Relationship coach and lead pastor of David Christian Centre Kingsley Okonkwo has maintained his decision to get a tattoo, saying there is no Bible passage that states a child of God cannot have one.
Pastor Okonkwo’s tattoo, which reads “3:16” in Roman numerals in reference to John 3:16, drew reactions on social media after he revealed it online.
Some critics cited Leviticus 19:28, which cautions against marking the skin.
Responding to the criticism in an interview with News Central on Monday, Okonkwo said the opposition was based on personal preferences and church traditions rather than scripture.
“There’s no scripture that says a child of God cannot have tattoo. People are doing personal preference or what their church prefers and want to impose it on others,” he said.
He challenged critics to provide scriptural or scientific reasons to support claims that tattoos are wrong.
“Somebody needs to sit me down and explain why tattoo is bad, with scriptural or scientific proof. Nobody can tell me why tattoo is bad. It’s just bad because there’s no reason,” he added.
Okonkwo said associating tattoos with moral failure was flawed, arguing that outward appearance does not determine character.
He compared the debate to past objections within churches over clothing and accessories, including jeans, earrings and makeup, which were once discouraged but are now widely accepted.
In a TikTok video, the pastor also questioned why some Christians criticised tattoos while engaging in other practices previously considered unacceptable in churches.
He said eyebrow painting, microblading, use of human hair and wearing of jewellery were once condemned but later accepted.
“There was a time you couldn’t wear jeans in church. Today people wear them and nobody says it is ungodly,” he said.
Okonkwo added that the church often avoided areas it considered questionable, such as politics and later complained about the outcomes.
QEDNG had earlier reported that Kingsley Okonkwo described the tattoo as a form of evangelism, saying the inscription helped spread the gospel message online.
The pastor is the founder and lead pastor of David Christian Centre, a Lagos-based church, and is known for teachings on marriage and relationships.
The debate over his tattoo continues on social media, with differing views on biblical interpretation and personal expression.
