For Steven Could, working Holy Ghost Tattoo in Madison Township is about far more than embellishing the pores and skin of consumers with colourful and inventive designs.
In reality, Could derives even larger satisfaction by serving to to meet the non secular wants of people that go to his store at 6659 North Ridge Road.
“The entire enterprise is simply actually for evangelism,” Could mentioned. “Persons are at all times welcome to come back in right here. They don’t must spend a dime. Anybody that wants prayer, companionship or group, we’re right here.”
Could, who possesses about 25 years expertise as a tattoo artist, opened Holy Ghost Tattoo in early October. He mentioned that he’s not the only proprietor of the enterprise.
“Do I simply personal this myself? No. I assume the actual reply is it truly is me and the Lord,” Could mentioned. “I felt known as to do that.”
A serious turning level in Could’s private {and professional} life occurred about six years in the past, when he accompanied his son to a church service.
“My son got here to the Lord earlier than I did,” Could mentioned. “I lived in a really secular, liberal place, and I beloved dwelling that life.”
At first, Could mentioned he felt no urging to comply with his son’s path to Christianity. However that modified one evening when Could agreed to attend church together with his son.
“It wasn’t something that was occurring within the church service or one thing somebody mentioned, or a music, or anything,” Could mentioned. “I simply actually felt the Holy Spirit fill me, and that was it from that time on. I used to be simply bought out for the Lord.”
Could’s non secular conversion came about at a time when he owned a tattoo parlor in Kent. He ultimately determined to promote the enterprise as a part of his dedication to dwelling as a real Christian.
“I simply actually felt like I had spent my life glorifying the enemy versus God,” Could mentioned. “All the pieces I did pointed folks to the enemy and to not God. And I genuinely wasn’t acutely aware of it. However rapidly — inside months — I used to be like, I can’t do that. I’d quite simply work at Burger King.”
Could mentioned he additionally had reached some extent as a enterprise proprietor the place he had turn into weary of managing workers. So after promoting the store in Kent, he carried out freelance jobs as a graphic designer and labored as an unbiased contractor doing tattoos in numerous parlors.
As he pursued these totally different endeavors, Could mentioned he felt God was prompting him to open one other tattoo store, and use it primarily as a spot for evangelism.
“Generally on days that I felt least like witnessing, the Lord would use me probably the most,” Could mentioned. “So, I actually felt an unction onto my coronary heart to open a spot. I form of averted it for a very long time, and I saved feeling (God) pushing me over and over.”
About six months in the past, Could was in Madison Township and drove by a retailer with a for-rent check in a small plaza at 6659 North Ridge. He instantly felt that God was directing him to open a tattoo store at that particular location.
“I ignored it for a bunch of causes, however (the prompting from God) simply saved re-occurring,” he mentioned.
Could mentioned when he was driving within the neighborhood of that very same retailer on one other event, God exerted much more stress on him to start out the tattoo store within the explicit spot.
“There was a site visitors jam down right here on the nook (of North Ridge and Hubbard roads) and a semi couldn’t flip correctly, so all of the site visitors had backed up,” Could recalled. “And I used to be caught, and the one factor that I might see out my window was this place with the for-rent signal. And eventually I yielded and mentioned, ‘OK, Lord, I’ll do it.’”
Could mentioned he’s been doing loads of tattoos and evangelism after launching Holy Ghost Tattoo about two months in the past.
“Since I’ve gotten right here, there has not been a day when somebody hasn’t are available in and gotten prayer, or requested about Jesus, or had a dialog with me about Jesus,” he mentioned.
Could mentioned he has no particular methods that he makes use of to carry Jesus into conversations with clients.
“And right here’s why: As a result of Jesus is that a lot of part of my life that it’s going to simply come out,” Could mentioned. “I’m not going to present you some form of system the place it’s like, ‘It is advisable to be saved.’ You’re going to listen to concerning the Lord, if you happen to speak to me. I feel it simply comes out … the Lord goes to come back out in my dialog, as a result of he’s in each a part of my life.”
Could mentioned that he welcomes all clients who come to Holy Ghost Tattoo, even when they don’t imagine in God.
“In my thoughts, all of them are God-bearing photos, whether or not they acknowledge it or not,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, Could does draw the road relating to forms of tattoos that he’ll create. He refuses to do any tattoos that mock God; replicate opposition to Christianity; or have something to do intercourse, medication, paganism or witchcraft, to call a couple of forbidden areas.
Could shows a few of his greatest tattoos on his store’s Facebook page. He additionally has an Instagram account the place he showcases different excellent samples of his work.
“Instagram is a platform the place it’s all footage, so it’s form of an ordinary on this trade, he mentioned. “Rather a lot people who find themselves on this artwork type, it’s their go-to.”
