The Shincheonji 12 Tribes Zion Christian Mission Center recently celebrated its Class 114 graduation at Daegu Stadium, South Korea, on November 12th.
Following the graduations of 103,764 individuals in 2019 and 106,186 in 2022, this year’s ceremony saw 108,084 graduates.
Notably, the ceremony included 6,724 current and former pastors, a significant increase from the previous year’s 100,000 graduation ceremony.
This year, over 100,000 graduates from the ‘100,000 Graduation Ceremony’ joined the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. The event on the 12th concluded smoothly, without any safety incidents.
The Zion Christian Mission Center, a Bible education branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, hosted the ‘Shincheonji 12 Tribes Zion Christian Mission Center Class 114 Graduation Ceremony’ at Daegu Stadium. This year’s total graduate count reached 108,084, marking the third instance of the ceremony producing over 100,000 graduates.
The graduation commenced with an opening declaration by Chairman Lee Man-hee of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, followed by congratulatory messages from global figures, including former Romanian Constitutional Court Judge Petre Lazaroiu, and a speech by Chairman Lee. He inspired the graduates and guests, stating, “God will be watching our gathering. Let’s make a good world according to God’s will.”
Chairman Lee highlighted the significance of the Bible studies undertaken by the graduates, particularly the Book of Revelation. He remarked, “The book of Revelation is not long, but it contains tremendous content about the coming of God’s kingdom,” and encouraged sharing this knowledge as part of fulfilling God’s will.
He further added, “The fact that God and heaven come to this earth and become one means that it becomes a holy world ruled by God,” and urged, “let’s make a good world according to God’s will.”
Tan Young-jin, Chairman of the Zion Christian Mission Center, in his congratulatory speech, said, “[graduates] have heard the highest revelation word in 6,000 years directly and confirmed what God promised today. So I believe you have clearly perceived who ‘I’ am in the Bible. Let’s lead the way in fulfilling all nations together and achieving peace in the global village.”
The ceremony featured a 15-minute card section performance on the theme of ‘New Testament Revelation Witnessed by Shincheonji: Events of Betrayal, Destruction, and Salvation,’ led by over 10,000 participants. The performance, which summarised the ‘Entire chapters of the Revelation,’ was hailed as a culturally and artistically significant representation of the Book of Revelation’s prophecies and fulfilments.
Following the graduation certificate presentation, tassel turning, and award ceremony, graduate Jung Hyun-mo shared his experience. As the Vice President of Education at I.U.C. Graduate School in Korea, Jung expressed, “I was invited as guest to the 100,000 graduation ceremony of Class 113 last year. I was curious about the secret of gathering 100,000 people every year despite severe persecution, and I was particularly curious about how the young people who filled the stadium were so energetic and lively. I started taking courses at the Zion Christian Mission Center because I was told that the secret was the word [Bible].”
He continued, “According to my conviction that I would not walk if it was not the right way, I took courses at the Zion Christian Mission Center and other denominations’ seminary Masters and Doctoral programmes at the same time,” and observed that, “The level of the word was really a difference between heaven and earth. Shincheonji testified not only to the true meaning of Revelation but also to the reality as prophesied. I will repay this grace and love as a child of light who delivers the word of God.”
This year’s graduation drew considerable global attention with 6,274 domestic and foreign pastors and seminarians graduating, a tenfold increase from last year’s count of 522.
The event prioritised order and safety, with a meticulously planned traffic movement strategy for orderly participant entry and exit over 10 hours. Approximately 2,200 tour buses were utilised, with parking dispersed across various regions to minimise congestion.
Each vehicle had a guide team leader, and volunteers were stationed throughout. Including these personnel, 14,000 safety officers and staff ensured the ceremony’s security. Medical booths, emergency care, and ambulance teams were also on standby.
A Shincheonji Church of Jesus representative emphasised the event’s focus on safety and order, mentioning the considerable effort in emergency training and medical staff placement to prepare for temperature drops and emergencies. He added, “Among the world’s denominations, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus is the only place where more than 100,000 believers gather in one year. This is because the word of truth is in Shincheonji and because God and Jesus are with us. I hope you will definitely confirm the word and become one in the Bible.”
