- “Zion Christian Mission Centre 116th Graduation Ceremony” held on 2 November
- 60,000 graduates who have “mastered the entire Bible” draw attention across religious circles
- “Passion to learn the truth transcends denominations and sects”
Cheongju, South Korea. November 13th 2025 – Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (led by Chairman Lee Man-hee), has once again attracted international attention by producing 60,000 believers who have studied and “mastered the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.”
On 2 November, the Church announced that a total of 59,192 students graduated at the 116th Zion Christian Mission Centre Graduation Ceremony, held at Shincheonji Cheongju Church.
The Zion Christian Mission Centre is a free Bible education institution that systematically teaches the entire Bible, focusing particularly on prophecy and fulfilment, which form the core of Scripture. The curriculum is structured into three stages – elementary, intermediate, and advanced – and students must achieve a score of 90 or above on a comprehensive final examination to graduate.
A spokesperson from Shincheonji Church stated, “Despite the rigorous course and the fact that this year’s programme was conducted entirely in person for the first time since the pandemic, the number of graduates has reached 60,000. This demonstrates that believers’ desire to learn the truth is spreading far beyond denominational and sectarian boundaries.”
Among the 116th graduating class, 2,248 are pastors, bringing the total number of pastor graduates in the last four years to over 13,500. This trend highlights the growing curiosity and engagement among clergy in seeking deeper biblical understanding through Shincheonji’s teachings.
Reflecting this, the graduate representative speech was delivered by Oh Sun-kyung, a former pastor who had previously founded three churches. She said, “At the Zion Christian Mission Centre, I came to clearly understand the Book of Revelation, something that neither seminaries nor churches had been able to explain. Even after reading the Bible more than thirty times, I could not find the answers-but through this teaching, my life has been completely renewed.”
She continued, “I deeply regret not knowing these teachings while I was a pastor. I will continue to pray for believers who still do not understand Revelation and share the Word I have received. Now is the time to go beyond denominational boundaries and learn and teach the truth without adding or taking away from it.”
Tan Young-jin, the General Director of the Zion Christian Mission Center, remarked, “Despite persecution and slander, Shincheonji – which has held four graduation ceremonies each with over 100,000 graduates – has once again produced tens of thousands of graduates. Such growth is possible only because God is with us.”
He added, “Through this programme, graduates have become mature believers who understand the true realities of the Bible – knowledge even many pastors lack. A genuine, Word-centred faith is being restored.”
The 116th graduation ceremony, themed “Love and Blessing, Light to the World”, included:
- National ceremony and congratulatory address
- Sermon by Chairman Lee Man-hee
- Blessing prayer
- Turning of tassels and presentation of certificates and diplomas
- Graduate testimony
- Celebration performance
In recent years, interest in Shincheonji’s Bible education has also been growing among religious communities in the United Kingdom. Online seminars and Bible courses have drawn participants from various Christian denominations across the UK.
British participants have highlighted the appeal of the centre’s structured and in-depth approach to Scripture, with some pastors noting that the emphasis on prophecy and fulfilment provides a fresh perspective on biblical interpretation.
The Church’s educational expansion reflects a wider trend of believers seeking more rigorous, Bible-based study opportunities across denominational lines.
ENDS