group of Wiccans were making noise about children dressing up as "evil witches" and giving them a "bad name." They wanted the practice stopped and one such town (I believe it was Salem, Massachusetts) caved in to their demands and banned children from donning witch costumes on Halloween.

We have also seen an increase in troubled and unlawful behavior arise during the Halloween season. Instead of harmless pranks being played out in one night upon households that do not participate, some youths have embraced "Hell Week" which involves several days of destructive and often violent behavior upon many aspects of society. It has become acceptable to get involved and excused away as "kids having fun."

Some evangelical churches have moved to eliminate the practice of celebrating Halloween from within their congregations. Their belief is that it invites participation in a Satanic and pagan ritual that has no place in the lives of Christians. Because I, too, am a Christian, I deeply respect their decision to remove the practice. However, I am somewhat disturbed by what has replaced it and the possibility of the hypocrisy behind it. Children are encouraged to participate in "Harvest Festivals" that are held at churches on Halloween night. They can even "dress up," although I am sure a ghoul or devil costume is out of the question. They play "games" and receive candy and "treats". In other words, they are involved in everything that a child who goes out into his neighborhood on Halloween is doing. The only difference is the location. I must, however, add that some churches encourage Scriptural themes and prayer during this time and are attempting to provide an alternative to the Halloween celebration. But the question that plagues me is, "What is so different about their celebration as opposed to the pagan one?" (Read a former witch turned Christian's perspective on "Harvest Parties" http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html#harvestparties)

The Celts celebrated their own "Harvest Festival" in Samhain, which signified the end of one season passing to another. They "dressed up", played "games" and placated the evil spirits with "treats." The parallel between Halloween and "Harvest Festivals" is just a little too close to make me comfortable. I would rather see the churches do nothing than attempt to provide an event that is riddled with similarities to ancient pagan practices. As is mentioned in the above article, the beginning of trouble is in the "fun" that is being had. If their congregants are firmly grounded in the Word of God they will make the proper choices for their children and for themselves.

As I am writing this, my daughter-in-law, Rachel, is scouring the local thrift shop for items to create my grandchildrens costumes for this up-coming Halloween. The kids are excited and looking forward to filling their bags with treats, even if it snows, which it more than likely will. And I am sure the boys will want to look as garish and gruesome as they possibly can. A few years ago Rachel and I had a conversation about whether or not to allow the children to participate. Her logic and reasoning placated my concerns. She is a Godly woman with common sense and I deeply respect her methods in raising my grandchildren with Christian values. Her response was that as long as her children were taught it was just another night to have fun, then she had no concerns. But if there ever came a time when it became something else, she would stop the practice. It is a choice every Christian parent must make for their children. I have Christian nieces and nephews who allow their children to participate in Halloween and others who do not. My oldest son's children participate at church functions instead of trick or treating. I respect both side's opinions and viewpoints on the matter and believe it is a personal choice that must be made by them.

However, several years have passed and Rachel and I recently had the same conversation. She breathed a deep sigh and said she also has been troubled about allowing the kids to participate in Halloween. Our viewpoints have changed - or should I say we are experiencing conviction - simply because we know that to partake in anything that is not ordained of God is wrong. We spoke at length, tossing about the pros and cons, and always ended in the same place: neither one of us could defend it because it is clearly a Satanic-based ritual that is full of paganism and unGodly practice. In other words, a sow is still a sow, no matter how well you dress it. Facing the up-coming Halloween and the kids' participation, we miserably failed to justify it in any sense - and believe me, we tried! - even by using the excuse that it is merely "fun" for the kids. When I concluded by asking her what then should be done, she frankly stated that we know the answer and to try and continue to justify it would always bring us back to the same answer. Although the kids will participate this year, Rachel feels the children are mature enough to understand why they most likely will not in the years to come. It is a disturbing thing to cling to "traditions" and not want to see them go, especially when they appear to be harmless but are, in truth, something we should turn our backs on.

It was not until after I accepted Christ that the practice of Halloween began to trouble me and make me wonder if, as a parent, I did the right thing. I still have a tendency to toss it around in my head looking for the right answer. I don't want to believe that something I did that appeared so innocent may have been offensive to my God. Nor do I want others I know and love to be plagued with making their decision. Part of me wants to merely look back on the experience I had with my children on Halloween - the anticipation of a night of fun with them and building good memories with my family - and be content with my decisions. The other part of me wants to eliminate the "holiday" from my past and my grandchildren's future.

Earlier I mentioned that I would neither condone or condemn Halloween. The musings I have written here are for my own conscience and to try and sort out right from wrong. It is the best I can do for me, and I know you will also do the best you can for yourself and your children.