Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
The Baptist Paper
Search
Close
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Request a free trial

Halloween and outreach: More pastors encouraging members to engage neighbors

  • October 19, 2022
  • Lifeway Research
  • Church Life, Latest News
two pumpkins on brown wooden table
(Unsplash photo)

Halloween and outreach: More pastors encouraging members to engage neighbors

This year, as millions of Americans celebrate Halloween, many Protestant pastors in the United States are encouraging their church members to respond to the holiday in specific ways, a new study shows.

More than 7 in 10 (71%) pastors say they encourage church members to invite friends or neighbors to church events on or near Halloween, such as a fall festival, trunk-or-treat or judgment house, according to a Lifeway Research study. Nearly 3 in 5 (58%) pastors say they want church members to build relationships with neighbors who trick-or-treat. And 1 in 3 (34%) pastors encourage church members to hand out gospel tracts to trick-or-treaters.

More than 3 in 4 (78%) Americans are planning on celebrating Halloween this year, according to a Numerator survey. But not all pastors want their church members to take part. Lifeway Research found just over 1 in 8 (13%) say they encourage people in their congregations to avoid Halloween completely. Others don’t try to push their congregations in any direction regarding the holiday, with 8% of pastors saying they don’t encourage their church members to do any of these things.

“Few pastors simply ignore the fact that so many Americans participate in Halloween celebrations,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Most pastors focus on the social nature of these celebrations, encouraging their congregations to engage with others outside their church.”

More pastors seeking to influence Halloween engagement

Compared to 2016, pastors are more likely to seek to influence their church members’ engagement in Halloween festivities this year. And the largest increase is in handing out gospel tracts. Whereas 26% of pastors encouraged their church members to hand out gospel tracts to trick-or-treaters in 2016, this year, 1 in 3 (34%) pastors are doing the same.

But pastors are also more likely to encourage their congregations to engage in the holiday in other ways.

In 2016, 67% of pastors encouraged their church members to invite friends or neighbors to church events. This year, 71% of pastors are encouraging the same. And pastors are also more likely to encourage church members to build relationships with neighbors who trick-or-treat this year (58%) than in 2016 (52%). As churches continue to recover from the impact of COVID, many may be trying to reconnect with their members and communities and see Halloween as an ideal opportunity for this engagement.

However, while some pastors are more likely to encourage their churches to engage in Halloween this year, others are more likely to encourage church members to avoid the holiday completely.

While 8% of pastors encouraged their church members to avoid Halloween in 2016, 13% are doing the same this year. No matter their take on Halloween, pastors are holding to their stances more firmly and are more likely to vocalize those ideas for their congregations.

“Whether it comes from a desire to reconnect with their community after the pandemic prevented much of this or from deepened convictions about the holiday itself, pastors appear more resolute in their convictions around Halloween,” McConnell said.

Fewer pastors are refraining from influencing their church members’ engagement with Halloween at all. Whereas 12% of pastors said they were not encouraging their church members in any of these ways in 2016, 8% of pastors say the same today.

Reaching neighbors

This year, even more pastors are viewing Halloween as an opportunity to engage neighbors in at least some capacity.

Younger pastors are more likely to encourage their congregations to engage in Halloween by inviting friends and neighbors to church events or by building relationships with neighbors who trick-or-treat.

Pastors ages 18-44 and 45-54 are among the most likely to encourage members to build relationships with neighbors (66% and 63%, respectively) and to invite neighbors to church events (78% and 79%, respectively).

But older pastors are more likely to encourage their churches to hand out gospel tracts to trick-or-treaters. Those 55-64 (38%) and older than 65 (37%) are among the most likely to encourage church members to give out tracts.

“The majority of even the smallest churches offer church events this time of year and encourage their members to invite people from the community,” McConnell said. “In a society that is increasingly distant and divided, most pastors see opportunities within the interactions that take place around Halloween.”

Other factors also indicate a pastor’s likelihood of encouraging engagement with the holiday.

White pastors are among the most likely to encourage their congregations to build relationships with neighbors (61%) and invite neighbors to church events (73%). Pastors in the South are also among the most likely to encourage church members to hand out gospel tracts (38%) and to invite neighbors to church events (75%). Evangelical pastors (42%) are more likely than mainline pastors (28%) to encourage members to hand out gospel tracts. And Baptists are the most likely to encourage the same (58%).

Avoiding Halloween

The oldest pastors, those older than 65, are among the most likely to encourage their churches to avoid Halloween completely (20%) and are the most likely to not encourage their churches to respond to the holiday in any of these ways (14%). African American pastors are also among the most likely to encourage their church members to avoid the holiday (32%) or not encourage their congregations in any direction regarding the holiday (19%).

In terms of church size, pastors of churches with fewer than 50 in attendance are among the most likely to encourage their congregations to avoid Halloween completely (16%).


EDITOR’S NOTE —This story was written by Marissa Postell and originally published by Lifeway Research. 

Share with others:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Teen’s faithful example continues to lead others to Christ
    Teen’s faithful example continues to lead others to Christ
    March 28, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Evangelism gives life to dying KY church that dwindled to 9 members
    Evangelism gives life to dying KY church that dwindled to 9 members
    March 27, 2023/
    0 Comments
  • Artificial intelligence and Baptist associations
    Artificial intelligence and Baptist associations
    March 27, 2023/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Teen’s faithful example continues to lead others to Christ

The example of faith left by 15-year-old Aleya Brooks continues to impact her middle Tennessee community. Brooks died March 4 from injuries sustained from a

Evangelism gives life to dying KY church that dwindled to 9 members

Williams Memorial Baptist Church Ravenna, Kentucky, was down to nine members following COVID–19’s devastating surge. The doors weren’t yet closed, but the sound of creaking

a computer keyboard with a green logo on it

Artificial intelligence and Baptist associations

Artificial intelligence applications such as ChatGPT are growing rapidly. The creators themselves are surprised by the fast-growing interest in this resource. Part of their surprise

Bible Studies for Life Sunday School Lesson for April 2

Jesus Died for Me John 19:16–19, 28–30, 38–42 There is a small community in southern Mississippi by the name of It — yes, It. There

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2023 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Editorials
  • Archive
  • Your state news
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Persecuted Church
  • Submit your news
  • Photo Galleries
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Our Team
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Hosted Church
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel