- Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo defends his tattoo choice
- Tattoo references John 3:16 in Roman numerals
- Cleric dismisses claims tattoos are unbiblical
- Says Christians should stop imposing personal beliefs
Founder of the David Christian Centre, Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo, has spoken out strongly in defence of his tattoo, insisting that there is no Bible verse that forbids a child of God from having tattoos, despite growing criticism on social media.
Popular relationship coach and cleric, Pastor Kingsley Okonkwo, has doubled down on his decision to get a tattoo, saying critics have failed to provide any biblical or logical basis for condemning his action.
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The controversy began after the pastor revealed a tattoo with the inscription “3:16” in Roman numerals, a reference to John 3:16, one of the most popular verses in the Bible. The tattoo quickly sparked debate online, with some Christians accusing him of violating biblical principles.
Many critics cited Leviticus 19:28, which warns against making marks on the body. However, Okonkwo dismissed the argument, describing it as a misinterpretation rooted in personal and church preferences rather than clear scripture.
“There’s no scripture that says a child of God cannot have a tattoo,” he said during an interview.
“People are just projecting personal preference, what their church teaches, or what they think the Holy Spirit told them. You cannot impose that on others.”
The pastor challenged those condemning him to provide solid evidence to back their claims.
“Somebody needs to explain to me why tattoos are bad,” he said.
“Is it because if ink touches your body, your brain goes bad? Or your character suddenly changes? Show me scripture, science, or facts.”
Drawing comparisons, Okonkwo criticized what he described as outdated thinking within the church.
“Someone once wore jeans and robbed a bank, so jeans are now bad? That kind of thinking is sad,” he added.
“How will Africa develop if we still reason like this?”
He also argued that avoiding things perceived as “bad” has caused Christians to abandon important spaces like politics.
“People say politics is for bad people, so good people stay away. Then we complain,” he said.
“It’s the same mindset with tattoos.”
According to the pastor, while tattoos may be associated with negative stereotypes, character; not appearance defines a person’s values.