the last christmas pageant ever
I’m guessing at least 50% of you attended a “Harvest Party” or “Trunk-n-Treat” at your church last month, and at least 25% more attend a church that held one.
Which is all fine, as far as it goes, although I take issue with two of the most commonly given reasons for these sugar-fests: that they provide a safer alternative to traditional trick or treating, and that they are a powerful outreach activity to the community.
Although some local news stations still dust off the razor-blades-in-the-apples story each October, Snopes.com disproved every instance of candy tampering ever reported in conjunction with Halloween. It’s just a myth—as is, most likely, the adult who actually gave apples.
These events also fail to reach our communities. Lots of people may show up and the church might receive some good press. A few families may even return for a weekend worship service because of the experience they have on your campus—although I’d bet a Snickers bar your church doesn’t know if that’s happening. Meanwhile, we spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars recruiting volunteers, organizing games, and haranguing church members for candy donations.
Or there’s Christmas. I don’t have the Snopes link to prove it, but do you know anyone who became a Christian because of a Christmas cantata? Usually the audience for such things is comprised of the family and friends of those in the choir, most of whom are already believers. (This is doubly true for children’s programs.) Again, the investment of time and energy is out of all proportion to the spiritual ROI.
If we really want to show love to our neighbors at Halloween, we could follow the example of my own parents, who make a big pot of apple cider, park themselves in lawn chairs at the bottom of their driveway, and give cups of the hot drink to every tired, cold parent who comes along with his tiny princess/pirate/Disney character. They talk to their neighbors, serve them in a small way, extend friendship, and ooh and aah over little people in costumes. (They give candy, too, the good stuff—kids aren’t excited about cider.)
Or, like Journey Christian Church, we could organize a “Light Night” and challenge members to creatively transform their homes into places of light and welcome on this traditionally dark evening. My fellow blogger Arron, who serves as senior minister at Journey, says the church offered a variety of ways for people to participate (set up games or bounce houses, make popcorn or cotton candy, host costume contests, and–yes!–give out hot cider). Members were encouraged to distribute info about Journey’s programs for kids and copies of the Gospel of John along with the candy.
At Christmas, what if we asked church members to spend Wednesday night having dinner with a non-Christian neighbor instead of attending choir practice with lots of already-Christians? What if, instead of lining the sanctuary with video cameras to capture Junior’s debut as wiseman #3, we opened our homes for Advent parties for all our kid’s friends?
I’m really not lecturing—there’s more I can do in this area, too. But let’s be honest—we do Fall Fests and Christmas pageants because these things make us feel good. If we really wanted to serve and reach non-Christians, we’d be doing something else.
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Jennifer Taylor
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i agree with your points and i think we could/should do more.
is it wrong for us to celebrate amongst ourselves? i don’t think so. but it shouldn’t be the focus.
ps – when i was a child, there was a lady in our neighborhood who gave out apples. another lady gave out homemade popcorn balls. the old days are gone!
I LIKES WHAT YOU SAY ALOT !! Good stuff!! I remember a couple of years ago when SOuthland Christian Church in Lexy caught a bunch of heat (even from Ben Witherington, who I usually think is pretty cool) when not having service on Christmas morning but going out and reaching out to the community on that day.. Not sure if that’s relevant to what you’ve shared. But i thought it was pretty cool and a bold way to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the world around us instead off spending a bunch of money and time to try to attract people to be entertained by a holiday themed event. Although I like Christmas pagaents, the attendees usually are made up of a bunch of families who are already Christians.
We have been barbequing hotdogs on our front lawn for Halloween for 4 years. We put out table and chairs and ice water too.Neighbors sit and talk and meet one another. Teens stay the longest and are rthe most appreciative! Parents tell us their kids talk about the “hotdog house” weeks before the 31st.
But…but… we’ve ALWAYS had a Christmas Cantata!
Great thoughts. Number of churches that will probably change what they do as a result, probably about .00001%. Reason? Most leaders in the church are afraid of the woman in the church who is alpha-female enough to get the Christmas play/cantata organized and will never suggest doing anything different. I’d rather take on the Teamsters, they’re less organized!
One dissenting thought, though: every program does not have to be about ‘reaching the community’. A cantata might be effective simply because it is glorifying to God and offers Christians an opportunity to worship, even if it doesn’t bring in a ’seeker’ or make it on the local news. It might just be for God’s glory. On a lesser note, a program might also be effective simply because it involves the children in the church service and gives an excuse for Christian fellowship: church members like cider too.
We have a Fall Festival that reaches some unchurched people, but for the most part it is just a good way for the church family to come together for family fellowship and good chili. I consider that effective.
But, this might be a difference in emphasis between a ’seeker church’ and a ‘family/community church’. It’s all good, just different.
Excellent article!
Having said what i said, if a church is has the resources to put on a quality pagaent, I like some of the consequences. I was able to take a lady from Argentina steeped in Catholicism yet not a regular church attender, to a Special southland had for Christmas a couple of years back, and she really felt a connection with God there, and much discussion about what it means to be a Christian, along with history of Restoration movement, was discussed on the ride home. So I hope my comment to come across as too negative.
Good points, Adam and Robert. I’m certainly not against worship or a for-the-family celebration, and I don’t think everything has to be for “outreach.” I guess what bugs me, and what prompted this post, was our tendency to try to say these ARE for outreach. Just wanting us to be honest about our motives!
I dont think the church should participate in holloween in any fashion – its marrying the pagan with Christ.
http://wbmoore.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/should-the-church-substitute-for-holloween/
I suspect many of our “big productions” began with outreach in mind. We just need to be more honest with ourselves about what does and doesn’t produce, as you say, a “spiritual ROI.”
It’s appropriate to periodically review major programs and “schedule killers”, just to make sure they are worth the investment.
As to our friend wbmoore’s concern – I hear you, but each believer has to search the scriptures for themselves. There is no doubt that Hallowe’en has a dark origin, but as an existing part of the social fabric, we can respond in a variety of ways, all proceeding from a redeemed heart.
great post Jennifer!