The Zion Christian Mission Center of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus marked a momentous milestone on October 30, hosting the 115th graduation ceremony at its Cheongju location. This year’s event set a new record, with 111,628 graduates; the largest single-denomination graduation in history.
The ceremony, which saw participation from a diverse audience of international graduates, religious leaders, and officials, highlighted the church’s profound educational influence and growing global reach.
Originally scheduled to take place at Paju Imjingak Peace Nuri Park, the event was moved to the Shincheonji Church in Cheongju after the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization cancelled the venue reservation the day before the ceremony. Despite this last-minute change, the graduation went ahead smoothly, with an emphasis on safety and order.
Around 10,000 international graduates and 1,000 religious figures from Korea and abroad attended, alongside a virtual audience from Shincheonji churches around the world. Among the graduates were 3,377 pastors, showcasing the extensive impact of the Zion Christian Mission Center, which now has over 6,000 pastors enrolled. The ceremony included a special performance emphasizing unity and peace, reinforcing the church’s message of global harmony and cooperation.
Chairman Lee Man-hee, who presided over the ceremony, delivered an inspiring sermon on the mastery of the Bible, particularly the Book of Revelation, expressing pride in the church’s theological achievements. “How proud and wonderful is that?” he said, stressing the importance of mutual support and the pursuit of peace in society.
The ceremony also featured a graduate speech by Kang, a pastor with 25 years of experience in the Presbyterian Church of Korea. He shared how he was captivated by the teachings at the Zion Christian Mission Center and how they revitalized his church’s worship and outreach activities, even leading to the church’s rebranding to reflect its affiliation with the Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
The graduates were also celebrated for their academic excellence, with a pre-graduation survey revealing that 99.59% of respondents were highly satisfied with the curriculum. The class’s graduation exam average score was an impressive 96.5%, underscoring the effectiveness of the church’s educational system.
In his remarks to the graduates, Chairman Lee encouraged them to share the knowledge they had gained without expecting anything in return, emphasizing that this is the foundation of true faith and a way to express gratitude.
“We should be thankful for the churches where we grew up. Because of those churches, we were able to receive the Word and grace.” He added, “It is a believer’s freedom to choose which church to attend. What matters is teaching those who do not yet know the Word, so that we can learn and grow together.”
“Now that you have graduated, I hope you will freely share the Word you have received with many others, without expecting anything in return. This is the foundation of being a believer who has received grace and a way to express gratitude. Let us never resort to insults or curses. Even if we face persecution, let us continue to do good deeds.”
After the diplomas were awarded, Kang, one of the graduates who gave a speech, attracted attention for sharing that he had served as a pastor in the Presbyterian Church of Korea for 25 years and is still leading a church.
“I felt the need to truly understand, so I began taking courses at the Zion Christian Mission Center. Within three days, I was completely captivated by the Word of Truth. I immediately started preaching with what I had learned,” he recalled, adding; “Seeing how joyful the congregation was as they listened to my sermons filled me with deep grace and inspiration once again.”
Kang also mentioned that after signing the MOU with the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the congregation’s participation in worship, evangelism, and volunteer activities has become more joyful and active, bringing new vitality to the church.”
“On the 11th, all the members confidently decided to change the church’s sign to reflect the name of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus,” he proclaimed.
In addition, a pre-graduation survey conducted by the Shincheonji Church of Jesus from October 20 for one week, targeting 1,485 graduates aged 19-39 from the 115th graduation class, also proved the excellence of the teachings. Regarding the “content and system of the Mission Center’s lectures,” 99.59% of respondents expressed being “satisfied” or “very satisfied,” with 92.66% of them citing “biblical teachings” as the primary reason for their satisfaction.
The average score for the graduation exam taken by the 115th class of domestic and international graduates was also 96.5%, further confirming the effectiveness of the educational system.
A spokesperson for the Shincheonji Church of Jesus stated, “The 115th graduates, as well as all those who completed the Zion Christian Mission Center, have studied the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation in-depth and have taken exams.”
“Thanks to this unparalleled educational system, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus has achieved rapid growth, and this success has led to requests for cooperation from not only domestic and international churches but also entire denominations.”
This year’s graduation marks another significant achievement for the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which continues to grow rapidly both domestically and internationally, with increasing requests for cooperation from churches and denominations worldwide. The church’s comprehensive educational approach, focused on the Bible’s entirety, has garnered praise and has helped it build a strong, committed community of believers dedicated to spreading the Word of God.
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