SINGAPORE: A lively discussion ensued after a Reddit user shared an Instagram post from a local church that talked about how one of its pastors used his restaurant as a venue for preaching to diners who had expressed interest when asked the question, “Do you want to understand your past and know your future?”
“Religious use of presumably secular spaces in Singapore? Intriguing post about a pastor using his own Japanese restaurant to preach to customers,” wrote u/Deliciouswizard on r/Singapore on Wednesday (June 7), posting a photo from the Instagram account of saltandlight.sg.
The post said that Pastor Alan Tay had gone around Seiwaa Okonomiyaki and Teppanyaki restaurant in Little India, which he owns, asking the question to diners after they had finished dinner.
Those who indicated interest were brought to a café space above the restaurant.
“The patrons picked any random card that caught their eye and Pastor Clement Sim and his team from Soakability Church then ministered to them by releasing timely prophetic words,” the post says, before going on to quote Mr Tay as saying, “Not only were my customers ministered to, I also saw my own restaurant staff being saved.”
The post also added that he partners with Soakability Church for outreach at his restaurant every two weeks.
Some commenters on Reddit took the IG post lightly.
Others, however, seemed more skeptical.
A few of the commenters appeared to get downright angry.
However, another wrote, “He has the freedom to do his outreach, we also have the freedom to walk away. If he forces us to stay, then that’s criminal.”
“tbf if anyone intends to dine there, they should know what they might be in for, it’s a private establishment after all,” one opined.
“I know in the post he says that he invites people to another location or whatever but if I was at a restaurant, and he starts preaching just after I’ve ordered or my food arrives……Then I am kinda stuck there for a while,” chimed in another.
Others pointed out that the people who went with the pastor to the cafe upstairs did so voluntarily.
The Independent Singapore has reached out to saltandlight.sg for further comment. /TISG