I’m not a hip thirty something. My Macbook is old and worn and I use a Droid instead of the much sexier, iPhone. I geek out watching the National Geographic Channel and discovering obscure facts about why things work the way they do. Through all of this, God has wired me and blessed me to be a husband, daddy, church planter and pastor. This privilege and responsibility has allowed me to be a student of culture with the intention of proclaiming the hard truths of the Gospel with clarity and conviction.
Now, God is moving my family and me through a new season. We are embarking on starting a gospel-centered, missional church planting movement in key cities throughout the Midwest, beginning in Cincinnati in an attempt to be faithful to our small role in the Great Commission. We will love God enough to share in word and deed what has been revealed, and love people enough to tell them the truth, something I believe our culture is thirsty to drink in. And we’ll do this through heartache and joy, for the glory of Jesus.
Pastor Kurt
Love your writing. Feels like relief. Like freedom. Like abundant life. Good for you.
I’m curious. What do you think about tattoos? Are they any more relevant than a choice of socks? Do they have any spiritual significance? Are they kosher? Does it matter?
Thanks Brian!
There is a biblical prohibition against tattooing and piercing in the OT rules for priests (Lev. 19:28), so I don’t think it can be dismissed as irrelevant.
This is the only prohibition, however, and it is declared as pertaining to the ceremonial purity laws, intended to give visible distinction for God’s people from the pagan cultures surrounding them. These ceremonial laws have been fulfilled in Christ so that our distinction is spirit-filled living, not external conformity (I realize this is really over-simplified, but…).
Jesus has a tattoo that terrifies the writer of Revelation (19:16), so automatically discounting them as sinful is problematic (unless you’re okay with being more holy than Jesus glorified in heaven).
So, the principle would be this: there is no general prohibition as the one in the OT was written for a specific people in a specific time and place for a specific reason. And, there is no general endorsement as the example of Jesus is about a specific person…. Therefore, there is freedom and the man who walks with God should apply discernment and wisdom. It DOES matter!!! Tattoos out of a heart of rebellion, or a desire to be identified with a particular “tribe” because you’re not satisfied with your acceptance in the “beloved” (Eph. 1) would be sinful.
Anecdotally, my wife has a tattoo which she got on our 10th anniversary as a token reminding her of her love and commitment to Jesus and our covenant of marriage. I have none, because I’m not sure at this point I don’t have an idea for one that would mean much of anything other than, “hey, check me out…I have the freedom to get a tattoo and it’s really hip and cool…don’t you wish you could be like me?”
Kurt…I am on staff at a missional church in the western part of WNC. We are a reformed Baptist church that has seen tremendous growth in the past few years. I am over the several areas of our church, one of them being church plants. We are in process of planting a church in Afton, Wyoming, and we are praying about two other church plants. One in New England and another in the North- Asheville/Weaverville area.
With that said ….from your experience do you feel there is a need for a plant in the Weaverville/North-Asheville area? I am originally from the Weaverville/Asheville area and Have a heart for many of those people (similar to you in Cincinnati). I too see many sheep with out a shepherd. I am simply researching right now. Any input would be welcome.
SOLI.DEO.GLORIA
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I do think there is a need for a solid plant in N. AVL/Weaverville. You should get in touch with Bryan Robbins at Missio Dei in AVL. He hosts a quarterly group to pray about, resource and strategize about plants in WNC.