Ways Churches Can Celebrate the Biblical Holidays

These are ways that churches large or small can celebrate the Biblical holidays that the Creator gave to all of his people to enjoy and learn from!

At this time of year I see so many churches having special events from backyard barbecues and apple dumpling fundraisers to worship nights and youth group retreats...why not take part in the Bible holidays by doing something like that during the special times of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles?

Many of us have been told that in order to take part in the Biblical holidays you have to do animal sacrifices or that it's super boring, but that is absolutely not the case! While Scripture does give a few instructions for each holiday, there is plenty of room for creativity and there are different ways to enjoy the holidays that are Biblically appropriate. Because of that, you don't have to worry about 'looking Jewish' with your celebrations. The goal here is to put God's word into practice and honor him at these times, not to try and emulate how someone else does a holiday like the Feast of Trumpets.

The Biblical holidays are a joyful time and there are many ways we can celebrate them and honor the Creator! If your church has worship nights or fellowship meals on random days, it can certainly do something like that on the days appointed as special in the Bible. 

Ways churches can celebrate the Biblical holidays of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and the Feast of Tabernacles:

-Worship night.

-Children's recital.

-Hymn sing.

-Prayer service.

-Churchwide retreat.

-Youth group camp out or lock in.

-Fellowship meal.

-Drive for canned goods, Bibles, winter coats, etc.

-Outdoor games night.

-Movie night.

-Chili cookoff.

Related posts:
The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays
Why the Bible Holidays are for All Believers
Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Feasts

The Beginner's Guide to the Biblical Holidays

This post is an overview of the Biblical holidays from Scripture, explaining what the holidays are according to passages like Leviticus 23, and Deuteronomy 16. These are not traditional Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas, but rather set apart times created by the Living God. We will go over the basics of each holiday from Passover to Shavuot to the Feast of Tabernacles, what happened on them historically and what they symbolize.

In addition to the weekly Sabbath, there are seven different holidays that we are instructed by Scripture to set apart. These times are special, and not only because we are told to celebrate them. Each holiday has significance historically, prophetically, and in the life of the Messiah. Paul wrote in Colossians that these times are a shadow of things to come. That means we have a lot to learn from these holidays.

The Biblical holidays are:

Passover
Feast of Unleavened Bread
First Fruits

The Feast of Weeks / Shavuot / Pentecost

Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah

Day of Covering / Day of Atonement / Yom Kippur

Feast of Tabernacles / Sukkot

While specific dates are given in Scripture, the Biblical calendar doesn't mesh perfectly with the Gregorian so the dates move a bit each year. Land of Honey posts the dates for the upcoming holidays at the beginning of each year.

Please note that Bible holidays are for Bible believers. 

Many people are under the mistaken belief that the holidays that YHWH instructed us to keep were somehow only for the Jewish people, but that idea is not supported by Scripture. Deuteronomy 16:14 expressly tells us that foreigners who join the community of YHWH's people should celebrate these days too, so no matter your background, ethnicity, or family traditions the Creator invites you to these times.

When we learn about each Biblical holiday, we learn more about Scripture. It's truly stunning how much meaning is jam-packed into each of these times. And studying these holidays means we remember what YHWH did on these days. The holidays are, as N.T. Wright says, 'kingdom moments' and God has always performed amazing miracles on these days throughout history. Celebrating these holidays is celebrating what God has done.

A brief overview of the set apart times:

Passover: In the Biblical year Passover is the very first feast. We see the Israelites keep Passover just before the Egyptian exodus. They were instructed to brush the doors of their homes with blood from a lamb, we are reminded that the Messiah was the perfect sacrificial lamb. That's not just an allegory either, Yahusha was killed on Passover. 

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: This is a week long celebration that starts the day after Passover. Leavened/yeast bread and other products are forbidden this week. As yeast is a very small ingredient that rabidly transforms all the dough, we are reminded that the small things in our life make a huge impact. And this lack of leaven reminds us to purge the sin from our lives, which is made possible through the Messiah's sacrifice.

First Fruits: This day happens the day after the Sabbath during the week of Unleavened Bread. This is when the first of the barley harvest was to be presented before YHWH. First Fruits is the day the Messiah resurrected from the dead and presented himself to the Father. It is also when we are to start counting fifty days.

Feast of Weeks: Fifty days after First Fruits we are to celebrate Shavuot. This is a day of great significance as the instructions on how to live were given at Mount Sinai and then shortly after the Messiah's ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit was given on the day of Shavuot. The Feast of Weeks is a celebration of having God's word and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Feast of Trumpets: The first of the fall feasts, Yom Teruah means something like Day of Sounding. All those verses that talk about a trumpet sounding when the Messiah returns? It will happen on that day. Perhaps the most joyous time in history will be on Yom Teruah at the return of the Messiah!

Yom Kippur: Under the Levitical priesthood this was a very significant day because it's the day that the priests made atonement for all of Israel's sin with the two goats. Today we can celebrate that the Messiah has atoned for our sins. Prophetically, it is thought that this will be the day that the earth is judged and the people who have been atoned for by Messiah will be separated from those who have not.

Feast of Tabernacles: This is a beautiful look ahead to when YHWH will dwell or camp with us. With that in mind, it's no surprise that it is believed the Messiah was born during this time. This eight day celebration usually looks like a camping trip, with the commandment being to dwell in tents. Others build a temporary structure on their property and spend time there throughout Sukkot. We reflect on this world being a temporary place for us, while we look forward to the day when the Messiah returns to dwell with his people!

If you'd like beginner's guides to the individual holidays, Land of Honey offers these!

The Beginner's Guide to Passover (for believers in Messiah)
The Beginner's Guide to Unleavened Bread
The Beginner's Guide to Shavuot
The Beginner's Guide to the Feast of Trumpets
The Beginner's Guide to Yom Kippur

More posts on the Biblical holidays:
Why the Bible Holidays are for All Believers
Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Feasts
Why I Started Celebrating the Biblical Holidays

Feast of Tabernacles Events for Believers in Messiah - 2022

Here is a list of celebrations for the Feast of Tabernacles happening this year in 2022! Celebrating the Biblical holidays with other believers in Messiah is truly a special opportunity and if you're looking for an event near you hopefully you can find one here. Sukkot is an eight day celebration, and many of these last for the duration. Even if you have to travel or can only make a a day or two I would encourage you to do what you can to worship the Creator with others during this special time.

Please note: I am not familiar with each ministry or all the people responsible for these Tabernacle events. People celebrate the Biblical holidays in a variety of ways, so reach out and contact the organizers ahead of time if you have specific questions about what that will look like. I simply want to give people the option of connecting with others through this list.

Torah to the Tribes Sukkot
September 30-October 9
Stayton, Oregon

The People of Truth Feast of Tabernacles
October 6-9
Paden, Oklahoma

Choose Life Sukkot
October 7-18
Coffeville, Mississippi

Messianic Torah Observant Israel Sukkot
October 7-18
Cleveland, Tennessee

House of David Sukkot Celebration
October 9
Fairland, Oklahoma

Feast of Tabernacles Glacier Country
October 9-?
Hungry Horse, Montana

A Multi-Congregational Feast
October 9-16
Cherry Creek, Colorado

Feast of Tabernacles: Fire on the Altar
October 9-16
Bradenton, Florida

Fellowship Church Tabernacles
October 9-16
Winter Springs, Florida

Founded in Truth Fellowship Sukkot
October 9-16
Casar, North Carolina

Texas Tabernacles
October 9-17
Waco, Texas

Sukkot YES
October 9-17
Amery, Wisconsin

Midwest Sukkot: The Rehearsal
October 9-17
Manson, Iowa

Feast of Tabernacles
October 9-17
Gladwin, Michigan

Walnut Creek Feast of Tabernacles
October 9-17
Walnut Creek, Ohio

Season of Our Joy Feast of Tabernacles
October 9-17
Longview, Texas

Unmovable: Tabernacles 2022
October 9-17
Lake Palo Duro, Texas

Living Church of God Tabernacles
October 9-17
Charlotte, North Carolina

Feast of Tabernacles Kohala Coast
October 9-17
Kohala Coast, Hawaii

The River Church Sukkot
October 9-18
Vancouver, Washington

MVF Silverton
October 9-18
Silverton, Oregon

Feast of the Nations Sukkot
October 9-18
Old Town, Florida

Revive House of Messiah Feast of Tabernacles
October 9-18
Boerne, Texas

COGNJ Feast of Tabernacles
October 9-18
Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania

The Father's Call Feast of Tabernacles
October 9-18
Oxnard, California

New2Torah Sukkot
October 9-18
Huntsville, Arkansas

Feast of Tabernacles Eau Claire
October 9-19
Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Truth Seekers of Montana Sukkot
October 9-20
Troy, Montana

Rock Valley Feast of Tabernacles
October 10-17
Park City, Utah

Discipleship Church of God Tabernacles
October 10-17
Garden City, Utah

Fellowship in Faith Feast of Tabernacles
October 10-17
Hot Springs, Arkansas

Fellowship in Faith Feast of Tabernacles
October 10-17
Gilbertsville, Kentucky

Sabbath Church Feast of Tabernacles
October 10-17
Plymouth, Massachusetts

Hudson Valley Sukkot
October 10-17
Poughkeepsie, New York

Living Messiah Sukkot
October 10-17
Sierra Vista, Arizona

North Texas Fellowship Feast of Tabernacles
October 10-17
Harriet, Arkansas

CGI Sukkot
October 10-17
Medina, Ohio

Feast of Tabernacles Rapid City
October 10-17
Rapid City, South Dakota

Guardian Ministries Feast of Tabernacles
October 10-17
South Lake Tahoe, California

Feast of Tabernacles Bandon
October 10-18
Bandon, Oregon

Yahshua Mayim Chayim Feast of Tabernacles
October 10-18
Prescott, Arizona

Safe Haven Farms Sukkot
October 10-19
Dinuba, California

Feast of Tabernacles Celebration
October 10-20
Tampa Bay, Florida

Feast of Tabernacles Pikeville
October 10-20
Pikeville, Tennessee

EliYah Ministries Feast of Tabernacles
October 10-20
Steelville, Missouri

B'nai Israel Messianic Assembly Sukkot
October 10-21
Kellyville, Oklahoma

Assembly of Yahweh Feast of Tabernacles
October 11-18
Rising Star, Texas

Yahweh's Restoration Ministries Feast of Tabernacles
October 11-18
Holt's Summit, Missouri

Grafted Together Sukkot
October 11-19
Sunset, South Carolina

Feast of Sukkot: Restoring His Way
October 11-19
Wewoka, Oklahoma

Grafted Church Sukkot
October 11-19
Hinton, Oklahoma

Wait on the Lord: Lion and Lamb Tabernacles Event
October 11-20
Chandler, Oklahoma

Solel Fellowship Sukkot
October 11-20
Charlotte, Michigan

Messiah's New Life Tabernacle Sukkot
October 12-19
Avilla, Indiana

Sukkot NC
October 12-20
Triangle, Virginia

Brazos Bereans Feast of Tabernacles
October 12-20
Glen Rose, Texas

Sukkot Celebration
October 14-15
Xenia, Ohio

The Harvest Sukkot
October 14-17
Thornton, Colorado

Feast of Tabernacles Mont-Tremblant
October 9-18
Quebec, Canada

Drumheller Tabernacles
October 10-17
Drumheller, Alberta Canada

Osoyoos Tabernacles
October 10-17
Osoyoos, British Columbia Canada

Ohope Sukkot: Restore
October 9-18
Ohope Beach, New Zealand

Feast of Tabernacles WA
October 10-17
Mandurah WA, Australia

Related posts:
Six Things You Can Do Now to Get Ready for the Fall Feasts
The Feast of Tabernacles: What it Means and Why You Should Celebrate
8 Things Scripture Says About the Feast of Tabernacles

Why I'm Still Keeping the Sabbath

You've heard why I first started keeping the Sabbath. It's been more than 11 years since then! I'm still keeping it. Here's why:

-The conviction still holds. Throughout the past decade plus, I have heard a zillion arguments for why believers don't need to honor the Sabbath. But none of these hold up under the examination of Scripture. As I continue to read and study YHWH's word, the significance of Sabbath comes up in many ways, and I still feel conviction to set apart this holy day. My faith has grown through this time of Sabbath keeping, and I'm more convicted of the importance of this than when I first started.

-I like it. I should be following the Bible's instructions whether I appreciate them or not, but I truly do enjoy and look forward to the Sabbath! It is a calming factor throughout the whole week. No matter how busy the season I find myself in is, I know I will have a break and time to rest each and every week, and I look forward to that. The time to rest and study the word is a joy, and I'm happy to be able to set aside work, chores, and other obligations on the Sabbath.

-It benefits me. I find myself overwhelmed with life far less often than I did before Sabbath keeping, even though I have more going on to balance. The mental, as well as physical, break refreshes me for the upcoming week, and I know myself to be far more productive 'working' six days a week instead of seven. My energy level is higher, I feel refreshed, inspired, and more alert mentally thanks to Sabbath keeping.

-It really is doable! Many people find this hard to believe but setting apart the Sabbath as a day of rest and not working is not too hard. It took time to learn how to rest and relax and not focus on the cares of the rest of the week, but once you know how, you know! Now that I'm used to keeping the Sabbath, it is completely natural to prepare for it and keep that day free of other commitments. My husband and I have both found jobs where we don't work on the Sabbath. Our families and friends have accepted this part of our lifestyle. I've found that the world does go on, even if I'm not participating in the same things that I used to on Saturdays.

-I can see how others who started keeping the Sabbath benefit. When I started keeping Sabbath I did so at the same time as my now-husband, my parents, and several other friends and families from our small congregation. They're still keeping Sabbath too and would tell you it is meaningful and valuable. I can see how their faith has grown through taking this tangible step of faith.

-To show others that it is possible. When I get together with people who don't keep the Sabbath, there's usually a clear theme: everyone is mind-numbingly busy and stressed to the point of tears. I hear this from friends, relatives, coworkers, and people in my community. I don't look down on anyone for not keeping the Sabbath - I didn't either for much of my life - but I do feel for those who are overwhelmed with no break in sight. I want to show others that even if you're juggling a million responsibilities and commitments, you can still partake in this incredible gift of rest and restoration from our God!

More on the Sabbath:
Sabbath in the New Testament
Tips for Resting on the Sabbath
Things I Love about the Sabbath