There’s ranking in the spirit, Pastor Okonkwo fires back at critics over tattoo

The Lead Pastor of David Christian Centre, Kingsley Okonkwo, has hit back at fellow ministers who criticised his decision to get a tattoo, declaring that some of them lack the spiritual standing to correct him.

Okonkwo, who recently marked his 50th birthday, had sparked widespread debate online after unveiling a Bible-inspired tattoo on his arm, bearing the scripture John 3:16 in Roman numerals.

In a video clip shared on TikTok by 94pagesmedia on Saturday, the popular relationship coach dismissed his critics as “religious people” who failed to understand his calling and constituency.

“There’s ranking in the spirit, sir. My junior can’t talk, sometimes I’m talking. There’s ranking in the spirit. There are people you can’t correct,” Okonkwo said in the video.

The cleric addressing the backlash, accused some pastors of resorting to “stupid talk” by claiming tattoos were not sinful but questioning whether they were “expedient.”

“Most of them, what I noticed on those pastors, they say, oh, tattoos are not a sin. Then they use the popular scripture, but is it expedient? It’s just unlawful. But is it expedient? Why did you post it? Why must you do it? Stupid talk,” he stated.

Okonkwo cited prominent Christian leaders who had also gotten tattoos at advanced ages, including American televangelist Joyce Meyer, who he said got a tattoo at 80 years old, and renowned Bible teacher Max Lucado, who got his at 70.

“Am I higher than Joyce Meyer? Joyce Meyer has had a tattoo at about 80 years old. Am I higher than a guy called Max Lucado? If you’re an African Christian, you might not know Max Lucado, but he’s a phenomenal top Bible teacher in the United States. He got his tattoo at 70,” he said.

The pastor explained that his decision to post the tattoo publicly was tied to his specific calling and ministry focus on young people.

“Why did I post it? Because my own position and my own calling and my own constituency requires that. Because you don’t understand it,” he said.

Comparing himself to biblical figures, Okonkwo referenced the Apostle Peter’s admission that he couldn’t comprehend some of Paul’s teachings, suggesting that some critics similarly lacked the spiritual capacity to understand his methods.

“You’re asking Paul, why does he do certain things? Even Peter said it, that he can’t understand Paul. Peter admitted that Paul is operating in a different dimension from me. That’s Christianity. There are different flavors,” he stated.

 report that Okonkwo had in an Instagram live stated that he would get more tattoos, maintaining that body art does not determine a person’s standing as a child of God.

He declared, “I will do more tattoos. If it pains you, go and take juice, buy drugs, take Panadol, and I might even do dreadlocks”

Defending the tattoo as an evangelistic tool, Okonkwo had written on Facebook, “My religious brothers and sisters were busy judging over tattoo; they didn’t notice that the gospel (John 3:16) was preached to millions in 24hrs by almost all blogs”

Culled from punch