Christian artist Jimmy Needham and his family have decided to use Halloween as an opportunity to share the Gospel with others this Hallows' Eve. The Needhams happen to live on Sleepy Hallow Drive, a street that gets tons of Halloween traffic each year, which will hopefully give them much opportunity to share Christ with visitors.
When they first arrived in their new home, the Needhams were told by neighbors that theirs was the "haunted house" of the block. The previous owners had transformed their home into a "spooky extravaganza" for Halloween, and hundreds of people have flocked to it over the past couple of years.
"As you can imagine, this put us in an awkward position as Christians. We weren't excited about boasting in the demonic and violent elements that haunted houses usually necessitate," said Jmmy. The Needhams did some creative thinking, and decided to hand out King Size candy bars to passers-by. This drew hundreds of children last year, and gave the Needhams an opportunity to engage curious people with the Gospel.
Tonight, signs in front of their home will read, "When You Get To The Top, There's King Sized Bars, Cause There's Not a King As Generous As Ours!" and trick-or-treaters will pass by Romans 6:23 as they leave the house - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (English Standard Version).
Jimmy recognizes that many Christians choose not to participate in Halloween, but exhorts them nonetheless - "Wherever you are on this issue, my prayer is you would see this night not as something to flee from but something to engage with the gospel. God has been on a mission since the beginning to redeem His creation. He's gone into the dark world to bring a bright light. If you are a Christian reading this, it means He has sent you on that same mission too."
The Needhams' home group is helping them hand out candy bars and engage people in conversation. "The house that was once known for being haunted on Halloween is now filled with the loving, giving Spirit of Christ and everyone who comes will encounter a little glimpse of Him," Jimmy says.
