It's that almost Halloween and time for pumpkin carving. Here's a post that I did last year:
I am aware that in Christian circles Halloween can be a hot topic. From what I know the celebration does indeed have it’s roots in pagan celebrations. Knowing that I understand that families would not like to be involved in typical activities on the 31st. Having stated that, I also know that there are many who dress up but with certain restrictions, and instead of going door-to-door they choose to go to a church carnival or something. Still others, see this as an opportunity to be involved in the community and reach out. I’m not sure where you stand, but I have nothing against any of them.
I am aware that in Christian circles Halloween can be a hot topic. From what I know the celebration does indeed have it’s roots in pagan celebrations. Knowing that I understand that families would not like to be involved in typical activities on the 31st. Having stated that, I also know that there are many who dress up but with certain restrictions, and instead of going door-to-door they choose to go to a church carnival or something. Still others, see this as an opportunity to be involved in the community and reach out. I’m not sure where you stand, but I have nothing against any of them.
One thing I do love is family traditions. Just recently someone showed me the “pumpkin Gospel” (I would prefer to give it a more God-centered title J .i.e. “Using pumpkins to share the Gospel” but it is sorta long ) and I thought it’d be a great tradition go to the pumpkin patch each year in the excitement of going home to hear “daddy” tell the gospel story with a pumpkin.
Here is a video I found that goes through the “Pumpkin Gospel”
These are the steps he goes through:
The Seed
Hold it- Romans 3:23 “All fall short”
Cut it- Romans 6: 23 “ Payment for sin is death”
Dig it- John 3:16 “ Jesus died for our sins”
Carve it- 2 Corinthians 5:17 “New creation”
Light it- Mathew 5: 16 “letting your light shine”
(I found this website where more in-depth questions are asked at each step)
This tradition doesn’t have to stay within the family either! Make it a community time. Share the gospel with families at a “Pumpkin carving Party” and then have a “Story” of the GOSPEL.
We did this with our preschoolers. As I was taking out the guck and placing it on the newspaper one of the preschoolers raised his hand and asked (while looking at the guck) "Yea but WHAT does God DO with our sin?" It was such a great question! I was so excited to explain it to him! I told him something like "God put our sins on Jesus and He died for for the sins of his people."
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