Can Tattoos Lead to Salvation?

Brianna Langley • Oct 10, 2017

When Felicity* heard the call to full-time missions in the Middle East , she thought she knew what to expect. After all, she’d grown up as a missionary kid in a Middle Eastern nation.

She grew up with Muslim friends. She knew the Quran almost as well as she knew the Bible, and she could debate apologetics along with the best of them.

But when she arrived in her new country, she realized none of it had prepared her for the ministry ahead of her.

“In high school, I would sit down with neighbor kids and we’d play, and … our religion would come up, and they knew what the Quran said, so we’d get into discussions about that,” said Felicity.

But when Felicity tried debating theology in her new country, her efforts fell flat.

“I’ve tried doing that with my neighbors, especially the ladies, and they have no idea what the Quran says,” said Felicity. “I don’t even try to talk apologetics or anything like that because really … it’s not even interesting to them.”

What the women in this culture really wanted to hear were stories — and that presented an obstacle all its own.

Not a Natural Storyteller

Felicity openly admits that storytelling has never come naturally to her. But in a country where everyone is captivated by them, storytelling seemed to be the most effective way to share Christ with these people.

So, what could Felicity do?

She had been ministering to Muslims since childhood, and now it appeared that the one skill she sorely needed was the one she didn’t have.

Fortunately, God led her to a form of storytelling that was both beautiful and unexpected.

Body Art that Brings Healing

A few years ago, a group of missionaries in India came up with an idea for sharing the Gospel in a culturally relevant way: henna tattoos.

For thousands of years, women in Arabic, Asian and African cultures have decorated their bodies with temporary artwork. It’s as intertwined with their heritage as the designs of the henna tattoos are intertwined with each other — and the results are stunning.

henna tattoos

This henna tattoo design portrays the death and resurrection of Jesus, allowing missionaries to start conversations and continue the story. Photo courtesy of TEAM missionary


So, what if female missionaries in these fields could take this ancient art form and turn it into a tool for sharing the story of Christ? As they paint henna tattoos on their neighbors’ hands and feet, what if they used the intricate patterns to bring the Good News to life?

Before long, a missionary in Felicity’s host country caught wind of this new evangelism method and eagerly shared it with the other women in her area.

“I had grown up … doing henna just for fun, and, at first, I was really skeptical,” Felicity said. “But then, after time, I saw how it could be used, and I got really excited about it.”

Since Felicity already had experience with henna art, learning these new Christian storytelling designs came fairly easily to her.

“As I did [the henna designs], and as I grew, I gained confidence,” she explains. “And then, people around me got excited about it, too. So … having that buildup of excitement was helpful.”

A Grandmother and a Sister

One of the first women Felicity tried her henna stories on was her housekeeper — who also happens to be a grandmother to 22 grandchildren.

“She loved [the stories] so much, she would take them home … and share them with her grandkids,” said Felicity.

At Easter, Felicity shared the story of Jesus’ resurrection with her.

“She said, ‘Oh, congratulations! He’s alive, and now He’s in Heaven!’ And so, it was neat to see that transformation — how these stories have become real for her,” said Felicity.

Felicity also has the chance to build relationships with local women in a way she didn’t have before — like when she had her friend and her friend’s sister over for tea. They both instantly noticed the henna design on Felicity’s hands.

“So, the sister went home and drew the design on her hand, but she didn’t know there was a story to it,” said Felicity. “The next week, I went to visit them, and she showed me her design.”

The sister shyly told Felicity that she’d liked her henna design so much she’d copied it on her own hand. Seizing the opportunity, Felicity went on to tell her the Bible story behind the design.

“I drew the henna again and told her the story, and she went to each of the women in the courtyard and told them the story again and again — the story of Jesus’ birth.”

Now, these women who come to Felicity for henna tattoos feel comfortable sharing their problems, which gives Felicity even more opportunities to share the stories of Jesus and even pray with them.

All the while, Felicity’s life serves as a reminder that God walks with us when we step out of our comfort zones — and that sometimes answers come from the most unexpected places.

*Name changed.

By Suzanne Pearson 19 Mar, 2024
Previously on the TEAM blog, we sat down with Justin Burkholder (pictured above at left, with TEAM's Executive Director of Communications, Aaron Catlin). Justin will become TEAM’s next International Director on July 1, 2024. Justin shared about his background, family, and the journey that led him to TEAM. Check out that interview here . Today, we pick up the conversation as Justin shares how God called him to the role of International Director, and what he sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church. Q: How and when did you first consider applying for the position of International Director? How did the Lord reveal Himself to you as this opportunity presented itself? A: For some time, I have been evaluating how God wants me to use the gifts He has given me. Jenny and I have had a fruitful ministry in church planting in Guatemala and would happily continue doing so as God leads. However, as God blessed my efforts in TEAM leadership, there were friends and family who expressed that I should consider using my gifts in the International Director role. I don’t believe that everything necessarily rises and falls on leadership, but I do believe that it is a core component in the body of Christ. Using the gifts God has given me is a way that I want to bless the body of Christ in TEAM, making my contribution to the global purposes of God’s mission. Jenny and I spent a lot of time praying about this and decided that I should put my name in for consideration, trusting God’s guidance. We had a tremendous amount of peace throughout the entire process and were blessed by the prayer-filled process that the board undertook. Q: This is a key role in a large and complex organization, and I’m sure this was a big decision for you and your family. What were your fears or concerns? Why did you ultimately decide to accept the position? A: You say “were” like the fears have passed! I still am quite aware of my youth and inexperience - of the responsibility and weight of this role. Mostly, I’m afraid of leading an organization like TEAM in the flesh. Many of the fears that I have faced have been fears rooted in fleshly desires and concerns. I have no desire to succeed in the world’s eyes and fail in the Kingdom of Jesus. Why did I ultimately decide to accept the position? I’m convinced that the Good News about Jesus is true. The tomb is empty, Jesus is King, and the world needs to know, because Jesus is coming back. He will put things in order. He will establish righteousness, peace, and justice for all mankind, and He has commissioned His Church to proclaim and demonstrate His rule and reign. I want to use my gifts to do whatever I can to amplify the proclamation of this message and the multiplication of His Church around the world. Q: What are your goals and vision for the future of TEAM? A: This is something that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. I’m certainly not ready to present a fully-shaped vision and goals for TEAM’s future without the input of other people in different contexts in TEAM. But, I will share a few things that I think are important: First, we need to model God-Dependence . I am hopeful that as leaders in TEAM, we can continue to model God-Dependence. As Hudson Taylor said years ago “…God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supplies.” I am hopeful that we can increase our sense of faith in God, prayer, and seeking direction from the Spirit. Secondly, we must strengthen our relational fabric . Due to the changes that we have experienced by decentralizing our home office functions, and the challenges from the pandemic, we have experienced a loss of relationships. It is imperative that we intentionally prioritize the building of relationships with one another. I plan to visit our workers and staff, and I am expectant that other key leaders and staff will be doing the same. Third, we must pursue the greater presence of the global Church. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ doesn’t look like any single geopolitical, ethnic, or racial culture. If we want to truly see the Kingdom of Jesus come on earth as it is in heaven, then we as citizens of this Kingdom must learn from one another, submit to one another, and grow with one another. The missional potential of the global Church has been unleashed by God’s Spirit since Acts 1, and we have an opportunity to learn from many brothers and sisters in Christ who can help us to better model and proclaim the Kingdom of Jesus to those who have yet to believe. Lastly, we must increase our Gospel boldness . There are still many places of great spiritual blindness and spiritual brokenness around the world. The apostolic impulse of cross-cultural organizations should call us to the to the edges of where the Kingdom of Jesus is not penetrating. Whether spiritual blindness and brokenness exists because of lack of access, idolatry, injustice, or any other myriad of reasons, I prayerfully hope to see more and more TEAM workers continue to move into spaces of great Gospel need.
By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
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