Christian and non-Christian alike jumped to the aid of a New Zealand Café on social media Tuesday over concerns about government overreach.

Whanganui City Council (WCC) reprimanded café John 3:16 Coffee To Go over apparent alterations to the heritage-listed building’s window.

The reprimand was vague enough to cause the shop’s Christian owners to think the council was demanding the café tear down signage quoting John 3:16.

Responding, the café took to social media, asking people to support them in prayer about the matter.

“We are asking that you please have John 3:16 Coffee to Go in your prayers.

“Someone has laid a complaint about our shop front window,” the post read.

“And Whanganui City Council now wants us to change it.

“Please, can you pray against the enemy’s plans. Thank you and God Bless,” the café’s appeal concluded.

The viral post gathered over 700+ positive reactions, with the majority of comments offering consolation and solidarity. 

One of those was Family First New Zealand, which shared the call to prayer, with a quip attached, stating, “Apparently, John 3:16 has ‘triggered’ someone in Whanganui.  It’s the good news!!! Even better when there’s Coffee as well.”

In a separate post, Australia’s Family First boss, Lyle Shelton, chimed in, adding, “The ANZACs must be wondering what they fought for. What a joke,” 

Responding in the comments section of the café’s original announcement, WCC defended the decision, saying the words on the sign weren’t the problem.

“This is about unconsented alterations being made to the frontage of a heritage-listed building,” WCC explained.

“The council’s planning team is providing the property owner with practical guidance and time to either formalise the necessary approvals or reinstate the building’s original features.”

Not to be overlooked, WCC only acted on clarifying the decision to reprimand the café after the reprimand drew widespread public criticism. 

Confirming the council had reached out, Café owners said they had met with WCC representatives, who “were really good at explaining” the reprimand.

Showing appreciation, the Café added, “Everything will be sorted. My wife and I thank you for all your prayers and support.” 

According to the owners, this was less about a local government targeting Christians and more about changes to the window.

Their café is situated in a heritage-listed building, they said, adding that they were unaware of the building’s higher restrictions.

Although Whanganui City Council cited alterations to a window as a reason for the clampdown, WCC looked like they were targeting the business for quoting the Bible.

Council policy seems to allow loopholes for lawfare.

City guidelines suggest there’s room for the PC police to subjectively interpret the Café’s scriptural signage as having a “negative impact on public safety” (see here and here).

In this sense, the café owner’s concern about government overreach was not an overreaction.

According to the WCC policy, “Frontage signs should not obscure any architectural feature of any building, including but not limited to windows, columns, mouldings, cornices and balustrades.”

Ground floor windows are excluded only if the signage is “contained within the face of the window.”

Additionally,  a sign is in breach of the code if the sign does not complement the building, or “detracts from the heritage significance, or value of a heritage building.

There is also the complaint to consider.

Socio-political cancellation culture has a well-documented desire to see Christians suffer. 

A Christian-hating context is now well and truly embedded in Western countries, whose bureaucracies still benefit from a firm Christian foundation, despite their one-eyed contempt for it.