All Hallows’ Eve

All Hallows’ Eve — Tear Down, Build Up, and Restore

“There is a time to tear down and a time to build.” — Ecclesiastes 3:3

“I will restore to you the years the locusts have eaten…” — Joel 2:25

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I prayed about it and felt the idea was from God. For the past couple of years, I have avoided going to the annual Halloween party at the dog park. But that park has become more than just a spot for dogs to run—it has become a mission field. 

I’ve prayed for people there, seen healing, and ministered to people going through loss and hardship. I’ve engaged in deep spiritual conversations and even led some kids to Jesus in the adjacent baseball park.

This year, I felt led to not retreat from the Halloween crowd, but to redeem the moment.

So, I had this brilliant idea to dress Zoe, our black-and-white poodle, in a nun’s outfit. And, since I couldn’t let her go unchaperoned, I’d dress as a priest — the exorcist kind.

It felt like a disarming, gracious, Spirit-led way to bridge the gap—to spark conversations, break down barriers, and share what Halloween was supposed to be—a night that glorified God’s holiness, not magnified the demonic.

But before we can redeem it, we have to tear down what’s been twisted, build up what’s true, and restore what’s been lost.

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• Tear Down — What Was Twisted

  
  

Halloween began as All Hallows’ Eve, the night before All Saints’ Day—a time to remember those who’d gone before us in faith and to celebrate Christ’s victory over death.

It was meant to be holy, not hollow.

Over time, the sacred yielded to superstition, and Jesus’ triumph over death gave way to a night obsessed with it. What was once devoted to light became a celebration of darkness. 

But the Church isn’t called to hide from the darkness—it’s called to invade it.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world… they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” — 2 Corinthians 10:4

Paul modeled this kind of holy engagement when he stepped onto Mars Hill—the Athenian center of idolatry—and used one of their own altars to reveal the Unknown God.

That’s our cue. We don’t retreat from culture’s idols; we redeem them by revealing the truth behind their shadow.

Halloween may center on death, but we carry the message Paul preached to idol worshippers.

“He himself gives life and breath to everything.” — Acts 17:25

When we tear down falsehood, fear, and distortion, we make room for what’s true to rise again—the light of Christ that even the darkest night can’t extinguish.

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• Build Up — What Was Holy

  
  

All Hallows’ Eve was built upon the model of the first “holy days.” They weren’t escapes from real life; they were encounters with the living God.

“These are my appointed festivals… sacred assemblies.” — Leviticus 23:2

The feasts of the Lord weren’t about entertainment; they were about engagement—about remembering what God had done and anticipating what He would do through Christ.

Every feast was prophetic: Passover pointed to the Lamb, Pentecost to the Spirit, Tabernacles to the coming King.

But our modern holidays are too often built on escape instead of encounter. We’ve traded sacred rhythms for shallow escapes; we’ve turned holy days into hollow holidays.”

We rest from our work—but rarely rest in His presence.

Whether we celebrate the biblical feasts or contemporary holidays, God is inviting us to rebuild moments and seasons where our lives are set apart again to glorify Him. 

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• Restore — What Belongs to God

  
  

God tears down to restore. He exposes darkness to reveal His light. What culture has twisted, God can untwist. What the enemy has stolen, He can restore.

Even Halloween can become holy again—a night to reclaim for the Kingdom. Imagine if the Church once again saw October 31st not as the devil’s day, but as a day of declaration—that death is defeated and His light still shines.

Trunk-or-Treats and Fall Festivals are a good start, but with a bit of boldness, we can shine even brighter. Maybe I’ll enhance our Virtuous Vestments with embedded lights. (Okay… maybe too far.)

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” — John 1:5

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Let’s Pray

Lord, help us through the power of your Holy Spirit to tear down what’s false, build up what’s true, and restore what’s been lost. May Your holiness outshine every imitation. Embolden us to shine as lights in the darkness—not hiding from culture, but redeeming it—so the world sees You through us.

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Let’s Reflect

• What would it look like to make our “holidays” holy again?

• How can we bring light into places where others expect only darkness?

• What area of your life or culture do you sense God calling you to redeem instead of avoid?