Diners at a Five Guys recently received a message of fire and brimstone with their burgers when Florida self-declared evangelist Whitney Lynn was moved to speak at lunch. She recorded herself as she spread her message, sharing the encounter on Instagram and TikTok. She noted in the on-screen text, “Five Guys Needed to Hear The Truth.” In the few hours since she uploaded the post, the video has already racked up around 11.3K views. In the clip, Lynn stands in the middle of the restaurant and calls for the diners’ attention. She said, “Everybody at Five Guys, happy Sunday! I know you’re eating. I don’t want to be too long. I just want to make a quick announcement.” She then explained her inspiration, proclaiming, “Now, this is called Five Guys, right? It made me think about a man who changed the world with just 12 guys. Not five, but 12. And his name is Jesus Christ.” After describing who he is, the Son of god, Lynn told the room, “But the wages of our sin is death. Hell forever. Apart from Jesus, no one’s getting to heaven. You might be a good person today. You might even went to church. But that can’t save you. It’s only the blood of Jesus and a personal relationship with him that can save your soul and you make it to heaven.” She then wrapped up her impromptu sermon by telling the diners to repent of their sins and offered a blessing. A polarizing action Her viewers fell into two categories in the comments. A large portion of commenters, fellow believers, praised her. On TikTok, one user commented, “She’s absolutely amazing,” while another wrote, “I love your bravery.” Someone else noted, “amen sister great [message] 4 all…relevant in these evil times.” However, the sentiment in the comment sections was far from universally supportive. Many people expressed frustration at the intrusion in a public space. View this post on Instagram One Instagrammer bluntly wrote, “I’m just trying to eat a burger in peace.” Another echoed them, saying, “Leave. People. Alone….” Others on both platforms were even more critical, with comments like “Properly ignored,” “These people don’t deserve this,” and “If you ever do this where I am. I’m gonna challenge you on your book and make everyone laugh.” Firstly, per Merriam-Webster, an Evangelist is a “Protestant minister or layman who preaches at special services.” However, as Lynn demonstrated, some preach where they feel moved to do so. It is a choice that has landed Evangelists in trouble before. In fact, Lynn herself was recently kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight and banned for preaching during a delay. Medium explored why people find this approach so annoying, and highlighted the disconnect between the preacher’s intent and the public’s reception. One major issue is that these encounters often feel entirely transactional. As the Medium piece points out, many evangelists seem to view people as numbers rather than individuals, failing to establish any real connection before diving into a heavy, often judgmental, script. The timing of these interactions is another significant pain point. While Lynn used a restaurant, the Medium author pointed to an experience at a funeral. They pointed out that interrupting people when they are already going through life’s stresses can feel incredibly intrusive. @whitneylynn123 How amazing is God? Today, I ended up in a town I don’t normally go to because I had to get my chiropractic appointment in a different location. My daughter and I stopped for lunch before I open-air preached, and afterward, a young man who worked there came up to me. He was so sweet and meek, and he thanked me for preaching. He told me he was amazed by the courage and boldness it took. I got to pray over him, encourage him to keep following Jesus and to be bold in his own way. My daughter even gave him a “Jesus Saves” bracelet. It was such a beautiful divine appointment. Sometimes we preach and don’t get to see what happens afterward, but today God allowed me to see a little glimpse of the impact. I don’t preach for applause or recognition. I simply obey when the Lord tells me to go. But moments like this are such beautiful confirmation. Keep going, young man. Stay strong in the Lord. Keep following Jesus. Be bold. Your obedience matters. God truly orders our steps. What felt like a random change of plans was actually a DIVINE APPOINTMENT. And don’t forget to download my new song, “Evermore,” available on all platforms! Visit my Etsy store, EvangelistWhitney, to see some of the shirts I’ve created. You can also click the link in my Instagram bio: @WhitneyLynn1. https://evangelistwhitney.etsy.com Whitneylynn.org | Igniteyourlightkidz.com | Spotify #Jesus #Jesuschrist #bold #preach #youth ♬ original sound – Evangelist Whitney Lynn Inc The Medium article notes that for many, these uninvited sermons are not just annoying but can be genuinely distressing, especially for those with religious trauma. When someone is minding their own business, being approached by a stranger with threats of hell can trigger anxiety or panic, making the experience feel more like a confrontation than a gesture of goodwill. Interestingly, Christian influencers recently used TikTok to encourage Biblical Eating too. Medium pointed out that some evangelists prioritize their own need to be seen as “bold” or “courageous,” it often comes across as performative. As the Medium article explains, some evangelists seem to be more interested in fulfilling a personal sense of destiny than in actually helping the people they are addressing. This can lead to situations where the preacher ignores social etiquette and the discomfort of the people around them. For Lynn, however, the day felt like a success. In her caption, she shared that after she finished preaching, a young worker approached her. “He was so sweet and meek, and he thanked me for preaching. He told me he was amazed by the courage and boldness it took,” she wrote. She claimed she was able to pray over him and that her daughter gave him a “Jesus Saves” bracelet. Lynn framed the entire event as a “divine appointment,” insisting that she doesn’t preach for applause but simply obeys when she feels called to do so. In the same post, she then directed her followers to her Etsy store and promoted her new song.