Remembering a dream is unusual for local tattoo artist Tony Montaña (yes, same name as the character in the movie “Scarface”).

But there’s one he’ll never forget. Asleep, he recalls seeing a thousand hands reaching up in praise. On them, etched in ink, a cross.

Montaña, who works out of Spellbound Tattoo, has started a unique ministry: spreading faith with permanent ink. Through his ministry, called The Cross We Carry, Montaña offers discounted cross tattoos to serve as a reminder of faith even in times of difficulty.

Montaña’s faith journey started last year when his daughter asked if they could try going to church. As a single dad, he looked up churches with services on Friday nights, when he and his daughter could go together. That’s how he discovered pastor Daniel Grothe at New Life Church.

“I wasn’t necessarily going for me. I was just going for her,” Montana said. “I just sat there, and after a while, the church kind of started to grow on me. And more and more I started to branch out and finally introduce myself to people.”

Gradually, Montaña started to find connection at the church. As his faith grew, he felt called to share his testimony.

“God’s changed my life a whole lot. He introduced me to him through my child and by putting other people around me that led by example,” Montaña said.

Montaña offers the cross tattoos for $54 on Wednesdays. How did he get that number? It’s the sum of his baptism date at New Life Church, April 25 (4/25/25). For context, Montaña usually charges a $150 minimum, on par with the city’s average. The cost of the cross tattoos covers supplies, and the remainder Montaña donates to other missions, including Unbreakable Ministries here in the Springs.

“I’m not necessarily trying to draw in Christians for cross tattoos. I’d rather draw on somebody from a side of town that’s never stepped into a church. You can come to me and hear my testimony, and whether they take it for what it is right there, now they have this permanent tattoo on them, and they have my story back behind it, with a prayer,” he said. Before putting the needle to skin, Montaña asks his ministry clients if he can pray with them.

“I would hope that one day, while they’re kind of down and out, and they feel like there’s nobody else left, that they can look at that tattoo and remember what I said, and just be like, ‘Hey, maybe I should give God a try,’” he said.

The cross design by Montaña is a simple outline of the religious symbol. As a Christian, the cross holds significant meaning for Montaña, representing the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Its bare design also makes for an easier healing process, and Montana hopes the simplicity of the tattoo encourages those who might otherwise be afraid of getting a big, extravagant piece. But perhaps most of all, it was the image etched in his dream.

“It’s a universal symbol of faith,” he said. “I’m just hoping that I can provide that to other people and give them hope for their futures as well. Because I know I was down and deep in despair at times, and thought that there was no way out. And I feel that if I would have known God sooner, I might have had some of that security that I was searching for.”

On a late May Wednesday afternoon, client Wendy Pyatt stopped by Montaña’s studio. Pyatt is excited to get the cross tattoo with two close church friends. Before the appointment, Montana shares his faith journey with Pyatt. It’s more than a symbol, Montaña says, it’s connection.

“It blends together both things I love — I love Jesus and I love tattoos. To find a tattoo artist that feels the same, I got lucky, so I’m excited,” Pyatt said. “It’s a beautiful idea.”

While Montaña just started in May, he’s seen a significant response from the community with consistent Wednesday bookings. Though the ministry is centered on crosses, Montana plans to continue his business with a focus on faith-based tattoos. Eventually, he wants to create a nonprofit for the ministry work, hoping to start tattooing within churches.

“Maybe my gift of art, backed by my testimony, will be a combination of something great, something that can pull people together,” Montaña said. “Speaking about God, speaking about Jesus, it lightens my whole body. I feel like I don’t weigh anything when I talk about God. It’s just different.”