111,628 graduates… A new record for the largest single denomination event in history was set at the Shincheonji Cheongju Church at noon on 30th October. Among this number was 3,377 Pastors who graduated. Originally, the event was planned to take place at Paju Peace Nuri, but the Gyeonggi Tourism Organisation cancelled it unilaterally the day before.
The Zion Christian Mission Centre (Director Tan Young-jin) of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus (Chairman Lee Man-hee) held its “115th Zion Christian Mission Centre 110,000 Union Graduation Ceremony” at the Shincheonji Cheongju Church on 30th October. A total of 111,628 people graduated.
Due to the Gyeonggi Tourism Organisation’s last-minute cancellation of the venue, international graduates and religious figures from home and abroad were invited to attend the completion ceremony.
During his sermon at the graduation ceremony, Chairman Lee of the General Assembly said, “Shincheonji Church of Jesus masters the entire Bible, including the Book of Revelation. How proud and good this is,” and emphasised, “Let’s not condemn or persecute each other, but work together to make our country truly shine.”
Despite the change in venue at short notice, the event recorded the highest number of graduates in the history of a single denomination. This marks the fourth occasion since 2019 that more than 100,000 people have graduated. The event was organised with a focus on safety and order, and concluded smoothly without any safety incidents.
On the day, over 10,000 international graduates and 1,000 religious leaders from various countries attended the Shincheonji Cheongju Church. Additionally, 3,377 pastors graduated, and 6,203 pastors are currently enrolled in courses at the Zion Christian Mission Centre.
A special performance took place in the square in front of the Shincheonji Cheongju Church building, encouraging religious individuals to end conflict, unite, bring an end to war, and achieve peace. This drew a resounding applause from participants.
Many graduates, who could not be present due to limited space, participated in the graduation ceremony online from Shincheonji Church branches across the country and overseas.
Chairman Lee congratulated the students, saying, “In the Bible, it says the tree of life bears 12 fruits every month. You are the reality,” adding, “So this graduation is beyond words.”
Chairman Lee also stated, “We should be grateful to the church we grew up in. Because of that church, we received words and grace,” and explained, “Which church I attend is the believer’s choice. The important thing is for people to learn, grow and share.”
Finally, he said, “Since you have completed the course, I hope you will share what you have learned freely. This is a fundamental expression of gratitude as a person of faith who has received grace. Even if persecuted, let’s refrain from cursing or condemning, and instead do good deeds.”
Pastor Kang, who delivered a speech as a representative after receiving his certificate, mentioned that he has been a pastor at the Presbyterian Church of Korea for 25 years and continues to lead his congregation.
“I felt compelled to investigate and quickly fell in love with the truth three days into the course at the Zion Christian Mission Centre, immediately beginning to preach using the knowledge I had gained,” he shared. “I was deeply moved by the way the congregation listened to the sermons with joy.”
“After signing an MOU with Shincheonji Church of Jesus, participation in worship, evangelism, and volunteer work became more joyful and active, breathing new life into the church,” he added. “On the 11th, all the members confidently replaced the sign with Shincheonji Church of Jesus.”
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus also conducted a preliminary survey of 1,485 youth graduates (aged 19-39) from the 115th class for one week beginning on the 20th, demonstrating the quality of the teachings. An impressive 99.59% of respondents reported being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the “content and structure of the missionary centre’s lectures,” while 92.66% cited “Bible teaching” as the reason for their satisfaction.
The average score on the final exams for domestic and international graduates of the 115th class was 96.5, highlighting the excellence of the education system.
“All graduates of the 115th class, as well as those who completed the Zion Christian Mission Centre, have studied and been tested on the entire Bible from Genesis to the Book of Revelation,” said an official from the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. “Thanks to this unique educational system, Shincheonji Church of Jesus has been able to grow rapidly, with some domestic and international churches seeking cooperation.”
