Its the Devils Holiday / the Devils Night. How will you celebrate it?

[evangelist6589]

I will be enjoying the time watching my kids run house to house in cool costumes. The devil has no part in our day.

Thats what Satan wants you to believe! He wants Christians to think that Halloween is like any other day. No use halloween to advance the gospel.

 

[Luke2427]

False. Read Mark 16:15
He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

The call to proclaim the gospel is to all believers. It is true that not everyone is called to this profession, however everyone is called to witness. It is a sad fact in many Arminian churches that they believe in "professional" evangelists and always are striving to get people to come and hear a evangelist speak and many are so lazy they won't go out and and witness themselves. Such types often rely on "results" and do not trust God to bring forth the converts.



Mark 16:15. Have you read it?



Wanna bet? Have you read the gospel of Mark? Its obvious that you need to read it, or re-read it because you missed many good points about Jesus and his preaching!



But Jesus does not condemn those that preach the word of God does He? He certainly favors them over people like you that do nothing....



Jesus preached.



The Arminianism shows up again. Why do you base your methods on "results"? What of Jeremiah and Noah whom did not have converts? What about Enoch? These men were called to preach and they did not see many converts in their ministry did they? Noah no one besides his family. Was Noah a failure? In your book he certainly was!



I agree. You no question should not be one because you will not use the law to convict the sinners of their sin, and you would try and persuade one's intellect over their conscience. I certainly do not want you street preaching! I do not want anyone street preaching whom preaches a "God has a wonderful plan for your life" message, nor do I want anyone street preaching whom does not use the LAW, YES THE LAW, THE LAW to convict the sinners conscience of his/her sin.


Listen to this audio clip.

The Enemy's tactics in evangelism

I may be the most hard right Calvinist on this board. I am supralapsarian. I am a hard determinist.

And even I believe that results are extremely important.

Mark 16:15 is paralleled by Matthew 28:19-20 where RESULTS are in view. He doesn't JUST say preach it. He says that we ought to preach it with the expectation that there will be NATIONS baptized by the preaching of it.

If you are not baptizing the nations by what you are doing- you need to adjust your strategy.

William Carey preached in India for 7 years without a convert, right? People often cite that as justification to continue doing what they are doing even when they are having no results. But the fact is that Carey adjusted his strategy before the converts started pouring in. He brought along side himself Joshua Marshman and William Ward and they three together became known as the Serampore Trio.

Carey gave himself to his gifts of translation while the other two gave themselves to printing and preaching. Then Indians began being converted by the droves and the Modern Missions Movement was born.

Street preaching is not the only way to fulfill Mark 16:15.

Now, if you are as good at it as Ray Comfort- GREAT. Keep it up.

But most street preachers do significantly more harm to the goal of Mark 16:15 than good.

They come off as weird and ignorant and give the world an excuse to stereotype us all by them.

 

[evangelist6589]

I may be the most hard right Calvinist on this board. I am supralapsarian. I am a hard determinist.

And even I believe that results are extremely important.

Mark 16:15 is paralleled by Matthew 28:19-20 where RESULTS are in view. He doesn't JUST say preach it. He says that we ought to preach it with the expectation that there will be NATIONS baptized by the preaching of it.

If you are not baptizing the nations by what you are doing- you need to adjust your strategy.

William Carey preached in India for 7 years without a convert, right? People often cite that as justification to continue doing what they are doing even when they are having no results. But the fact is that Carey adjusted his strategy before the converts started pouring in. He brought along side himself Joshua Marshman and William Ward and they three together became known as the Serampore Trio.

Carey gave himself to his gifts of translation while the other two gave themselves to printing and preaching. Then Indians began being converted by the droves and the Modern Missions Movement was born.

Street preaching is not the only way to fulfill Mark 16:15.

Now, if you are as good at it as Ray Comfort- GREAT. Keep it up.

But most street preachers do significantly more harm to the goal of Mark 16:15 than good.

They come off as weird and ignorant and give the world an excuse to stereotype us all by them.

Ray Comfort does not say that only those as good as him can preach. Actually he encourages people to do open air preaching. What do you mean by more harm than good? Certainly you cannot be thinking about me. I do not do harm as I confront sinners and proclaim the word of God. Yes sometimes people cuss me out, I had a girl try and spray me with lysol once, I had a gal get in my face and try and tell me that my Bible does not call me to confront sinners in their sin, and I ahem had lots of experiences. But you know what? I trust God to bring forth the converts to salvation and all I will do is proclaim the word of God and be faithful in doing so. I trust God and his timing on bringing the elect to salvation.

I remember once a man walked up to me and swore right at me, and I did not retaliate but we ended up chatting for a half hour and he was amazed I was not like other street preachers whom did not want to chat but only wanted to condemn. God brought man and he even apologized TWICE for cussing me out. God will soften the hearts of the elect. But yes I do agree that street preaching is not the only way to witness. However it is a good way.

 

[Luke2427]

Ray Comfort does not say that only those as good as him can preach. Actually he encourages people to do open air preaching. What do you mean by more harm than good? Certainly you cannot be thinking about me. I do not do harm as I confront sinners and proclaim the word of God. Yes sometimes people cuss me out, I had a girl try and spray me with lysol once, I had a gal get in my face and try and tell me that my Bible does not call me to confront sinners in their sin, and I ahem had lots of experiences. But you know what? I trust God to bring forth the converts to salvation and all I will do is proclaim the word of God and be faithful in doing so. I trust God and his timing on bringing the elect to salvation.

I remember once a man walked up to me and swore right at me, and I did not retaliate but we ended up chatting for a half hour and he was amazed I was not like other street preachers whom did not want to chat but only wanted to condemn. God brought man and he even apologized TWICE for cussing me out. God will soften the hearts of the elect. But yes I do agree that street preaching is not the only way to witness. However it is a good way.

Ray Comfort wants you to do it well. Ray Comfort does not say that it is the only way to fulfill Mark 16:15 and he does not say that every Christian ought to be a street preacher- just a soul winner.

I've followed Ray Comfort for 15 years. How long have you followed him? I have sitting right here beside me in my office the Way of the Master Basic Training course that I took my church through.

I have also done street preaching.

What I am saying to you is that it is not the only way to do Mark 16:15 and it is not what God has called everybody to do.

And I said a bunch of other stuff that you ignored which I wish you would address so I can help you. I like you. I think you have a good heart. But you need a little direction. I wish you would let somebody help you get your thinking right.

You need to respond to this:

Mark 16:15 is paralleled by Matthew 28:19-20 where RESULTS are in view. He doesn't JUST say preach it. He says that we ought to preach it with the expectation that there will be NATIONS baptized by the preaching of it.

If you are not baptizing the nations by what you are doing- you need to adjust your strategy.

 

[evangelist6589]

Ray Comfort wants you to do it well. Ray Comfort does not say that it is the only way to fulfill Mark 16:15 and he does not say that every Christian ought to be a street preacher- just a soul winner.

I've followed Ray Comfort for 15 years. How long have you followed him? I have sitting right here beside me in my office the Way of the Master Basic Training course that I took my church through.

I have also done street preaching.

What I am saying to you is that it is not the only way to do Mark 16:15 and it is not what God has called everybody to do.

And I said a bunch of other stuff that you ignored which I wish you would address so I can help you. I like you. I think you have a good heart. But you need a little direction. I wish you would let somebody help you get your thinking right.

You need to respond to this:

Mark 16:15 is paralleled by Matthew 28:19-20 where RESULTS are in view. He doesn't JUST say preach it. He says that we ought to preach it with the expectation that there will be NATIONS baptized by the preaching of it.

If you are not baptizing the nations by what you are doing- you need to adjust your strategy.

Have you read the book God has a wonderful plan for your life? Ray Comfort completely undermines results based evangelism. Also I have heard WOTM podcasts where Ray Comfort got cussed out, yelled and barked at. Ray says t remain faithful... However I agree that street preaching is just one way to fulfill Mark 16:15.

I am on a FB group with many WOTM street preachers and none would agree that results are what motivates them. They all agree that God is their audience and if no one listens God has called them to preach.

 

[quantumfaith]

Have you read the book God has a wonderful plan for your life? Ray Comfort completely undermines results based evangelism. Also I have heard WOTM podcasts where Ray Comfort got cussed out, yelled and barked at. Ray says t remain faithful... However I agree that street preaching is just one way to fulfill Mark 16:15.

I am on a FB group with many WOTM street preachers and none would agree that results are what motivates them. They all agree that God is their audience and if no one listens God has called them to preach.

Are you Keong Lai on FB?

 

[Luke2427]

Have you read the book God has a wonderful plan for your life? Ray Comfort completely undermines results based evangelism. Also I have heard WOTM podcasts where Ray Comfort got cussed out, yelled and barked at. Ray says t remain faithful... However I agree that street preaching is just one way to fulfill Mark 16:15.

I am on a FB group with many WOTM street preachers and none would agree that results are what motivates them. They all agree that God is their audience and if no one listens God has called them to preach.

What Comfort is condemning is watering down the Gospel message, removing the terror of the law so that you can have more people, money, etc...

What he is NOT saying is that we should not be doing all we can to baptize the nations while maintaining unmitigated faithfulness to the Gospel.

If you are not careful, you will swing the pendulum too far the other way.

"Since There are so many Joel Osteen's out there who care only for results and the wrong results at that, let's just not care at all for results."

No, a thousand times no!

That's being as influenced by Osteen as much as the people who EMBRACE his ministry. Either way it has Osteen type preachers pushing people in the wrong direction.

No. The commission from our Lord says that we are not JUST to preach but to MAKE DISCIPLES of the NATIONS.

If what you are doing is not making disciples, its time to back up and punt.

 

[saturneptune]

Some people need to take up a hobby.

 

[annsni]

Well, my son had an awesome 13th birthday. He got:

* toolbox with his first wrenches (this will be added to for each birthday and Christmas so when he is grown, he will be set)

* the cutest note from his sister with candy (she used the name of the candy to write the note)

* cash

* the ability to sit in the front seat (we don't allow kids 12 and under to sit in the front seat of the car)

* an airsoft gun (his FAVORITE gift)

We had a cannoli cake and had a great meatloaf/mashed potato/corn dinner, birthday boy's choice.

It was a great Halloween!

 

[SolaSaint]

I will be enjoying the time watching my kids run house to house in cool costumes. The devil has no part in our day.

We to will give out candy to kids in the neighborhood. And I say Happy Reformation Day to people. But in no way do I celebrate the devil. We must remember we all have been called by God to serve Him but not always in the same way. We aren't all open air preachers.

 

[Revmitchell]

Satan is hard at work these days and has convinced many that he does not exist, he is not powerful, and there is not a spiritual battle going on. Satan has used Halloween and other methods to silence many Christians. I would suggest you read the following books.

1. I never Thought I'd See the Day by David Jeremiah and read the chapter on Spiritual Warfare
2. Satan's Evangelist Strategy for this New Age by Erwin Lutzer. Satan is using Halloween and other methods to silence Christians.

These are not Reformed authors so even they see the Spiritual Battle going on!

Well everyone this young wipper snapper has come along and set us all straight. Obviously our own study and considerations of this issue have been derailed by Satan and we are all blinded. We are all so very thankful you have come along and helped us see the light. Because we are all incapable of understand the real factor behind this holiday. May you be blessed.

 

[Luke2427]

Satan is hard at work these days and has convinced many that he does not exist, he is not powerful, and there is not a spiritual battle going on. Satan has used Halloween and other methods to silence many Christians. I would suggest you read the following books.

1. I never Thought I'd See the Day by David Jeremiah and read the chapter on Spiritual Warfare
2. Satan's Evangelist Strategy for this New Age by Erwin Lutzer. Satan is using Halloween and other methods to silence Christians.

These are not Reformed authors so even they see the Spiritual Battle going on!

Provide quotes from the books if you want to make a point. Don't just tell us to read them.

Let me tell you what I suspect. I suspect that nothing in these books really says that there is anything inherently evil about Halloween.

Not that I would care what Jeremiah has to say about it, anyway.

But telling us to just read the books is like me saying "Calvinism is right- I suggest you read the Institutes."

Just quote from the books. Don't suggest we read them as if we are supposed to just take you as an authority on good books.

 

[evangelist6589]

Well, my son had an awesome 13th birthday. He got:

* toolbox with his first wrenches (this will be added to for each birthday and Christmas so when he is grown, he will be set)

* the cutest note from his sister with candy (she used the name of the candy to write the note)

* cash

* the ability to sit in the front seat (we don't allow kids 12 and under to sit in the front seat of the car)

* an airsoft gun (his FAVORITE gift)

We had a cannoli cake and had a great meatloaf/mashed potato/corn dinner, birthday boy's choice.

It was a great Halloween!

This is what I did. Went to church and then passed out tracts.

 

[TC]

Psalm 118:24

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

24 This is the day which the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.


I refuse to acknowledge any day that the LORD has made (which is all of them) as satan's day. I treated this day the same as I treat every day I get up and have breath.

 

[evenifigoalone]

My church has a fall festival every year. Since I started attending there this year, I did my part and helped out with it.


We would pass out candy and gosepl tracts at our house, but...no one ever comes to our house! =(
Guess it's because we're set a good ways back from the road, and there's a dirt road leading up to our house with trees on both sides. It's short, but kinda creepy to walk down in the dark.


I already had all the fun of wearing a costume (because I'm a cosplayer! don't judge me xD) and carving a pumpkin about a week ago.
I don't celebrate halloween myself, per se, but I do do some of the fun things there are to do around this time of year that are related to halloween. This year I even went to a haunted house and a haunted hayride. In doing these things, I "celebrate" Satan about as much as the rest of the population does--which is not at all. (Well, excepting actual Satanists, obviously.)
As far as whether Christians should celebrate it or not, I'm neutral and view it as up to the individual's conscience. I know those who are vehemently against the idea--and I totally understand, especially because I used to be that way too. It's cool, we're allowed to disagree on things like this, ya know?



Oh! Speaking of various ways to use halloween to evangelize, want to hear something super cool?? I know of a church in Jacksonville that used to do a "Tribulation House" every year. I went once, and it was like being in the middle of a movie about the end times.
At the end they'd explain the plan of salvation.

 

[righteousdude2]

My deceased son [suicide] once asked...

What will you do today and how will what you do impact the kingdom?

Which seed describes you?

Seed A.
You are someone that lives and looks just like the world and you celebrate Halloween like they do. You look just like them.

Seed B.
You are someone that does not care and remains neutral. You do not celebrate Halloween nor do you advance the gospel.

Seed C.
You use Halloween as a avenue for witnessing. You pass out and tracts and give out the gospel this day. You may not do open air preaching (but you should) but you do advance the gospel and this entails confronting people in their sin, and telling them of the light. This does not mean being a "friend" of someone and never telling him/her that they are lost and headed to Hell nor using the hammer of the LAW to ding the conscience of sinners.

If you are seed C listen to this message. Be aware of sinners and their rabbit trails. They often want to look at "evidences" focus on hypocrites in the church and the like. They do this because they do not want their conscience confronted and want you to make a "apologetics case" to have their intellects stirred, and missing the whole point of repentance from sin. Sinners create these hedges to hide from God just as Adam did, so don't hide behind the hedge with them, but use the rod of the LAW to break their hedges and confront their sin.

...."Daddy, if Christmas is the birthday of Jesus, is Halloween the birthday of Satan?"

This came from a five-year olds mouth! Quite insightful on his behalf!!!

Tragically, he took his life in 1999, after years of paranoia, schizophrenia, and drug and alcohol abuse! I only wish I could have done more for him; 32 years is way to young to die, even at your own hands! :tear:

 

[Luke2427]

...."Daddy, if Christmas is the birthday of Jesus, is Halloween the birthday of Satan?"

This came from a five-year olds mouth! Quite insightful on his behalf!!!

Tragically, he took his life in 1999, after years of paranoia, schizophrenia, and drug and alcohol abuse! I only wish I could have done more for him; 32 years is way to young to die, even at your own hands! :tear:

It is not insightful. Halloween is not the birthday of Satan. It, like all other days is a day that the Lord has made and we should rejoice and be glad in it.

No day belongs to Satan or anybody else but God.

The origins of the word "Halloween" have to do with "All HALLOWS EVE" which signified the upcoming day when particularly sacred saints were celebrated.

Regardless of whether or not we should celebrate saints (we certainly have no trouble with Washington's birthday or MLK day) the point is that this is our Father's world and we own it as his ambassadors and sons. We do not retreat from Halloween. We TAKE it.

That's not to be irreverent in the face of the tragedy that overtook the poor young man. I hate it. God help the loved ones who survive him. I am simply saying that the statement that Halloween could be the devil's birthday is not accurate and that would not change if it was Billy Graham's dying words.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

...."Daddy, if Christmas is the birthday of Jesus, is Halloween the birthday of Satan?"

This came from a five-year olds mouth! Quite insightful on his behalf!!!

Tragically, he took his life in 1999, after years of paranoia, schizophrenia, and drug and alcohol abuse! I only wish I could have done more for him; 32 years is way to young to die, even at your own hands! :tear:

Brother Paul...first, I grieve with you the loss of your son.:tear:
Gods people have always had to sort out apostate ceremony from God glorifying ones. Personally I don't see Hollow wean as God Glorifying but perhaps that's me. My family is really into Christmas because we keep Christ in the center. I hope in some way that answers this debate. Everything must glorify God.

 

[evangelist6589]

What Comfort is condemning is watering down the Gospel message, removing the terror of the law so that you can have more people, money, etc...

What he is NOT saying is that we should not be doing all we can to baptize the nations while maintaining unmitigated faithfulness to the Gospel.

If you are not careful, you will swing the pendulum too far the other way.

"Since There are so many Joel Osteen's out there who care only for results and the wrong results at that, let's just not care at all for results."

No, a thousand times no!

That's being as influenced by Osteen as much as the people who EMBRACE his ministry. Either way it has Osteen type preachers pushing people in the wrong direction.

No. The commission from our Lord says that we are not JUST to preach but to MAKE DISCIPLES of the NATIONS.

If what you are doing is not making disciples, its time to back up and punt.

This is false. Turn to page 249 of the book Hell's Best Kept Secret. Comfort explains that visible results are not what motivates us in evangelism. With some it may take years, and others may never turn. The goal is to plant seeds, and let God make the seed grow. Visible results or discipleship are not what motivates us.

Also I have listened to hundreds of hours of the WOTM Radio Podcast and heard Comfort witness dozens of times. I cannot find a single incident where he boasted about a disciple that he made. His goal seems to plant seeds of the gospel using the LAW. He does that, but often do people get angry and not want to respond.

 

[evangelist6589]

Provide quotes from the books if you want to make a point. Don't just tell us to read them.

Let me tell you what I suspect. I suspect that nothing in these books really says that there is anything inherently evil about Halloween.

Not that I would care what Jeremiah has to say about it, anyway.

But telling us to just read the books is like me saying "Calvinism is right- I suggest you read the Institutes."

Just quote from the books. Don't suggest we read them as if we are supposed to just take you as an authority on good books.

Turn to page 131 of the book Satan's Evangelistic Strategy for this New Age. Lutzer speaks about simple movies and their pathways to the occult and to the work of Satan. The book is from 1989, so the old movie GhostBusters is mentioned. This is a non scary and corny comedy that many of us will think as innocent and non Satanic when compared to modern day films of the genre. Halloween is a day that many dress up as witches, devils, zombies, and the like. It has many Satanic influences and is not to be taken lightly. Also in chapter 1 of the book "I Never thought I'd see the Day" David Jeremiah speaks of Satan's strategies and mentions that he will use Indifference towards him and his vices to gain a foothold on people. No Jeremiah does not need to spell the word Halloween to the reader, but one can take good application from the book about Halloween. Also consider this quote.

Halloween symbols, customs, and practices undoubtedly have had a variety of influences upon Western culture throughout history. However, in early American history, Halloween was not celebrated due to America’s strong Christian heritage. It was not widely observed until the twentieth century. Initially, it was practiced only in small Irish Catholic settlements, until thousands of Irish migrated to America during the great potato famine and brought their customs with them. To some degree, our modern Halloween is an Irish holiday with early origins in the Celtic winter festival. Interestingly, in American culture, the rise in popularity of Halloween also coincides roughly with the national rise in spiritism that began in 1848.

http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/onlinediscipleship/halloween/halloween_Pagan_Ankerberg.aspx