How Was the 40th Shincheonji Establishment Anniversary Like?

Since its establishment on 14^th Mar. 1984, Shincheonji Church of Jesus kept rapidly growing for forty years. On 14^th Mar. 2024, around 30,000 congregation members of Shincheonji gathered outdoors to celebrate its 40^th anniversary.

The event was an outdoor service, and before the main event began, they had time to look back on the history of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Tabernacle Temple of Testimony (You can find out the details of the history in this article). At the time of its founding, Shincheonji Church would hold services outdoors before it prepared its first small temple in an apartment on the basement floor. On 14^th Mar. 1995 – 11 years after its establishment – the organization of the twelve tribes was built, according to the shape of heaven described in Revelation. In 1999, the General Assembly headquarters and temple were moved to Gwacheon, and it’s still there today.

The history of Zion Christian Mission Center (Shincheonji Church’s Bible course academy) was also shared. Zion Christian Mission Center held its first graduation ceremony in 1991. The academy held a graduation ceremony every year (celebrating graduates of the year who completed the course by passing the graduation exam), and it held its first 100,000 graduation ceremony, producing 103,764 graduates in 2019. The graduation ceremony took place every year, online even during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the restriction of gathering during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea was lifted (the so-called, ‘With Corona’ policy of the South Korean government), 106,186 and 108,084 graduates graduated in 2022 and 2023.

In the service, Chairman Lee Man Hee of Shincheonji Church of Jesus looked at the 30,000 congregation members and said, ”It must be the largest number of people gathered here since this land (the event site) existed.” Then, he said that he always – when he lies down, when he is seated, when he walks – thinks about and checks by which chapter Revelation was fulfilled. He said that Revelation was fulfilled up to chapter 17, and chapter 18 will be fulfilled by God, not by people. It’s special because seventeen chapters of the book were fulfilled by the hands of people (with the spirits above them like in Isa 31:3). After that, the wedding banquet where the spirits and flesh become one is held in Rev 19, and they will be transfigured like Jesus at his second coming in Rev 20. Chairman Lee quoted Rev 1 to take an example of the figure of Jesus. Saying this, Chairman Lee emphasized the absoluteness of Revelation, quoting Rev22:18-19, “If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” It’s forbidden to add or take away from this prophecy because God will fulfill this all, without adding or taking away from it.

Figure 1) Chairman Lee Man Hee of Shincheonji Church is sermoning. Figure 2-4) 30,000 congregation members of Shincheonji Church gathered at the event site.

He also highlighted the importance of Revelation and its fulfillment, “Until now, no one could show the fulfillment of Revelation. However, today, Shincheonji is showing the fulfillment. It’s amazing. We must know the fulfillment of Revelation, too. People would say heaven, heaven, but they can’t go or touch heaven. Now in the time of Revelation, they can touch heaven. It’s up to that person to believe or not to, but they must verify it first. Because it’s about a great thing, eternal life. It’s been six thousand years since sin came into the world. It’s good news to hear that we will escape from the criminal world and live in heaven. The world of the kingdom of heaven is described in Revelation. If you will believe it, you have to believe everything. God and Jesus promised this risking their lives. Then, that won’t be lies.”

Within the 30-minutes-long sermon, Chairman Lee celebrated the 40th anniversary of Shincheonji Church, emphasized knowing Revelation and its fulfillment, and expressed happiness for so many members were there to celebrate (if you look at the image, the event site was literally ‘filled’ with congratulators), and advised the members to love neighbors, while mentioning about the persecutors.

What made Shincheonji grow rapidly in 40 years? The graduates say that the absolute word of Shincheonji. If you’re curious about the word, please don’t hesitate to register for a free online Bible course.