The Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, marked another milestone in its rapid global growth with its 116th Zion Christian Mission Center Graduation Ceremony, held on November 2 at Cheongju Church. Nearly 60,000 graduates, including 2,248 pastors, completed the intensive Bible course from Genesis to Revelation. Over the past four years, more than 13,500 pastors have graduated, signaling the church’s expanding influence in theological education.
The Focus on the Scriptures
Graduates describe the Zion Christian Mission Center as a place where the Bible unfolds in a logical and cohesive manner. Each graduate completed an advanced biblical program covering Genesis through Revelation. The three-tier curriculum demanded rigorous discipline, with students expected to score 90 points or higher to graduate.
Photo: Chairman Man Hee Lee
Chairman Man Hee Lee, delivering a message to the graduates, reaffirmed the church’s interpretation of Scripture. “It is written that if anyone adds to or takes away from the words of the Bible, they cannot enter heaven (Revelation 22:18-19),” he said. “Shincheonji masters the Book of Revelation. If you truly want to know, you must come to Shincheonji and learn.”
He also reminded the graduates, “There are too many who claim to believe in Jesus yet do not fully follow the Bible. Do not rely on the authority of churches but check for yourselves, based on the Bible, whether you are practicing true faith.”
Testimonies from Graduates
Tens of thousands of believers who had struggled in their faith due to a lack of understanding of the Bible once again flocked to Shincheonji this year, pouring out such confessions at the graduation ceremony site. Despite opposition, the church continues to see rapid growth, with more than 13,500 pastors graduating in the past four years.
Among the standout testimonies was that of Oh Sun-kyung, a former pastor who once led three churches. Oh, Sun-kyung admits. “I had established three churches and prided myself on being a true believer who dedicated my life to the Lord’s kingdom and glory. Yet, deep in my heart, I always carried the heavy burden of not understanding Revelation. Even after reading the Bible more than 30 times, I could not find the answers, and feeling ashamed before my congregation, I eventually gave up pastoring.”
She adds, “On the first day of class at the Zion Christian Mission Center, within just one hour, my heart opened completely. Every lesson contained only logic and truth based on the Bible. Now I can boldly declare, ‘I have mastered the Book of Revelation!’”
Ending her speech, she urged pastors, “Now that the secrets of Revelation have been revealed, the role of pastors who shepherd God’s flock is to lead their entrusted congregation to heaven. Let us first master and not add to or subtract from this promised Word. Let pastors humble themselves before the Word, join hands with their congregations, and become those who are sealed by scoring 100 points on the Bible test.”
For others, such as Park Sang-jun, a longtime Presbyterian believer (40 years), and Ligia Monteiro, a 19-year-old from the Netherlands, Shincheonji’s approach to interpreting Scripture, “based on the Bible itself,” stood in stark contrast to traditional church teachings.
Sang-jun mentions, “In the past, I spoke against Shincheonji and even watched documentaries criticizing it. But when I followed my wife to the Zion Christian Mission Center, I realized that Shincheonji teaches exactly according to the Bible.”
Monteiro from the Netherlands mentions, “Shincheonji Church explains every verse of the Bible based on the Bible itself, not human thoughts. That is the biggest difference from existing churches.”
Tan Young-jin, head director of the Zion Christian Mission Center, stated, “Even amid misunderstanding and prejudice, the number of people being renewed through the Word continues to grow. This is proof that God is with us.”
He added, “The graduates are those who have come to understand the true reality of the Bible that even pastors could not learn. A new era of faith transformed not by knowledge, but by truth, is dawning.”
Under the theme “Love and Blessing, Light That Shines on the World,” some 20,000 graduates joined the main ceremony in Cheongju, with others participating online from Korea and overseas, uniting in celebration of what they call a global awakening through Scripture.