🤔Remembering Those Who Have Gone Before
On November 1st, the day after Halloween, much of Christendom observes All Saints' Day—a day set aside to remember and honor all Christians who have died in faith. While this observance is more prominent in liturgical traditions (Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran), the biblical principles behind it offer valuable teaching opportunities for all Christian families: we are part of a great cloud of witnesses spanning centuries, and the faith of those who have gone before us can inspire and encourage our own journey with Christ.
All Saints' Day provides an antidote to the darkness and death focus of Halloween by celebrating the victory of Christ in the lives of His people throughout history. It reminds children that they're part of something bigger than themselves—a family of faith extending across time and around the world. And it gives us opportunity to teach what the Bible actually says about "saints," which might surprise many Christians who associate the term only with Catholic tradition.
📖Who Are the Saints? A Biblical Definition
✨Saints in Scripture
The New Testament uses "saints" to refer to all believers, not just super-spiritual people or those officially recognized by a church:
"To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints" (Romans 1:7)
"To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints" (1 Corinthians 1:2)
"Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi" (Philippians 1:1)
"Saint" simply means "holy one" or "set apart one." Every person who trusts in Jesus Christ for salvation is a saint—set apart by God for His purposes.
✨Teaching Children About Saints
For Younger Children (Ages 5-8):
"A saint is someone who loves Jesus and follows Him"
"If you believe in Jesus, you're a saint!"
"All Saints' Day is when we remember Christians who died and are now with Jesus in heaven"
"We can learn from how they loved and followed Jesus"
For Older Children (Ages 9-12):
"Every Christian is technically a 'saint'—someone set apart for God"
"All Saints' Day honors faithful Christians throughout history"
"We don't pray TO saints, but we can be inspired BY them"
"The 'cloud of witnesses' cheering us on includes all believers who've gone to heaven"
For Teens (Ages 13+):
Discuss different Christian traditions' views on saints and intercession
Explore biblical basis for honoring faithful examples
Study the "Hall of Faith" in Hebrews 11
Discuss: What makes someone's faith worth emulating?
Consider: How will our lives inspire future generations?
📖The Biblical Foundation
✨The Cloud of Witnesses (Hebrews 12:1)
Hebrews 11 catalogs Old Testament heroes of faith—Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and many others. Chapter 12 begins by describing these faithful believers as "a great cloud of witnesses" surrounding us like spectators in an amphitheater, encouraging us to run our race with endurance.
While we shouldn't take this image too literally (we don't know if those in heaven actually watch us), the principle is clear: we're connected to all who have faithfully followed God throughout history, and their examples should encourage us.
✨Learning from Examples (1 Corinthians 11:1, Philippians 3:17)
Paul repeatedly urged Christians to imitate his faith and the faith of other believers:
"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1)
"Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us" (Philippians 3:17)
"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7)
✨The Communion of Saints
The Apostles' Creed states: "I believe in... the communion of saints." This phrase acknowledges that all believers—past, present, and future—are united in Christ. We're part of one spiritual family that transcends time and space.
🎯All Saints' Day Activities
✨Family Devotional Ideas
Read Hebrews 11 together
Discuss what made each person's faith notable
Talk about how their examples encourage us
Create a visual "Hall of Faith" poster with these heroes
Add other biblical and historical Christian heroes
Share stories of faithful Christians in your family tree
Show photos of grandparents, great-grandparents who followed Jesus
Tell stories of how they demonstrated faith
Discuss the legacy they passed down
Thank God for your spiritual heritage
Choose 3-5 Christians from church history to study
Read about their lives and faith
Discuss what we can learn from them
Thank God for their faithful witness
Consider how we can follow their example
✨Learning About Faithful Christians
From Hebrews 11:
Abel: Offered a better sacrifice by faith
Enoch: Walked with God and was taken to heaven without dying
Noah: Built an ark in faith, saving his family
Abraham: Left everything to follow God's call
Sarah: Believed God would give her a child in old age
Moses: Chose to suffer with God's people rather than enjoy sin's pleasures
Rahab: Protected Israelite spies by faith
Other Biblical Examples:
Mary: Trusted God with an unplanned pregnancy
Peter: Bold proclaimer of the gospel despite persecution
Paul: Suffered greatly to spread the gospel
Stephen: First Christian martyr, forgave his killers
Timothy: Young leader who faithfully served despite challenges
Early Church (1-500 AD):
Polycarp: Bishop of Smyrna, martyred at age 86 refusing to deny Christ
Perpetua & Felicity: Young mothers martyred in Roman arena
Augustine: Converted from sinful life to become great theologian
Athanasius: Stood against false teaching about Jesus's deity
Medieval Period (500-1500 AD):
Patrick: Missionary to Ireland, former slave
Francis of Assisi: Left wealth to serve the poor
Julian of Norwich: Mystic who wrote about God's love
Reformation Era (1500-1700 AD):
Martin Luther: Sparked Reformation
William Tyndale: Translated Bible, martyred
John Bunyan: Wrote Pilgrim's Progress while imprisoned
Susanna Wesley: Mother of John and Charles Wesley, faithful teacher
Modern Era (1700-Present):
George Müller: Cared for thousands of orphans by faith
Hudson Taylor: Missionary to China
Amy Carmichael: Rescued children from temple slavery in India
Corrie ten Boom: Hid Jews during Holocaust, forgave captors
Jim Elliot: Martyred missionary: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose"
Martin Luther King Jr.: Fought for justice inspired by Christian faith
Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Resisted Nazis, martyred for his faith
✨All Saints' Day Celebration Ideas
Family members dress as biblical or historical Christians
Share that person's story
Discuss what made their faith notable
Take photos to remember
This provides a wholesome alternative to Halloween costumes
Create a timeline from biblical times to present
Mark when different faithful Christians lived
Add photos or drawings of each person
Include brief description of their contribution
Display prominently in your home
Create "trading cards" for different faithful Christians
Include photo, dates, key verse, and main accomplishment
Kids can collect and trade them
Play matching games or trivia with the cards
Prepare foods from different countries represented by your chosen saints
Set the table with decorations honoring these faithful believers
During the meal, tell their stories
Discuss what we can learn from each one
End with prayer thanking God for faithful witnesses
✨Crafts and Projects
Create tissue paper "stained glass" windows depicting saints
Use symbols associated with different biblical characters
Hang in windows
Discuss the stories behind each symbol
Create a family shield listing qualities you want to emulate from faithful saints
Include scripture verses that were important to them
Display as reminder of your spiritual heritage
Create a homemade book about faithful Christians
Each page features one person with their story
Children illustrate the pages
Add to it each year on All Saints' Day
🎯All Saints' Day as Halloween Alternative
✨Why Consider an Alternative?
Many Christian families struggle with Halloween's focus on darkness, fear, and death. All Saints' Day offers a biblically-based alternative that celebrates light, faith, and eternal life.
✨Hosting an All Saints' Day Party
"Come celebrate the heroes of faith!"
"Join us for an All Saints' Day celebration"
Include brief explanation of the holiday
Encourage guests to dress as a biblical or historical Christian
Saints' costume contest with categories
Pin the Bible on the Reformer (game)
Saints trivia competition
Craft stations making faith-themed items
Story time with tales of faithful Christians
Scavenger hunt with clues about different saints
Serve treats from countries where missionaries served
Crown-shaped cookies (crown of life)
Star-shaped foods (we shall shine like stars)
Light-colored foods (we are children of light)
Small Bibles or New Testaments
Christian biography books for kids
Cross bookmarks with verses about faith
Trading cards of biblical/historical Christians
Glow sticks with tags: "Let your light shine"
👶Age-Appropriate All Saints' Day Plans
✨Elementary (Ages 5-11)
Simple Celebration:
1. Read simplified stories of 3 faithful Christians
2. Discuss: "What made their faith strong?"
3. Create craft related to one person's story
4. Dress up as favorite biblical character
5. Serve special treats
6. End with prayer thanking God for faithful examples
✨Preteens (Ages 11-13)
In-Depth Study:
1. Study Hebrews 11-12 together
2. Research one historical Christian in depth
3. Create presentation about this person
4. Discuss: "What trials did they face? How did faith sustain them?"
5. Identify qualities worth imitating
6. Commit to one way you'll follow their example
✨Teens (Ages 13-18)
Deep Exploration:
1. Read Christian biography or autobiography
2. Study the theology of the "communion of saints"
3. Compare how different traditions view saints
4. Discuss modern faithful Christians worth emulating
5. Consider: "What legacy will I leave?"
6. Write reflection on faith heroes who inspire you
🎯Conversation Starters
✨For Younger Children (Ages 5-8)
"Which person from the Bible would you like to meet in heaven?"
"What does it mean to be brave for Jesus?"
"How can we follow Jesus like [saint you studied] did?"
✨For Older Children (Ages 9-12)
"What would you be willing to give up to follow Jesus?"
"Which faith hero we studied inspires you most? Why?"
"How does knowing about Christians who faced hard things help you?"
"What makes someone's faith worth copying?"
✨For Teens (Ages 13+)
"How do you think future Christians will remember our generation's faith?"
"What would you be willing to die for, if anything?"
"Is there a difference between honoring saints and venerating them?"
"How does the cloud of witnesses concept encourage you in your faith?"
🎯Addressing Common Questions
✨"Do We Pray to Saints?"
This is where Protestant and Catholic traditions differ:
Protestant View:
We pray only to God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Jesus is our only mediator (1 Timothy 2:5)
We can honor and learn from saints without praying to them
Their examples inspire us, but only God hears prayer
Catholic View:
Asking saints to pray for us (intercession) is like asking living Christians to pray
Saints in heaven are alive and care about us
They don't replace Jesus but can present our prayers to Him
Veneration (honor) differs from worship (which belongs to God alone)
Teach your children your tradition's view while respecting that sincere Christians disagree on this.
✨"Are My Deceased Loved Ones Saints?"
If they trusted in Jesus for salvation, yes! All believers are saints. While Catholic tradition has a formal canonization process, biblical teaching is that anyone in Christ is a saint. This offers great comfort to children who've lost Christian family members.
✨"Isn't This Just Halloween with Christian Costumes?"
No. All Saints' Day has much deeper roots (celebrated since at least the 4th century) and completely different focus:
Halloween emphasizes death, fear, darkness
All Saints' Day celebrates life, courage, light
Halloween is about candy and costumes
All Saints' Day is about faith and legacy
Halloween looks to the macabre
All Saints' Day looks to eternal victory in Christ
🎯The Great Cloud of Witnesses
We are connected to every believer who has ever lived. Abel's faithful sacrifice, Abraham's obedient faith, Moses's courageous leadership, the disciples' bold proclamation, the martyrs' steadfast testimony, the reformers' recovered truth, the missionaries' sacrificial service—all of these are part of our story. We benefit from their faithfulness, and future generations will benefit from ours.
When you celebrate All Saints' Day with your children, you're teaching them several vital truths:
They're part of something bigger than themselves—a family of faith spanning millennia
Faithful living matters—not just for now, but for generations to come
Following Jesus may cost something, but it's always worth it
Death is not the end for those who trust Christ
We can learn from and be inspired by those who've gone before us
One day, we'll be reunited with all believers in God's presence forever
All Saints' Day reminds us that death has been defeated. The "saints" we remember aren't dead—they're more alive than ever, experiencing the fullness of joy in God's presence. And one day, if we trust in Christ, we'll join that great cloud of witnesses, adding our testimony to theirs, proclaiming through all eternity that Jesus saves and His faithfulness endures forever.
This November 1st, celebrate light instead of darkness. Honor those who have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. Tell their stories. Learn from their examples. Be inspired by their courage. And remember that you, too, are being watched—not by the departed saints perhaps, but certainly by your children, who will one day tell their own children about the faithful life you lived.
May we run our race with endurance, surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, looking to Jesus, who will one day welcome us home with the words every saint longs to hear: "Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master."