The Shincheonji Church of Jesus announced that 59,192 students officially graduated from the Zion Christian Mission Center's 116th class during a ceremony held at Shincheonji's Cheongju Church. The church describes these graduates as believers who have mastered the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, through a structured educational program that has attracted participants worldwide including thousands of ordained pastors.
Chairman Lee Man-hee addressed the gathering with a message challenging conventional religious authority. He stated that the Bible warns that no one who adds to or takes away from God's Word can enter heaven, referencing Revelation 22:18-19. Lee emphasized that his church has mastered the Book of Revelation and urged Christians to return to biblical scripture rather than relying on church hierarchy. His challenge to believers was clear: Look to the Word, and see if your faith is truly biblical.
The Zion Christian Mission Center operates a rigorous three-level program requiring students to complete elementary, intermediate, and advanced courses before taking a comprehensive final examination. Graduation demands a minimum score of 90 out of 100, ensuring what the church describes as thorough biblical mastery. More information about their educational approach is available at https://www.shincheonji.org.
Despite what the organization characterizes as intensified persecution and misunderstanding, the graduation numbers continue to grow significantly. This year's class included 2,248 ordained pastors, bringing the total number of pastor graduates over the last four years to more than 13,500. This trend suggests religious leaders globally are seeking deeper biblical understanding beyond traditional seminary education.
Testimonies from graduates revealed profound personal transformations. Oh Sun-kyung, a former pastor who led three churches, confessed to struggling with understanding Revelation despite reading the Bible over 30 times. He described carrying a heavy burden of shame before his congregation until discovering the Mission Center's teachings. Within an hour of the first class, he reported his heart opening to new understanding grounded exclusively in Scripture.
International participants highlighted the global reach of this religious education movement. Lígia Monteiro traveled 16 hours from the Netherlands to attend, noting that Shincheonji's approach differs from other churches because they don't interpret the Bible based on personal opinion but explain every verse using Scripture itself. Park Sang-jun, who spent over four decades in the Presbyterian Church, admitted to previously criticizing Shincheonji before attending classes with his wife and realizing the teaching strictly follows biblical text.
Tan Young-jin, Director-General of the Zion Christian Mission Center, observed that despite prejudice and misunderstanding, more people are being renewed through the Word. He characterized this as evidence that God is with their movement, noting that graduates have uncovered biblical truths even pastors once struggled to understand. The graduation ceremony, themed Love and Blessing—The Light That Shines on the World, filled the Cheongju Church and its outdoor grounds with more than 20,000 graduates in person while tens of thousands more participated online from Shincheonji churches worldwide.
