“When a building is consecrated, it becomes a house of prayer”: Cornerstone opens to long lines and curious tenants at Orchard Towers

The news headlines were intriguing.

“Sleaze is out as church moves in”
“From vice to virtue”
“Mall sheds sleaze”

When Cornerstone Community Church bought up 19,000 sq ft of shop space in Orchard Towers in February this year to set up Cornerstone Orchard, news agencies had a field day.

After all, Orchard Towers has been dubbed one of Singapore’s “most storied malls”. But for all the wrong reasons.

For over 40 years, the two blocks were infamous for their “red-light district” reputation, arising from colourful bars, social escort agencies, drunken brawls and soliciting.

A new Cornerstone sign now declares the presence of the church at Orchard Towers. Photo courtesy of Oliver Choo.

“If the walls of Orchard Towers could talk, they would tell tales of mayhem, madams and murder,” said an article in The Straits Times.

But far from being fazed, the Cornerstone leadership rose to the challenge of “redeeming a place from its dark past and reviving it for a brighter future”.

“Redeeming dark places and being situated in commercial spaces in the heart of the community have come to be a significant part of our DNA as a church,” said Senior Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong in the Cornerstone website.

“The two adjacent properties at Orchard Towers would be the 7th & 8th such acquisitions and these properties, once a stronghold of the enemy, is now being claimed by the people of God.  

“In acquiring the properties at Orchard Towers, we inherit more than auditoriums. We are stepping into the promises of God, who has promised to enlarge our tent. We are committing to stepping out in faith and we believe this step of faith will result in much fruit. But more than that, we are inheriting the responsibility of stewarding and seeking the welfare of the community to which he is sending us.”

The line kept growing

So at 9am on Sunday, December 14, 2025, Cornerstone Church held its first service in the 4th floor space once occupied by night clubs Crazy Horse and Top 5. 

From the spanking new infodesk where I was volunteering together with four other Cornerstonians, I watched a line of people begin to form at the entrance.

The line curved around the atrium railings, past shop corners, and it kept growing.

Even before the auditorium doors opened, people were already waiting — standing patiently, looking ahead, glancing around, unsure how long the line would stretch.

Orchard Towers is not a neutral location for a church. Its reputation precedes it. Yet that morning, the fourth floor felt different and nothing like what it was known for.

The author (middle), with his fellow Cornerstonians, manning the info counter at Cornerstone Orchard’s launch service.

The renovation was new — clean lines, open spaces, details that felt fresh. The lighting was bright, the air-conditioning cool, the space orderly.

There was a sense of intention in how everything had been put together.

And then there were the people in the queue. Alongside familiar churchgoers — confident and purposeful — stood men whose presence caught my attention.

Their clothes bore paint and cement stains; their work boots were dusty and well-worn. They didn’t look like people who had arrived knowing what to expect. There was uncertainty — but also curiosity. They scanned the space, looked at the entrance, and watched others move forward. It felt as though they were trying to understand what this gathering was, and whether they belonged here.

Later, others shared that other tenants in the building had also approached our church, simply wanting to know what was happening.

As the morning went on, the crowd grew. By the second service, even the overflow room was packed — people were standing shoulder to shoulder, filling every available space. Entry had to be paused while the team figured out how to accommodate everyone safely. As that happened, another line quietly formed outside, wrapping once again around the fourth-floor railings.

Exuberant strains of worship song, Praise, floated down the stairs and swirled around the anticipatory crowd.

I’ll praise you in the valley, praise on the mountain
I’ll praise when I’m sure, praise when I’m doubting
I’ll praise when outnumbered, praise when surrounded

The music, rhythm and voices carried through the floor. The atmosphere felt alive. It was overwhelming in the best way.

It didn’t feel confined to the auditorium. And felt as though the entire space had shifted. It is hard to describe without using the word “Presence”.

Ministry of presence

A verse that has been returning to me in this season came alive in a new way: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Nothing about what I witnessed felt driven by human strength or persuasion. Just people showing up — some confident, some uncertain — and God moving quietly among them.

Ushers welcoming people to the Cornerstone Orchard services on December 14. Photo from Cornerstone’s FB page.

Watching people queue patiently in a space they might not have expected to find a church was a reminder that transformation doesn’t come from striving harder or doing more.

It comes when God’s Spirit moves. Sometimes in places we don’t anticipate. Sometimes among people who arrive not knowing what to expect. And sometimes in spaces that, once set apart, are redeemed into something entirely new.

As we enter the festive season, I am reminded that being the light in this world isn’t about striving or convincing. It’s about showing up — about presence.

Our part is simply to carry the light we’ve been given, and to trust that God will do the rest. Not by strength or by might, but by His Spirit — moving quietly, even in places and situations that once felt unchangeable.

As an exuberant Pastor Yang said in a video message after the first service of Cornerstone Orchard: “The building itself is an inheritance by the glory of God.

“A building is a building, but when consecrated, it becomes a house of prayer for all nations.”

• Cornerstone Orchard has two English services at 9am and 11am. (A 5pm service, as well as two Filipino services, will be launched in 2026.)
• CSCCKidz for kids 18 months to 12 years old is available for all service timings.
• Location: Orchard Towers, 400 Orchard Rd, Level 4, Singapore 23887

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