My friend left the church because she was judged for her tattoos.

“What if tattoos are the mark of the beast?!”

“Your body is a temple, you shouldn’t vandalize it.”

“But didn’t Jesus have a tattoo on his leg in Revelation?”

If you’ve spent time in church, you’ve probably overheard (or participated in) some conversations with questions and thoughts like these. Tattoos can be polarizing. There is a verse in Leviticus 19 that I hear referenced a lot, where God tells Israel to disassociate themselves from Pagan practices. One ancient pagan practice was to mourn the dead by cutting their bodies and getting tattoos.

“Do not cut your bodies for the dead, and do not mark your skin with tattoos. I am the Lord.” | Leviticus 19:28 NLT

This practice represented a form of idolatry. On the surface, this seems like a pretty black-and-white verse that tells us God doesn’t want us to have tattoos, but it’s important to read scripture in context. The verse immediately before also warns the Israelites against trimming their hair… I think it’s safe to assume every person reading this blog has gotten a haircut before and doesn’t condemn hair cutting as something the Lord wants us to abstain from in modern times.

In our culture today, tattoos are common, even for Christians. The most important thing to recognize is that tattoo’s are a non-salvation issue and aren’t something that should cause a divide between people who love Jesus. Whether you are inked to the max or would never get a tattoo in your life – accepting Jesus as your savior is what makes you a child of God and nothing can separate you from His love. (Romans 8:38).

Tattoos can be great conversation starters. Many Christians who have tattoos use them as a way to outwardly express their beliefs. It’s always inspiring to hear unique stories of how people share the gospel!

Here are 5 Christian artists who use their tattoos to tell stories, honor their families, and glorify God:

1. Brandon Lake

Take a “tattoo tour” with Brandon Lake. His tats range from his favorite Bible verse to a Beatles song with a sweet family story, to a random horse head just because it looks cool.

2. TobyMac

While mixing DC Talk‘s Supernatural record, TobyMac and his wife Amanda got tattoos together on their 6th wedding anniversary!

3. Skillet

John and Korey Cooper, of Skillet, tell the tale behind their first tattoos. John is giving us exactly what we expected, but Korey’s stories may surprise you.

4. Jason Roy from Building 429

Jason Roy’s tattoo journey started on tour. After their guitar player Jesse was questioned and accused, Jason took the matter into his own hands. Hear the heartwarming story behind all of his family tattoos including one the whole family got together after his daughter went on American Idol!

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5.) Lecrae

Lecrae shares the story of the iconic 1:16 tattoo that he shares with Tedashii, Andy Mineo, KB, and thousands of fans, but also opens up about a few tattoos he’s not exactly proud he’s gotten.

That friend I mentioned earlier, she found a church home that she felt welcome in. ❤️ It was heartbreaking to watch someone leave the church she grew up in because of the opinion of one family. God calls us to love each other despite our differences and that’s one way each of us can work to be more like Jesus.

I’m celebrating the fact that these artists are using their music and tattoos to share the Gospel with others.

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