News / Local
Religious storm brewing as school head ban Bible study club
01 Nov 2015 at 09:08hrs | Views
A RELIGIOUS storm is brewing at Sizane High School in Bulawayo after the school head banned a Bible study club.
The school has since insisted that all Bible study club members attend Scripture Union, a demand that Seventh Day Adventist pupils have rejected as they do not want to affiliate to a "Pentecostal" organisation.
Scripture Union is an international, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian movement which was founded in 1867.
The Bible study club members said the headmistress, Reverend Deborah Manyoba, last week closed the club "because we are more influential to other pupils than the SU".
"The head humiliated members of the club in front of the assembly and called us a rebellious club. This club is attended by more than 400 pupils. I wonder why they closed it out of 30 clubs in the school," said a Form Four pupil.
The pupils said they were threatened by school teachers and the head who allegedly said they would be expelled if they continue with their lunch Bible study. However, Rev Manyoba denied having threatened to expel pupils.
"I don't know about this group. I only heard about it last week. I called it to be closed because they didn't go through the administration. They should approach the admin for a group to exist. The only group I know is Scripture Union.
Why do they want to form their own club since they preach the same Jesus? You will never know maybe they are doing bad things not preaching the Gospel," said Rev Manyoba.
However, pupils dismissed the point that the club was not known to authorities.
"The club existed long back. When we started Form One in 2012 the club was there and there were no problems," said a pupil.
The school has since insisted that all Bible study club members attend Scripture Union, a demand that Seventh Day Adventist pupils have rejected as they do not want to affiliate to a "Pentecostal" organisation.
Scripture Union is an international, inter-denominational, evangelical Christian movement which was founded in 1867.
The Bible study club members said the headmistress, Reverend Deborah Manyoba, last week closed the club "because we are more influential to other pupils than the SU".
"The head humiliated members of the club in front of the assembly and called us a rebellious club. This club is attended by more than 400 pupils. I wonder why they closed it out of 30 clubs in the school," said a Form Four pupil.
The pupils said they were threatened by school teachers and the head who allegedly said they would be expelled if they continue with their lunch Bible study. However, Rev Manyoba denied having threatened to expel pupils.
"I don't know about this group. I only heard about it last week. I called it to be closed because they didn't go through the administration. They should approach the admin for a group to exist. The only group I know is Scripture Union.
Why do they want to form their own club since they preach the same Jesus? You will never know maybe they are doing bad things not preaching the Gospel," said Rev Manyoba.
However, pupils dismissed the point that the club was not known to authorities.
"The club existed long back. When we started Form One in 2012 the club was there and there were no problems," said a pupil.
Source - sundaynews
