Shincheonji Church Graduates Over 59,000 Bible Scholars in Global Religious Education Milestone

The Shincheonji Church of Jesus celebrated the graduation of 59,192 students from the Zion Christian Mission Center's 116th class, marking a significant milestone in religious education that emphasizes direct engagement with biblical text. These graduates completed a comprehensive program that covers the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation, focusing on scriptural prophecy and fulfillment through a structured educational approach.

Chairman Lee Man-hee addressed the ceremony with a message challenging traditional religious authority structures, urging Christians to return to the Bible itself rather than relying on church hierarchy. He referenced Revelation 22:18–19, emphasizing that genuine faith requires direct engagement with scripture. The educational program requires students to complete three levels—elementary, intermediate, and advanced—and achieve a minimum score of 90 out of 100 on the final comprehensive examination.

The rigorous approach has attracted religious leaders worldwide, with 2,248 ordained pastors among this year's graduates. This brings the total number of pastor graduates over the last four years to more than 13,500, indicating growing interest among established religious professionals in deeper biblical understanding. The program's global reach was evident through international participants like Lígia Monteiro, who traveled 16 hours from the Netherlands to participate, noting that Shincheonji teaches strictly according to the Bible without personal interpretation.

Personal testimonies highlighted the transformative impact of the education. Oh Sun-kyung, a former pastor who led three churches, delivered the main testimony after reading the Bible over 30 times without understanding Revelation. Within an hour of the first class, my heart opened. Every lesson was grounded in Scripture—nothing else. Now I can say with conviction, I have mastered Revelation! he testified. Park Sang-jun, who spent over four decades in the Presbyterian Church, initially criticized Shincheonji but changed his perspective after attending classes.

Tan Young-jin, Director-General of the Zion Christian Mission Center, emphasized the program's significance. Despite prejudice and misunderstanding, more people are being renewed through the Word. This proves God is with us. These graduates have uncovered biblical truths even pastors once struggled to understand—this isn't just knowledge; it's transformation through truth, he stated. The graduation ceremony, themed Love and Blessing—The Light That Shines on the World, attracted more than 20,000 graduates in person at Cheongju Church, with tens of thousands more participating online through Shincheonji churches worldwide.

The event featured worship services and personal testimonies celebrating what graduates described as faith reborn through direct engagement with biblical text. The massive scale of graduation—59,192 students mastering the entire Bible—demonstrates the growing global interest in structured, comprehensive religious education that prioritizes scriptural literacy over traditional denominational boundaries.