13 Ways to be Missional on Halloween

Halloween is a great time to meet new neighbors.  If you have kids, you have the permission to go door-to-door and introduce yourself to your neighbors.  If you don’t have kids, many neighbors will come to you seeking sugary candy.  Yet you can give them something much better, friendship.  How can you bless your neighbors this Halloween?

Here are some thoughts on how you can make Halloween serve Gospel purposes of getting to know your neighbors:

1. In the week before, Have a Community Pumpkin carving party at your house.  You can even have all the kids judge the pumpkins and give out prizes.  Have some games, snacks, and beverages available.
2. Halloween is important to kids.  Make sure to hand out candy.  Turn some lights on so kids know you’re home and so parents know you’re welcoming.
3. Buy some great candy and don’t be stingy with it.  When I was a kid, I knew who gave out the full candy bars and who gave out the grandma candy that tasted like rotten peanut butter.
4. Make a big deal about the kids’ costumes.  Have fun and make them feel special when they come to your door.
5. In many places, including Jackson this year, it’s going to be pretty cold.  What can you do to help freezing parents and children warm up? How about free hot Apple Cider or Hot Chocolate?  In addition to free drinks, do you have a portable bonfire pit?  Set it up in the front yard and invite people to sit down and warm up before they move on to the next street.
6. Why just hand out Candy?  Give them a little toy from a dollar or party store.  Glowsticks or bracelets would be a great hit!
7. Learn the names of any of the adults that come by.  Ask them where they live and make a little small talk.   Try to remember the names of any kids that you see playing in the neighborhood as well.  Write down the names and addresses of the people you meet so you can remember them later.
8. How are you going to follow-up with the people you meet?  How about handing out invitations and having a Halloween after party for the Adults to have some festive  adult beverages and snacks?  Or, how about inviting people to a party on the following weekend?
9. Create a community facebook page and hand out invitations to everyone who comes by.
10. Team up with the neighbors you know.  Be the really fun groups of houses so that you draw more  people down your street.
11. Go trick or treating with at least one other family and pick up more in your group as you walk along.  It’s a great opportunity to get to know mom’s and dads better as you walk along.
12. Decorate a little so kids think your house looks fun and inviting.  Don’t go overboard and get too scary or parents might not be happy and the kids might not stick around long enough to talk.
13. Invite your Missional Communities to join you in  handing out candy, going trick-or-treating, or anything you’re doing on Halloween.  You’ll have a greater chance of connecting with other neighbors with a couple more people by your side.

No matter what you do this Halloween, pray that God might open doors to good conversations and friendships and that, through His Spirit, they people might see a hint of God’s Kingdom and His love.

If you have any other ideas, feel free to comment below.

You might also like:

6 Ways to be Missional with the Super Bowl

7 Ways to be Missional this Christmas

9 Ways to be Missional this Thanksgiving

4 ways to be Missional this Easter

Picture found here