The practice of preaching in a secular space raises questions among netizens about the blending of religion and business.
SINGAPORE: A Reddit discussion exploded after a user shared an Instagram post featuring a local church’s activities, revealing that one of its pastors used his Japanese restaurant as a venue for preaching Christianity to diners who expressed interest. The post raised eyebrows on r/Singapore, with many debating whether religious outreach in a presumably secular space was appropriate.
On June 7, Reddit user u/Deliciouswizard posted a photo from the Instagram account of saltandlight.sg, which detailed how Pastor Alan Tay of Seiwaa Okonomiyaki and Teppanyaki restaurant in Little India engaged diners by asking, “Do you want to understand your past and know your future?” Those who expressed interest were invited to a café space above the restaurant for further discussion.
According to the post, those who followed the invitation were guided by Pastor Clement Sim and the team from Soakability Church, where they received “timely prophetic words” after picking a random card. Pastor Tay reportedly saw his restaurant staff benefit from this outreach as well, with the post mentioning he partners with the church for this outreach effort every two weeks.
While some Reddit commenters took the post lightly, others expressed skepticism or outright anger over the practice. One commenter argued, “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.” Another user added, “If anyone intends to dine there, they should know what they might be in for; it’s a private establishment after all.”
However, several others pointed out that the diners who joined the pastor in the upstairs café did so voluntarily. “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,” one user expressed, highlighting the discomfort some diners might feel if they were approached unexpectedly during their meal.
The Independent Singapore has reached out to saltandlight.sg for additional comment on the matter.
