Christians all over the world would probably agree that the celebration of Christ’s birth and His death and Resurrection are the two most important days in the church’s calendar.

But allow me to now add a third day, Oct. 31.

No, I am not referring to Halloween or even All Saints’ Day.

Halloween, birthed in pagan fears, has to be the worst thing for believers to celebrate. Overindulging in sugar and wearing silly outfits often glorifying evil is strange because evil does exist.

Years ago when I did security for a large corporate hotel, Halloween was the worst day of the year for the drunks, fights and all-around mayhem.

Yet, we, the church, already have this date, Oct. 31, to celebrate. It is the most significant date in church history since the Book of Revelation was written.

The problem is that we collectively have all but forgotten what we have and where we came from.

Most Christian historians and theologians agree that the Protestant Reformation started on Oct. 31 in 1517.

On that auspicious day, Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic priest, nailed his 95 theses onto the chapel door at Wittenberg castle.

This was the beginning of the Protestant Reformation and the point in history when the church started to turn around and walk back to its beginnings in the Book of Acts. Back to the faith in God alone and faith in His Word.

If you believe it’s just a Lutheran thing, think again.

Martin Luther was a pious, devout Catholic scholar and professor of theology. His devotion to religion was second to none, yet he was left with a sense of unworthiness before God.

Doing all the rituals of the church left him empty and in fear of God’s wrath.

But reading Romans 1:17 one day, “the just shall live by faith”, caused him to have a life-altering experience with God.

Two Latin phrases became his watchwords that would help guide the Reformation. They were ‘Sola fide’ which means “By faith only’ and ‘Sola Scriptura’, ‘By God’s Word only’.

It’s worth celebrating that we build our faith on God’s word, not man’s, and it’s about faith in Jesus’ work, not ours.

Though this is the most important date in church history for the last 1,900 years, many of us busy ourselves with celebrating a pagan holiday.

Is it time to end the church’s Halloween parties in their basements, as we have a greater thing to focus on.

If you have had enough of Halloween parties at your church, maybe you should nail your complaint onto your chapel door.

Just a thought.