The Stories Beneath the Ink: A Fresh Approach to Evangelism
by Georgeann Rabb
On the evening of July 1, 2026, Incarnation Anglican Church in Williamsburg, VA, held its first “Tattoo Story Night with Fr. John.” In 2025, Fr. John completed a residency in evangelism with Evangelize Today (ET), which is led by the Rev. Dr. Al Dayhoff of Fairfax, VA. Fr. John talked about the growing popularity of tattoos and suggested the working hypothesis of ET: A tattoo is a confession in search of a confessor, but we have none. That is, everyone has stories of love and loss, grief and joy, interests and experiences, and we often feel as though we know few, if any, who can truly see us, hear us, and hold our stories. So we write on ourselves.
Fr. John says, “Gone are the days when the crowds lined up and waited for hours to meet with the Cure’ d’Ars (the patron saint of parish priests 1786-1859) because they knew that he truly saw them and cared for them. Now so many people wait for appointments with tattoo artists who can listen and help them write their true selves and stories on their skin. Tattoo artists have become the confessors of the 21st century. The Church should take notice and be curious and ask why?”
After sharing the story of Dr. Dayhoff’s first “tattoo interview,” Fr. John challenged those who came not to ask “Do I agree with that?” when they see a tattoo, but rather “Is there a story behind that?” This journey begins with “Can you see them?” and then moves to “Can you compliment them?” and finally to “Can you ask, is there a story behind that?” Fr. John explained that evangelism is about love, not church growth, and encouraged everyone to try this approach in their daily lives.
Then, Fr. John interviewed three members of Incarnation Church who have tattoos and asked them to share some of the stories behind them. They shared stories of grief, pain, and redemption from our own church family, which was a blessing to all. One church member commented, “That was amazing! And the “after party” was even better!” Many of the church members and friends they brought lingered for hours sharing deeply with one another. Another person commented, “That tattoo night was awesome! I’m really glad I went, and it was a fantastic way for everyone to start conversations and connect.”
Fr. John and his wife, Ginny, continue to work with Evangelize Today and would be happy to share more about this important work and the discoveries they are making. Ginny is helping Dr. Dayhoff establish an “Explorer Program” for laity and Fr. John would be happy to work with any churches in the diocese that are interested in this refreshing approach to evangelism.
Georgeann Rabb is the Parish Administrator at Incarnation Anglican Church in Williamsburg, VA.
