I’ve never had the urge to bow down to a metal cow, a carved human, or a wooden pole. The idea of chanting or dancing around a six-armed deity or pot-bellied statue doesn’t even come close to getting me excited. I’ve never wanted to make offerings to rats living in a shrine.

Here’s a little experiment for you: Next Sunday at church, walk up to random people during the greeting time and say, “Trick or Treat!”

Some folks will smile, and maybe offer you a breath mint treat. These are the Christians who generally pass out the best candy on their street, dress up in fun costumes, and host the annual Fall Festival party at your church. Others will frown, and maybe offer to cast out a demon or two. These are the Christians who boycott the “devil’s holiday,” abstaining from festivities and turning off the porch lights on October 31.

Well, I’ve got a treat for both kinds of Christians today.

Regardless of whether you’re a lover or a hater, I’m betting there are at least 10 things you don’t know about Halloween. Ready to find out what you’ve been missing? Let’s go!

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Whether your children are preschool or college-aged, it's important that they know how to express their faith in a school environment. Although we hear a lot about Bibles being banned from public schools or Christian prayer or after-school groups being targeted, it is important for Christian students to know that America is still a country with laws protecting religious freedom rights. We are blessed as Christians to be granted these freedoms, and we can encourage our children to use them while at school. Here are five ways students can express their faith during the school year.

The percentage of teens who identify as atheist is double that of the general population, according to new research from Barna. Atheism and secularism are growing trends in our postmodern culture, and it is important to understand these trends if we are ever to reverse them. The youngest generation is sure to have a great influence on the future, and it is imperative that we reach these young people with the Gospel. These teens are part of Generation Z, the first “post-Christian” generation.

Hollywood and celebrity circles can often be places where Christian faith and viewpoints seem unwelcome, but that hasn't kept Christians out of the limelight. Despite perhaps being in the minority, celebrity Christians are out there, and many are not afraid to be vocal about their faith.

While “fake news” emerged as a political phenomenon during the 2016 election, lies have been masquerading as truth since the beginning of time. Christians should be encouraged our postmodern, post-Christian culture is having a conversation about truth as something that can be known, identified, and sorted out from lies. I see this as one of the best opportunities in our time to introduce people to the One who is Truth.

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The issue of abortion and the fight for life has been at the center of our national discourse for years, particularly after Roe v. Wade made abortion legal in 1973. Since then, pro-life advocates, many of whom are Christians, have been speaking out in defense of life. There is no doubt that many Christian leaders believe valuing life from conception is a core principle of Christianity.

“The flesh can bear only a certain number of wounds and no more, but the soul can bleed in ten thousand ways, and die over and over again each hour.” Those are words from the iconic 19th century pastor/theologian, Charles H. Spurgeon, who personally understood the silent, unnamed pains of depression.

One man, Martin Luther, stood alone against an empire. His motivation was spiritual, but the outcome of his conviction was spiritual and political, leaving a global legacy 500 years later and celebrated this October 31st.

Everywhere you turn danger lurks—yes, even in your church. While this is nothing new, according to the Book of Jude, we seem to have developed an attitude of false security behind the doors of our churches. But truth is, the church has always been a spiritual battlefield.