‘Reverse trick-or-treating’ leads to teenager’s salvation

Though many people spend Halloween night going door to door in their neighborhoods collecting candy, this year, certain members of Cana Baptist Church spent the evening “reverse trick-or-treating.” Going door to door, these church members gave candy to those who answered, not only to show that they care for their neighbors, but also in order to share the Gospel.

Matt Queen, Chair of Evangelism at Southwestern Seminary and a member of Cana Baptist Church, explains that the church had planned to host multiple Fall Festivals throughout Burleson that night but had to cancel them due to inclement weather. Nevertheless, Queen says, their pastor mobilized them to visit the homes of those they had previously invited to the now-canceled Fall Festivals and instead invite them to receive Christ.

One of these mobilized evangelism teams comprised Queen; Glenda Eitel, a nurse in Southwestern’s campus clinic; and Jessey, a young man new to the church. At one point in the evening, while Queen and Jessey spoke with some teenagers, Eitel began a conversation with a teenage boy named Alex.

Eitel asked him where he thought he would spend eternity if he were to die that night. Alex answered that he would spend it in heaven. “When standing before Jesus,” Eitel continued, “how would you answer His question, ‘Why should I let you into heaven?’” Alex responded, “Because I am a good person.”

Eitel commended him for being a good person, but then she showed him a particular Gospel tract. This tract was “a good one for him,” Eitel says, because it begins by questioning the reader, “Are you a good person?” It then walks the reader through a series of follow-up questions challenging an affirmative answer to that query, inquiring if he has ever stolen anything, told a lie, entertained lustful thoughts, etc.

“He realized he wasn’t as good as he thought he was,” Eitel says. “I then shared that all have sinned and fall short when we compare ourselves to Jesus. He agreed.”

Alex said that his family has a Catholic background but that they never attend church. While affirming his belief that the Bible is true, he admitted that he had no personal relationship with Jesus.

Eitel shared the Gospel with Alex and explained how he could enter a personal relationship with the Savior. She then inquired if he would like to ask Jesus to save him. He said “yes.”

Inviting Queen and Jessey to join them in prayer, Eitel joyfully listened as Alex confessed his sins and asked Jesus to forgive him and save him. In a praise report written after the experience, Queen wrote, “I wish you could have heard his prayer to God; it was so sincere and serious.”

Rejoicing at Alex’s salvation, Eitel says this “reverse trick-or-treating” was the best way to celebrate Halloween. She now invites fellow believers to pray for Alex, “that he will grow in his faith and that he will connect with our church and youth group.”