The Pumpkin Gospel
Reprint from October 2006
I wasn’t even going to post on Halloween until I read this post. And I’m not going to get into the pagan history of the “fun” holiday because if you want to get picky about things, even Easter has pagan origins, but I am going to share with you a Godly alternative to pumpkin carving.
The Pumpkin Gospel
Open with prayer and share “Every Halloween, people carve pumpkins to make jack-o-lanterns. We’re going to carve a pumpkin too, but our pumpkin is going to teach us about the Gospel and God’s promise of heaven.
Theme: We become a new creation when Jesus comes into our hearts.
Supplies: Pumpkin, large bowl, newspapers, sharp knife, spoon, candle, matches, Bible
Activity: Cut an opening in the top of the pumpkin and have your kids pull out the seeds and scrape the inside of the pumpkin while you read Matthew 23:25-28 and Revelation 3:20
Ask: How is the stuff we pulled out of the pumpkin like sin in our hearts? (They’re both yucky, sticky…)
How is the way we cleaned out our pumpkin like the way Jesus cleans us out when we confess our sins?(Jesus scoops the yucky stuff out, etc)
Draw a happy face on your pumpkin, then carve it out. When your pumpkin has a happy face read 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Ephesians 2:10
Ask: How have we made this pumpkin a “new creation”?
How do we become new creations when Jesus comes into our hearts?
Share: When Jesus comes into our hearts, we become new creations, just as our pumpkin has become a new creation. Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-10
Read aloud: Matthew 5:14-16. Then light a candle and place it inside the pumpkin. Turn off the room lights and have everyone stand or sit so they can see the light coming through the pumpkin’s face.
Discuss how God wants our light to shine before others. Read 2 Cor. 4:6
Ask: How is the way the candle light comes through the pumpkin like the way God wants our light to shine?
This can be a wonderful way to glorify God on this day and olders kids can help read scripture while the younger ones will have fun learning the Gospel in a way that will stick with them forever.
If you do this, please come back and let me know how it went!
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October 30th, 2007 at 9:48 amGina,
My family has been doing the “Pumpkin Gospel” for 5 years now
at Halloween. I first learned it at a Hearts at Home
conference. It is GREAT because our kids learn sharing
the Gospel by practicing the words in a fun, simple, VISUAL
way. We also carve one pumpkin with a cross instead of a
face so that trick-or-treaters will know our home is safe.
There is a GREAT devotion on Proverbs 31 today on Halloween.
Blessings!
October 30th, 2007 at 12:43 pmTracy
Good alternative! Did your family do it again this year?
October 30th, 2007 at 11:32 pmTracy, this is a wonderful way to put the focus back on Jesus.
Georgiana, We’re going to buy a pumpking today, but may not get around to doing it with the church activities going on tonight.
October 31st, 2007 at 8:39 amWe did it! Thanks for sharing about it!
You should have seen my 3yo as she grasped big handfuls of the seeds and pulp. She kept asking if there were worms in it…and for a girl who usually doesn’t mind playing with worms, she looked downright disgusted!
October 31st, 2007 at 11:07 pmMary, so glad your family had fun. We have yet to do this, but there are still pumpkins out there waiting to be gutted!
November 1st, 2007 at 10:37 am