The Next P.T. Barnum

I could be the next great promotional guru. Here is my latest publicity idea for our church here in Hot Springs AR.

Since today is Halloween many churches in town are having the traditional Halloween alternative. What that means is that children can come here for an hour or two before they go trick-or-treating around their neighborhoods. I am not naive enough to think that this is the only place a kid will go for candy. This is the only day in the entire year where a kid can gather a bag full of candy and have the entire activity sponsored and endorsed by their folks. And most everyone pitches in to contribute to the certain tooth decay to follow.

So these churches, around five or six, will provide a place for children and families. And out of the those six, five of them will be having the trunk-or-treat thing. This means that church members have set up games and booths in their cars in the parking lot of the church. Kind of like God's Great Candy Flea Market.

We are the only one NOT doing TOT (the cool POMO way of writing trunk-or-treat out). Since we are having ours in our gym here is my publicity idea.

"Welcome to Heroes Unmasked (the theme of the whole thing - don't ask me I am not in on THOSE decisions) at First Baptist Church. We are the only church in town that actually welcomes your children INSIDE our building!"

Seriously, if my kid wanted to go to one of these places, I would choose the one who prefers to welcome me inside their building into a protected and secure environment. Not the one who wants me to wander around like cattle. I would rather take my chances with my kid in the neighborhood. At least our children's ministry will actually be sharing the gospel with the booth theme ideas. One of them actually does share what Jesus did for us on the cross as our pastor gives a tour of the garden tomb that Jesus left vacant. I may gripe and complain and I may be more cynical than a Christian should be, but this is one night of the year that I firmly believe our church does it right and the others don't. So, next time you take your tot out dressed like Buzz Lightyear or a "dancing skeleton" find the church that will actually point them towards the cross and not the dentist's chair.