Mike:
 
Good for you! You have a ministry where God has place you - and more power to you. I was speaking mainly of how our society in general "sees" things - sometimes they are wrong, sometimes they are right - regardless - it is best to do all things for Christ wherever He happens to put us. I can tell you for a fact that I had a nephew who had a hard time getting a job because he had tattoos all over and long, unkempt hair. When he went back with a haircut and suit on, one of the same places that had rejected him before hired him. Someone in human resources even told him after he had been there two years (yes, he was still clean-shaven wearing shirts and ties), that his first appearance did not leave a "favorable impression" on them. We are only human - like it or not - we ARE always influenced by FIRST appearances. I believe it is just a part of human nature.
 
There are a lot of people in prison who are witnessing for Christ - they have been saved and born-again and just because they are serving out a prison term, does not mean they can not be effective soul-winners. What I was speaking to you about is the fact that in the history of the U.S - in years past  - being associated with bikers was to be associated with "gangs", and it has had a bad connotation - so have tattoos. Even movies that came out about bikers were negative.  I remember the days when bikers went around in black leather jackets and people were afraid of them and rightly so. However, what I said about dressing up like a prostitute and hanging out on a street-corner with them to witness to prostitutes is also true. As far as me judging you - it isn't me - it is how others see us as Christians. Many are quick to say we should not judge others and they quote Matthew 7:1 for everything from condoning abortion to condoning sinful lifestyles  - you will hear the news media quote that verse all the time and forgetting all about the verse which says --- "but he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man" (I Cor 2:15). As Christians we are supposed to be using our God-given discernment to "judge" things - whether they be good, whether they be evil. God has made you effective where He has placed you and that is wonderful. You can walk into a crowd of bikers and be "at home", whereas most people would find witnessing there uncomfortable. And I, like you, do believe that there are many preachers running around in suits preaching "fire and brimstone" that can't reach anyone and that turn people off. However, I also realize that in these last days we are warned in  II Timothy 4:3: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears:"  I believe as the time of the end grows closer and closer, society will continue to deteriorate - you can see this in the music industry especially.
 
We are warned that in the last days many people would not withstand the preaching of the gospel, but would instead have itching ears - hearing only those words that make them feel good about themselves - so now we have a whole group of touchy-feeley gospel preachers that never tell their congregations that they are sinners and need to be saved. Their "sheep" leave the place of worship believing they are fine, their lives are fine - they do not need to change anything and they think they are heaven-bound because they are just as good as the "next person." They are never told about repentance, justification, propitiation or sanctification! When most people are truly saved, you can tell a difference in their lives and in their lifestyle. There is always a change in them when they are born-again.
 
I even heard one evangelist say that he would never preach on hell - it was too negative. He was concerned about hurting someone's feelings if he told them the truth or of offending them. Many "sheep" are led to believe that they don't need to repent about anything - that they are fine. They are never told that they are sinners and that all have sinned....they are simply told that "God will embrace you," but we have a holy God and many people forget all about that....
 
Good luck to you in your ministry. God always puts us where He most needs us.
 
Rene