On October 30, 2024, Shincheonji Zion Christian Mission Center successfully held its “Zion Christian Mission Center’s Class 115 Graduation Ceremony for 111,628 Graduates” at Shincheonji’s Cheongju Church. This marked a record-breaking event for a single religious denomination, with Shincheonji now producing over 100,000 graduates four times (in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024).
Recap: The Zion Christian Mission Center’s Class 115 Graduation Ceremony
Over 10,000 international graduates and 1,000 overseas religious leaders attended the graduation ceremony in person, with domestic graduates joining online from Shincheonji churches nationwide.
The ceremony opened with a speech by Chairman Lee Man-hee, who praised the unification of the 12 tribes and the achievement of prophecy in Revelation. In his remarks, Chairman Lee stressed the significance of joining Shincheonji’s 12 tribes to fulfill God’s new nation.
He noted that only Shincheonji provides the means to fully understand the prophecies in Revelation. He also highlighted that only those who avoid adding to or subtracting from the Book of Revelation can attain heaven, urging the graduates to become capable teachers themselves.
Following the opening ceremony, awards were presented to 41,764 graduates for perfect attendance and 5,262 for excellence in evangelism. Zion Christian Mission Center’s Director, Tan Young-jin, expressed pride in Shincheonji’s unique and rapid growth, noting that it is the only church to expand by over 100,000 members annually.
In addition to giving the awards, a special performance titled “Religious people should stop disputes and hatred, reconcile with each other, end wars, and achieve peace” was held in the square in front of the Shincheonji Cheongju Church building.
The graduates who were unable to attend together due to the limited space participated in the online graduation ceremony on the same day at Shincheonji Jesus Churches and overseas churches across the country.
A Shincheonji representative noted, “Graduates have eagerly awaited this day, and although venue changes caused complications, we are committed to honoring this ceremony. The 111,000 graduates, despite facing challenges, will continue to glorify God.”
Initially, the ceremony was scheduled at Paju Imjingak Peace Park. However, the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization abruptly canceled the booking one day before the event, prompting Shincheonji to relocate to Cheongju Church. Some criticize the sudden, unilateral cancellation without prior consultation, calling it unjust. Shincheonji has declared that it will pursue legal and administrative action to compensate for costs and damages.
Sharing Stories of Inspiration
After being awarded the graduation certificate that day, a graduate named Jiang, who has been a pastor in the Korean Presbyterian Church for 25 years and currently runs a church that has attracted people’s attention, gave a graduation speech as a representative.
Jiang mentions, “I wanted to learn more about it. After attending classes at the Zion Christian Mission Center for three days, I fell deeply in love with the words of truth and immediately began to preach with the words I learned. The saints’ expressions were so happy and joyful. This scene made me feel deeply touched and grateful again.”
He adds, “After signing an MOU with the New World Jesus Church, the saints’ worship participation, preaching, and volunteer activities became more enjoyable and active, and the church also regained its vitality. On the 11th of this month, the saints resolutely replaced the plaque of the New World Jesus Church.”
Aside from Jiang, a pastor who formerly served 25 years in Presbyterian ministry also shared his journey with Shincheonji, expressing gratitude for the teachings that guided him to what he now considers the true path.
Highlighting Emphasis on Quality Education
A Zion Christian Mission Center representative highlighted that this graduating class studied the entire Bible and underwent rigorous testing. Shincheonji’s structured educational system has attracted interest from domestic and international religious groups, with many expressing a desire to collaborate.
In fact, the New World Jesus Church conducted a pre-questionnaire survey on 1,485 of the 115th batch of young people (19-39 years old) in the week starting from the 20th, which also proved the excellence of the words. Regarding the “content and system of the mission center’s lectures,” 99.59% of the respondents said they were “satisfied” or “very satisfied,” and as for a reason for satisfaction, 92.66% of the respondents chose “Bible teachings,” which accounted for the vast majority.
According to statistics, the average score of the 115th batch of graduates from home and abroad in the final exam was 96.5 points, which once again proved the excellent education system.
A person related to the New World Jesus Church mentions, “Not only the 115th batch of graduates, but all the graduates from the Zion Christian Mission Center have studied the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation in-depth and have taken the exam. Thanks to this unique education system, the New World Jesus Church can grow rapidly. Seeing this, not only domestic and foreign churches but also the entire church group has requested cooperation.”
Words From the Founder
President Lee Man-hee, who attended the ceremony, expressed his pride with the graduates. His message to the graduates says, “The Bible says that the tree of life bears 12 kinds of fruit every month. You are that entity. So, this graduation ceremony cannot be described in words, and I am very grateful and moved.
Ending his speech, President Lee added, “We should be grateful to the church that helped us grow. Because of that church, we received the word and grace. Believers have the freedom to choose which church to go to. It is important to tell those who do not understand God’s word to learn from each other and grow together. You have graduated, and I hope you can pass on the words you received for free to more people. This is the duty of believers who have received grace and is also a manifestation of gratitude. Don’t insult or curse at all. Even if we are persecuted without reason, we must do good deeds.”
