How to Turn Halloween Into Reformation Day for Your Family

Every year on October 31st, Christians divide into several groups. There are those who think it’s engaging in witchcraft to allow their children to participate in anything related to costumes or candy. Others see no issue with their little princess donning a Supergirl costume and walking through their neighborhoods taking candy from strangers (even though this is frowned upon every other night of the year!). Then there are those who go full-bore All Hallows' Eve immersion with ghoulish costumes and frightening pranks. These groups tend to have very strong opinions and often anathematize each other quicker than a fundamentalist Baptist seeing someone read from an NIV.
But wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to unite all Protestants in a fall celebration that wasn’t just a faux Halloween party? (I’m looking at all you Trunk-or-Treating Baptists!).

Enter Reformation Day
Reformation Day is a celebration of an event that literally changed the world. According to tradition, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, sparking the flame that would ignite the Protestant Reformation. From just about anyone’s point of view, this is considered a watershed moment in the history of the church. Luther was not the first to speak out about the false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, but his voice did ring out more loudly than those who came before him, and the effects of his words had a wide and lasting impact.

Did It Really Happen?
For a moment, I want to address an issue that often arises when I encourage the celebration of Reformation Day. Some will argue that the story of Luther nailing the 95 Theses to the church door is actually apocryphal (i.e., it didn’t happen). It was Luther’s associate Philipp Melanchthon who said Luther had nailed them to the door, but more recent historians say they may have been sent by mail to the intended audience of scholars. Dr. Ken Curtis of the Christian History Institute actually addresses this in his documentary series Reformation Overview, saying, “Whether they were mailed or nailed, we know this: they set off an explosion. Within weeks, they were the talk of all Germany. Within months, all Christendom was buzzing over the challenge posed by this obscure German monk.”

It is certainly fun to imagine Luther with his hammer and nail in hand, pounding away on the church door, with every strike a purposeful attack against the dangerous and infectious teaching of indulgences that had infiltrated the church. But it is also important not to mix fact with fiction. So this could be a good time to talk with your children about the difference between history and legend. You can discuss how and why this story has caught the imagination of so many and persisted with such resilience. If you have older children, maybe even encourage them to look up some resources to discover the history surrounding the publication of the 95 Theses.
Incorporating Reformation Day Into Family Worship
If the idea of celebrating Reformation Day with your family is something that interests you, I have a few suggestions of ideas that we have done in our own home and church. These can be wonderful ways to incorporate the teaching of church history as well as discuss the impact of faithful men of the past.

Recommended Resources
I want to recommend two resources that have served us well. One I have already mentioned, The Reformation Overview by the Christian History Institute, hosted by Dr. Ken Curtis. This series covers the lives of several key reformers, including John Wycliffe, John Hus, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, William Tyndale, and even includes an episode on the history of the Anabaptists. The series includes scenes from movies about these events, interspersed with narration and explanation from the host. Each episode is engaging and informative, and our children have enjoyed watching them with us. The episode on the death of Anabaptist leader Michael Sattler is exceptionally stirring, so you may want to have some tissues handy. In fact, it may be too much for very young children. The second resource is a book entitled When Lightning Struck by Danika Cooley. This is a dramatized account of the life of Luther, which is great for younger children as it gives the highlights of his life with a bit of creative license to keep them engaged. It might be something you could read aloud to your younger children or provide for your older children to read on their own. It really is an accessible and enjoyable read for all ages.

Activities For Reformation Day
As for activities for Reformation Day, there are a variety of things you can do. Celebrations are often accompanied by feasting, so one thing we enjoy is having a German-themed dinner. We enjoy bratwurst, Kartoffelsalat (potato salad), cabbage, pretzels, apple strudel, and a variety of other dishes. Some of our friends even enjoy sauerkraut, but it’s definitely not for us! This is just a fun way to remind everyone of where the Protestant Reformation began and allows for some creative fun in the process as you prepare the meal.

Sharing The Gospel On Reformation Day
Probably the most important thing we try to do on Reformation Day is proclaim the Gospel to our neighbors. As many of them file into the streets donning their costumes and going door to door, we seek to engage with them by being generous with candy and including a message about the Gospel. For many years, we lived in a neighborhood that was filled on Halloween with trick-or-treaters, so we would set up a table in our yard and welcome families walking by with candy and Gospel tracts. My favorite tract was one that explained the history of Reformation Day. I would give the kids the candy, and their parents would receive a tract. The tracts we use are available at a company called One Million Tracts and can be found in their holiday section. We have since moved to a more rural area, so there is not as much foot traffic, but we still look for ways to engage people with the truth of the Gospel as part of our Reformation celebration. What better way to celebrate the recovery of the blessed Gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone than to share that wonderful truth with someone else?

A Final Thought
History is more than just dates and facts. It’s drama and passion, courage and fortitude, mystery and comedy. It is amazing and worthy of study and remembrance. Think of how many times in the Bible God calls His people to remember what He has done. He tells Israel to remember the mighty works that He accomplished in their midst. Why? Because we are a forgetful people. And it is important to realize that God did not stop working at the end of the first century. He has worked throughout the history of His church, and He still works today. Remembering God’s works is an important part of our faith and sanctification. So I encourage you, as part of your family worship, to include times where you remind your family of things God has done in history. Reformation Day is a great day to do just that.