ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Church logo tattoos are the latest in offbeat testimony at an Orange County church that holds Sunday services in a punk rock nightclub and collects offerings in KFC buckets.
City Church of Anaheim is celebrating its first year in operation and the goal of reaching a 200-member flock with a radical commitment to the congregation and community: Tattoos of the red-heart church logo.
Pastor Kyle Steven Bonenberger told worshippers that God “tattooed your name on his heart” and it was time for an everlasting commitment to Him and the church.
The Orange County Register reports about a dozen people got inked, fulfilling the pledge they made if the church doubled its normal attendance.
City Church started in a living room and moved to Anaheim’s Chain Reaction Club as the congregation grew.
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Information from: The Orange County Register, http://www.ocregister.com
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utech
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 10:11pmlooks like a cool logo and a pretty cool commitment that some people made. last year I got a tattoo of my church’s logo on the back of my leg. not only was I a part of the launch team for our church but I also really like the meaning of our logo – it is a circle with two foot/shoe prints with the right foot stepping outside the circle – it is a reminder of how our live and our faith is a journey not a destination and that we not only have a circle of influence but we also have to step outside the circle of our own experience and the box that we try to squeeze God into.
Report Post »that said – tattoos are not for everyone but I like mine and everyone is an expression of my faith. (and a great way to kick start a conversation)
1accord
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:00pmThat’s why we have to know the WORD for ourselves. Isaiah 49:16
Report Post »New International Version (©1984)
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.
danglingbagless
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:24pmHey Dangling, why don’t you be the first to get a Palin tatoo? Maybe on your balless bag. Can they do tatoos that small???? I’m just sayin…
Greyhound424
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 2:14pmTatoos are unGODly. The Bible tells us no tatoo or piercing.
Report Post »Mwshipwreck
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 2:53pmthe only reason christians get their panties in a twist about tattoos is because it’s a “visible sin.” how are you doing on not coveting your neighbors wife? or his car? how are you doing on telling the truth? you’re beating with a book everyone that book tells you to love.
Leviticus 19:26-31 deals with pagan practices and God’s prohibitions against adopting those practices. In verse 28, God is warning the Jewish people about a pagan practice at funerals, where pagans would mutilate/mark themselves to appease their false gods. The pagans hoped that by cutting themselves and marking images/symbols of idols on their bodies, that they would obtain favour in the afterlife from their false gods, both for themselves and for those who just died.
of course, when you pick and choose which parts of the bible you follow, you miss out on a lot of really good stuff.
“You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love.”
-Galatians 5:4-6
“And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth.” -Exodus 13:9
“It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes; for by a strong hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”
-Exodus 13:16
“This one will say, ‘I am the LORD’s,’ another will call himself by the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and surname himself by the name of Israel.”
-Isaiah 44:5
“Behold, I have graven you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.”
-Isaiah 49:16
“And the LORD said to him, ‘Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark upon the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it’.”
-Ezekiel 9:4
“Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the brand marks of Jesus.”
-Galatians 6:17
“Then I saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads.’”
-Revelation 7:2-3
“On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, King of kings and Lord of lords.”
-Revelation 19:16
but i suppose an out of context verse about pagan funerals is all we need to condemn our fellow brothers because we’ve been taught to disapprove.
Report Post »brandonhxc
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 3:10pmamen shipwreck, please no condemnation through Jesus. the church desperately needs to learn this. we’re all real people with real sins and we need a real God!
Report Post »BrendaB
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:36amI do believe that the members of this church are being led astay. Read God’s “Word”, Leviticus20
Report Post »brandonhxc
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:57ami understand your point brendab, but what I‘m saying is that you can’t encourage one levitical law and not them all. For example, I don’t think you uphold every dietary law. God wanted to use the Israelites to prove what they needed to earn their way to Him. But they can’t do it. We can’t do it. We need Jesus to buy our debts to God. The proper way to teach holiness rather than saying no tatoos, dresses for girls, ties for boys, is saying that everything is lawful for you to do (as Paul says) but not everything expedient. Which means that if your lifestyle doesn’t represent Christ to someone else, you shouldn’t do it. Jesus wouldn’t sit around arguing about tatoos. Jesus rebuked Pharisees for pushing the law on everyone when they did not uphold it themselves.
The church has lost its credit and instead of being real and honest, they’ve attempted to do what the Pharisees did by making laws that made them seem holy.
Report Post »Peraslax
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 2:07pmWhile I agree with most of what you said Brandon, I have to disagree with your reason why the church has lost credit, It started in the 30s when priests and pastors stopped preaching Christ’s own words on what to expect from being a Christian He didnt promise joy and happiness and prosperity, He promised hardships and hatred and animosity towards those that would follow Him. Do we hoestly expect a better time of it than his own chosen decsiples and even HE had? That is why 75% of people today who accept Christ fall out within 2 years. From what they hear from the pulpit they expect all this bliss and happyness and everything will go right because they now have God as their sugar daddy, They are never warned about the dayly struggle that they will endure and that the ONLY way to persevere is to get into the Word dayly, not just show up at a building once a week and think everything is fine. Pastors stopped preaching that because they found it just wasnt popular. Better to have those once a weekers in there filling the coffers than preaching truth to a smaller congregation.That’s why the left has no fear of slamming Christians and taking away religious liberties. Remember the MAJORITY of people in this country say they are Christian. But progressives figured out a long time ago that for a lot of Americans, being a Christian means being a decent person and going to church once in a while, Do you honestly think that if everyone in this country that said they were Christians were solidly grounded in the Word that there would be even one polititian elected that was pro abortion? When God Himself said He formed this prophet from the womb and knew that prophet from the womb. And John lept for joy in his mothers womb when he was close to the pregnant Mary. And there would have been such an outcry from the country over this rediculous and flat out made up Seperation of church and state fiasco that there would have been an amendment to the constitution before the year was out, “Many are called but few are chosen.” isnt allegorical. It’s a Major Truth.
Report Post »brandonhxc
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 3:06pmthank you peraslax for clarifying, but i never gave a reason as to why the church lost credit. I said when the church lost credit they began enforcing religious laws. So i will have to agree with you that the church lost credit when they stopped preaching the words of Jesus.
Now you are correct when Jesus said that you will be persecuted for your faith with hatred and hardships. But we are God’s children and God will bless us and He wants us to prosper. Why wouldn’t a father want that from his child. Jesus said that the world will hate you though because the world hates Jesus. I don’t think we live in a country (yet) that has gotten to the point of persecutions like in the Apostle’s times. However, there are parts of the world that will still kill you because you say the name of Jesus.
As far as America we have yet to see that kind of violent persecution. So i agree that when you tell people that the way of Christ isn’t “joy, happiness, prosperitey” you’re saying that you will not have joy like the world has and you will not be happy or prosper the way the world does.
Because faith and love in Jesus Christ has such a more deeper joy and happiness that the world doesn’t understand it.
Progressivism entered the church much before 1930s i think they started teaching the “social gospel” in the 1840s or something. But progressives were smart and manipulative enough to realize that people didn’t want the religion from “church” anymore and they’ve exploited and twisted truths.
Report Post »santacary
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:42amNO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this is slaveory . did you know only slaves are tatoo . God is God His law are for all and this means you!!! this is a lie from satan. get you head out fo the new testment and read and learn of Christ and how He veiwed the Law of God . No! No! No!
Report Post »brandonhxc
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 10:30amsantacary, i obviously don’t know what you profess to believe but the modern Christian church NEEDs to have the New Testament in their heads. Jesus Christ IS the new covenant (testament). The Law of Moses was to show you what you have to do to EARN your way to God. And God‘s point was that you can’t do it. No one can earn his way to God because we are sinners. God sent Jesus as the final payment for all of our sins. God’s finished work was on the cruel roman cross.
Report Post »Mwshipwreck
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:27amhaving the freedom to freely choose to forever freely show your devotion to a freedom loving God with a tattoo is slavery? branding a slave (someone else) and marking yourself (not someone else) is clearly different. unless you‘re suggesting that these kids are now God’s slaves? whatever it is you were trying to say, you failed.
Report Post »brandonhxc
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:08amEveryone’s going to be surprized when Jesus comes back with a tatoo… Rev. 19:16 – On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
How do you have something written on your thigh without being inked.
But really, I think Christians have to be careful when quoting Levitical laws to make a point. Because no one can follow ALL the Levitical laws, for example the dietary laws. And I feel its dangerous to speak one Levitical law and not another because it comes off as judgemental.
To take it in a new Testament context, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:23 “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive.
Everything is permissible(other than sin of course) for a new Testament Christian but that doesn’t mean you should do it. I think this church has a interesting setup that is more inviting to that group of people that would otherwise not have anything to do with Jesus, much less church. We should embrace churches that get creative in their ministry instead of pushing stuffy religion on everyone. As long as they preach love and ressurection through Jesus Christ, God’s name is glorified!
Report Post »reformedradical
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 10:43amBrandon, I think you make some great points. I think we should be supportive of churches who draw in different segments of the population. For me, I’m a young guy with tattoos and piercings. I’m more comfortable in a setting filled with people who look like me– AND believe the way I do! I would love to take part in a congregation dedicated to spreading God‘s word and God’s love, while not falling prey to antiquated ideas of what makes someone a good Christian. Jesus said he came not to abolish the old law, but to amend it. He also said not to judge one another, lest we be judged. If God has issues with tattoos, we will find out when Christ returns. But, personally, I think God is much more concerned with other, more pressing issues. Why would He care if an alternative church opened its doors to more believers and did things in just a slightly different way? I have scripture on my body, and it has opened so many more doors for witnessing, as people do ask me what the ink means. Let‘s keep our minds and hearts open to new and innovative ways to spread God’s message.
Report Post »brandonhxc
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 10:56amamen reformed, i think as a general christian body (church) we need to stop worrying about how to fit people into our ideas of molds for a christian, my pastor calls it “manakin church”, and get back to what church is about, what Jesus is about, and what our faith can do to change the world. I pray God‘s blessing over you as you use the tool of a tatoo to bring Jesus into people’s lives.
Report Post »SPIKYHEAD
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:39amWell put, Brandon. I personally believe that at the end of the day, you ALONE make the decision what to do with your body, and that is between you and your principles, be they God, spirituality, atheism, whatever. A person must be fully informed and aware of what their principles call on before they make a decision like this. I am a person with 2 tattoos myself and I believe it‘s something a person shouldn’t take lightly. I do not regret my tattoos at all, I chose them carefully, I am proud of them, and I may get a few more (but not too many! :-P ) I know some may disagree with me and my beliefs, and that’s totally OK. It’s a decision only the individual can make, but they MUST consider all possibilities when it comes to permanently marking your body. Thanks for your insight!
Report Post »DARoberts
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 1:57pmbrandon is a hard core, straight edge, christian. doesnt make a whole lot of sense buuut i remember highschool when a few kids tried that
Report Post »brandonhxc
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 2:30pmwell daroberts, since you seem interested and a little confused about me, i shall clarify. i assume you’ve gathered your knowledge from my screen name.
the hxc does mean hardcore. i’m 21 years old, i enjoy hardcore music, metal music, anything thats loud. As far as straight edge, i guess i am since i think straight edge people refrain from drugs. I have an occasional beer but i did the drug thing in my earlier life and found it caused me alot of damage and wasted time.
the next point would be that i am a christian absolutely. not a christian tied down by religion but a christian that knows the love of God and the power and peace of the Holy Spirit.
I guess if you wanna know anything else about me you could make a match.com page but fortunately i’m already married :)
so if anything still doesn‘t make sense to you i’d love to get in contact and let you know how much the love of God can change your life and how, through Jesus, God has made a way for man to come back into relationship with Him
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on September 15, 2010 at 11:21am@BRANDONHCX
Seem odd that Jesus would be returning wearing a vesture but no pants. If he were going pantsless, He’d probably be shirtless, too, and would have the Writing on his arm. I wonder if it’s possible that the Writing on His “thigh” refers to the thigh of his pants. Seems highly unlikely to me that Jesus would have anything printed on His skin (again, Lev. 19:28). But, hey, you go right on ahead with your “Jesus has a tat” theory. As far as the scripture tattoos being a doorway to witnessing, that‘s the biggest heap of dung I’ve heard anyone shovel for a while. How about handing someone a Gospel tract that they can take with them instead of making the scriptures about you?
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on September 16, 2010 at 1:12amSorry BRANDONHCX,
I meant to address that last part to REFORMEDRADICAL
And while I’m at it I wanted to comment on what you called an “alternative church”. We have churches like that in my town. I checked one out to satisfy my curiosity. It was basically a Sunday morning rock concert followed by a “pastor” delivering a stand-up comedy routine pretending to be a sermon. No one was ever directed to open a Bible and there was no clear Gospel message. All during the “service” people were shuffling in and out of the auditorium to buy coffee at a Starbucks-like concession stand. There were many people with tattoos and piercings, and I didn’t see any men wearing ties. Many women were dressed very inappropriately, e.g., short skirts, abundant cleavage, and low pants with thong and butt-crack hanging out. As I left, I noticed a group of kids (to me they were kids) smoking in the parking lot. The only differences between this place and a bar on a Friday night was that there was no alcohol for sale and many children were in attendance. I felt the presence of a spirit in that building that day, but it was definitely not the Holy Spirit. Just because they put the word “church” on the marquee, don’t make it right with God. I’ll stick with a good old fashioned church where the Bible is read, the pastor preaches on sin, there is a clear Gospel message given, and every ministry is Christ centered. Everyone is welcome at the church I belong to, but they will hear preaching that may step on their toes hard. That’s because the pastor cares enough to give you the Truth, and because pastors are subject to a harsher judgement than the rest of us (see James 3:1). The “pastor” at the “Rock and Roll and Get a Tat for Jesus” church may be in for a rude awakening.
Just sayin’.
Report Post »normalfolk
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:02amI suppose, if you are going to get a tattoo (aside from right/wrong belief) it is better to get one in honor of God than Winnie the Pooh.
Report Post »DARoberts
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:43amthis is… this is just not kosher. no good. no good at all
Report Post »Spirit-of-76
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:29amTwo things: If they are preaching the Gospel of Truth that is what’s important. Like Jesus said people are either for Him or Against Him. Those who are for Him are His disciples. Secondly, Jesus also instructed us to concentrate on the logs in our own eyes and not pay attention to the speck in our brothers eye.
Report Post »missmarie
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 12:18pmAgreed. Personally, tattoos are not something I would do. I’m in no position to sit in judgement on these folks. Perhaps a trip to their website and little education and enlightenment about their belief system is in order before the remarks against them are made. http://lovehopecity.com
Report Post »hamartia
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:23amJesus never mentioned anything about the morality of ink under the skin. No principles can be found in the new testament about it. Christians choosing to get some ink to make a statement = Liberty.
loving each other and loving God
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:03amSoooooo….California !
Report Post »NC
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 7:58amLeviticus 20 >> 28 You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord.
It’s just another case of a “pick and choose” bible interpretation.
Certain biblical philosophy is not relevant in today’s time.
Don’t commit murder [thou shalt not kill but abortion is not murder]
Homosexuality is wrong [then it was, today it isn't]
Women should be quiet in church [then they were uneducated, today they are]
etc., etc., etc
NC (big time sinner, have had my “book of life” read to me and sent back to this mortal world. Maybe I’ll get it right this time)
Report Post »Peraslax
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:19amActually the author was addressing a very specific church where the women were contantly interupting the service. He wasnt telling women to shut up because of their lack of education. Just be quiet like the men are quiet, Just like the whole women’s hair is their glory and shouldnt be cut thing. Paul was addressing a Sect of Christianity where the women were actually shaving themselves bald. Most scholars agree he didnt mean that women should never ever cut their hair, It’s context.
Report Post »As far as Tatoing goes, the posters above were right, that was under the law, just like the taboo against eating swine. But to parphrase, it isnt what goes in your mouth that defiles you, but what comes out. Those tatoos are between them and God, I have enough to worry about just slogging though my day and the dozens of sins Ill commit along with all those sins of ommission,
CMS
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 6:49amI will take a tattoo any day, over blowing myself up and others, in the name of Allah!
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 6:15amThe Bible tells us not to mark up our body. Do they even read the Bible would be my question. The human body is perfect until we screw it up. I am sure God is saying “Why the heck are you writing on my wonderful work?” Really dumb in my opinion…
Report Post »Andrew Ryan
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 6:27amDo you even read the bible?
The Old Testament says that we should not tattoo our bodies (Leviticus 19:28) but we are no longer under old testament law (Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23-25; Ephesians 2:15).
The New Testament says nothing about the morality of a tattoo.
Report Post »richfromflorida
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:51amAndrew, Just because we‘re not under the law doesn’t make it a smart thing to do. The Old Testament is also where it says not to sleep with family members. Just because the New Testament doesn’t mention it does not mean that God has changed His mind. Personally I don’t care either way on tattoos; I just worry about people saying everything is okay because we are not under the law.
Report Post »Floyd57
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 10:59amAndrew,
If we are no longer under old testiment law then the 10 commandments would also be invalid, which they are not. Our bodies are considered the temples of the Holy Spirit. Do you trash the churhes people worship in with spray painted grafitti? Then why trash your body with ink?
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:48am@Andrew, so by your logic can we throw out all OT law? It’s now okay to kill, steal, etc.?
Report Post »Not only are the laws still in effect, but we are now expected to obey the spirit of the law, not just the letter of it, e.g., Matt. 5:27-28.
deq
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:49amThe letter killeth but the spirit giveth life. For believers the body is the temple of the Holy Ghost thus tattoos, homosexuality and numerous other acts defile that temple. Thats the difference between someone who just reads a verse in th bible and someone who desires to be lead by the spirit of the Lord.
Report Post »Venom
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 3:41amAn individual doing it is one thing but idk bout a whole church lol
Report Post »redneckphilosopher
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 2:47amI have no tattoos myself have no problem with those that do I just hope the church has more going for it than the ink. Not much info to comment on.
Report Post »Uber
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 2:39amDoes this make them a gang in addition to a church. I wonder it they are developing finger signs also.
Report Post »Jeff in Miami
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 6:07amI’m sure they have their colors, and probably have marked the neighborhood.
I am sure that God & the Son are watching this and just shaking their head. I cannot believe they ever considered this going this direction, almost a cult.
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:40am@Jeff, not “almost” a cult, it IS a cult. A cult is a culture, therefore, any way of life is a cult. I follow a Baptist cult (there are more than one). Now an OCCULT is where things can go bad. That’s a secretive culture.
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 2:24amHere’s my take on tattoos:
Report Post »I don’t understand why anyone would graffiti the most beautiful building ever built, i.e., a woman’s body.
rocktruth
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 2:43amI don’t understand either.. And especially a women’s body.
Report Post »Chad79
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 7:36amDoesn’t the Bible say that its a sin to mark your body?
Report Post »Floyd57
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:14amYes, the bible does say no tattoos but unfortunately many who claim to be Christians pick and choose what best fits their personal beliefs.
.
Tattooed women are a complete turn-off to me, disgusting…. I love a “clean” smooth skinned female!
Midwest Belle
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:17amI have a tattoo – a yellow rose. Whenever my late husband gave me flowers, they always yellow roses – his favorite. My rose tattoo is a tribute to him. (And it‘s where it doesn’t have to show unless I want it to)
Report Post »Huckabee Gingrich 12
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 11:27amThe Bible specifically forbids tattooing, i.e., “Ye shall not…” Lev. 19:28
LibertyinChrist
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 12:45pmI believe the whole Bible is the Word of God – but if we are looking at Leviticus, you have to take it in context as instructions for the Levite priests. There are a lot of things in Leviticus we no longer adhere to under Grace and out from under Law. Tasteful tattoos that are a memorials of loved ones or a witnessing tool in today’s culture can be cool. And although God gave us a beautiful unmarked body, it is still “corruptible” and not “eternal.”
Report Post »Chad79
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 1:51pmIf aour political leaders would all follow the rules that God put in Leviticus 19 our country would be in great shape.
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 1:52amI don‘t think it’s wise to put permanent logo on your body. But out of all things you could tattoo on your body, a heart is not too bad, and it’s a universal symbol for love. Even if you switched churches later on in life, the heart would be a memory of where you’ve been.
I personally don’t have any tattoos because I like the skin God gave me at birth. But that’s my opinion.
The only tattoo I want is the one written on my heart by the word of God.
Report Post »carol m
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 12:56amI have no comment
Report Post »danglingbags
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 8:40amSpeaking of tattoo to honor one’s God…….
I am curious to know how many out there have Glenn and Sarah tattoos?
brandonhxc
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:19amDanglingbags,
I read your posts on here almost every day and I want you to know that there is a God who loves you and has an amazing plan for your life. Once you experience the love of Jesus, its irresistable and its something much more pure and true than sitting in a church on a sunday morning.
And i don’t personally have a Glenn tatoo, maybe I‘d get a danglingbags tatoo if it wasn’t so suggestive. lol
Report Post »gkbrill
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 9:45amAnother example of the pinnacle of this guys wit, and intellectual contributions.. pathetic at best!!
Report Post »LibertyinChrist
Posted on September 14, 2010 at 12:38pmAs opposed to your Lenin and Marx tattoos, danglinbag? You are so predictable for a troll!
Report Post »