Policies on .....

No. Never has been an issue. I have seen a couple of our ministers who have had tatoos from days in the military, Vietnam and World War II, but they keep them covered up during service.

As I have mentioned before on dress, etc., we expect our folks to know how to behave and dress without a lot of policies and rules. If they don't know how to dress and behave, then they haven't studied the scriptures enough, and if they haven't done that, they have no business in leadership positions.

 

I have an earring - it's never seemed to bother anyone. We have no set policies in this regard, but our robes cover everything but head, hands, and feet.

Joshua

 

Most of our elder men served in the service and most have tattoo's on their arms. I know of no such rule in our church!

Diane

 

I thought most tatoo's in our father's were usually symbols of their branch of service. That's what I've seen.

I don't see the difference (even tho I find them VERY ugly) of a pierced lip, eyebrown, etc. and my pierced ears.
Diane

 

I don't think we have a policy about it. Like everyone else a lot of our older men have tatoos. We don't have anyone with anything pierced other then ears. I guess we'd handle it when and if it ever comes up.

 

I agree with Diane. Pierced tongues, eyebrows, etc., sure seems goofy to me, but I am opposed to churches having "policies" on such things. Diane is right. What's the diff between pierced ears, which both my wife and daughter have, and pierced eyebrows? What Biblical reason could be given to allow one and forbid another?
Now, would I allow my daughter to pierce her eyebrows? No way! (Of course, she's too young to want it--yet!) I believe a father has the right to enforce his preferences upon minor children.

 

I guess I will be in the minority. My church does have rules for leadership and they are that you can have no new tatoos and no percings except the women and then only one per ear. First of all is that my Pastor beleives in being seperate from the world and the different pericings are a fad of the world. Also there are people who have tatoos that had them before they started living for the Lord and that is fine...most are ashamed of them.

 

If we are looking for a perfect church we had better not join it because we wil ruin it. One of the greatest churches I went to was a church where quite a number of men and women knew each other from the bar buddy days. That church exploded with growth. It is the most loving church I have ever been in. Those people visit the visitors. They told the pastor to spend time praying and studying and they would take care of the rest. They did too.

 

I have a patriotic tattoo from when I was a chaplain in Korea. I have not purposely covered it up, expressed regret, nor apologized for it in all my ministry. It has never been challenged nor been a hindrance to ministry.

Cheers,

Jim

 

There were two young fellows who worked where I work, not long ago. I asked them why they have pierced tongues. If I repeated what they said, in this forum, the Baptist Board Police would probably come to my home, drag me outside and shoot me and my cat Gloria, who is always with me at the computer.

Roy

 

I have done a little research into the history of body piercing, and you know what I have found, I found that it belongs to the pre-Christian era, that it is most predominant among pagan tribes who use piercings as a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood in places such as Indonesia & Papua New Guinea and among the Aboriginals of Australia and tribes of Africa.

One writer said (BTW these are the words of a body piercer): “Modern motivations behind facial and upper body piercings include: Fashion trend, aesthetic or erotic appeal, shock value, sensual enhancement and group affiliation.”

Should a Christian govern his life by the fashion trends of the world, should he associate himself with eroticism and sensuality? As for group affiliation - which group is he identifying with - not God’s group - not the church - the church did not promote this practice, this practice is rooted in paganism, it is promoted by the new age culture. A Christian who gets his eyebrow pierced or several piercings in the ear, or the nose or the tongue or elsewhere is, IMO, identifying with the world, and I would not recommend him for leadership at our church.

Having said that, we have no written statement about it, beyond a general condemnation of worldly practices in our church covenant.