Matt Geiogamah has tattoos on the knuckles of his right and left hand that spell out PRAY HARD. <\/p>\n
That he does, as owner of Salt & Light Tattoo in Chandler and founder of theAlliance of Christian Tattooers. <\/p>\n
His manner is peaceful and his words are peppered with Bible references. He said hes called to live his life that way as a follower of Christ and as a tattoo artist. <\/p>\n
But that doesnt mean its a smooth road. <\/p>\n
Oh my goodness, all the controversies, Geiogamah said. <\/p>\n
There are two different sides. Theres a non-believing tattoo community and their perception of Christians. And I have received a lot of criticism inside the church over tattoos. <\/p>\n
We get judgmental letters fromChristians, saying Youre going to hell. <\/p>\n
His response? <\/p>\n
I know a lot of Christians who have dedicated their tattoos to God. Theyre not dishonoring Him, but dedicated to glorifying God. <\/p>\n
There are Christians that are adamantly against it, not encouraging at all. But as a follower of Jesus, its not what goes into you, or on you. Its what comes out of you. Jesus said that. <\/p>\n
The Chandler native has been an artist for a long time, working in mediums such as charcoal, oil, watercolor and photography. He has been tattooing since 2001. He had a tattooing apprenticeship in high school, then dropped out to finish the apprenticeship. <\/p>\n
I wasnt going to graduate anyway, he confessed. <\/p>\n
In 2013, Geiogamah set a Guinness World Record with the most tattoos created on the most people by a single artist in a 24-hour period. He inked 821 people. <\/p>\n
All proceeds from the event were donated to Streetlight USA to help stop child sex slavery. <\/p>\n
Geiogamah says hes been a believer for 9 or 10 years. He attends CentralChristian Church in Gilbert. <\/p>\n
I grew up outside the church and outside the influence of the church, he said. I didnt talk about God. I was an agnostic. <\/p>\n
He went through what he said was a lot of drug and alcohol abuse. He said hesuffered depression and anxiety in his early teens. <\/p>\n
Hes not afraid of talking about histroubles,including his recovery from alcoholism. <\/p>\n
Its a pretty common story,Geiogamah said. <\/p>\n
On New Years Day 2017, he posted a reflection on his struggle with alcohol on Facebook. <\/p>\n
Im sitting in church right now grateful that God has delivered me from the bondage alcohol had me in. I am not saying alcohol is evil but I am saying there is a reason the Bible tells us not to get drunk. Its not good for us, it only leads to trouble and despair. <\/p>\n
God wants better for us becauseHe loves us. <\/p>\n
Now at 33, he has made Christ the center of his life. He and his wifeNatilie live in Mesa and have a son, Isaiah, 2. Geiogamahs Chandler shop at 1989 W. Elliot Road, Suite 9, has been open 5 years. He knows his shop isnt a typical tattoo place. <\/p>\n
The majority (of shops) are not Christian. That was my goal, to bring a Christian presence in a shop. But also to welcome all non-believing clients, to be a positive influence and example. <\/p>\n
On the one hand, I want to advance the Christian community, but I dont want to scare anybody else away. Its a two-edged sword. I dont want people to not feel welcomed. <\/p>\n
However, Geiogamah places a limit on what he images will create, based on his faith. <\/p>\n
According to the Salt & Light website: <\/p>\n
We do not do any tattoos involving racism, gang affiliation, false gods,astrology, witchcraft, or any religious beliefs or practices that go against the teachings and followings of Jesus Christ. We love all people but are forbidden, because of our own religious beliefs, to create certain images. We thank you for understanding. <\/p>\n
He elaborates: We arent saying you cant do it or shouldnt do it, just not with us. <\/p>\n
There are other challenges for him. He acknowledges it could be a struggle tattooing women who are partially dressed. <\/p>\n
I have to keep holy in mind, not let it get the best of me, he said. <\/p>\n
I look it at it like a doctor. You do your work, thats it. <\/p>\n
He said his wife understands his situation. <\/p>\n
My wifes cool because shes a massage therapist. Its a very similar situation dealing with half-unclothed people. <\/p>\n
It takes a level of trust, he said. We have a strong view of Biblical marriage. <\/p>\n
After leaving tattooing for a while, he came back with a renewed sense of purpose. <\/p>\n
I wanted to be a light, to bring other Christian tattooers together, he said. <\/p>\n
At the time, I knew one otherChristian tattooer. I invited him over, with no plan. Before I knew it, five others joined us. <\/p>\n
Thus, the Alliance of Christian Tattooers was born in September 2011. <\/p>\n
We draw, paint, talk about God. <\/p>\n
We want to be a positive influence, Geiogamah said. Once we put it on social media, it spread all over the U.S., and the world. <\/p>\n
The group meets every Wednesday night for prayer, fellowship and Bible study. It also puts on charity events to raise money for various causes. <\/p>\n
In the meantime, Geiogamah hopesfellow Christians can move past the criticism to support him and others like him. <\/p>\n
We could be doing a lot better things with our time than bickering, he said. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Information: Salt & Light Tattoo: 480-621-8819, saltandlighttattoo.com. Alliance of Christian Tattooers: allianceofchristiantattooers@gmail.com<\/a>, allianceofchristiantattooers.com. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Contact Ralph Zubiate at 480-898-6825 or rzubiate@timespublications.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excerpt from:<\/p>\n Christian tattooer fights stereotypes, criticism from both directions - East Valley Tribune<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Matt Geiogamah has tattoos on the knuckles of his right and left hand that spell out PRAY HARD. That he does, as owner of Salt & Light Tattoo in Chandler and founder of theAlliance of Christian Tattooers Continue reading