Shincheonji Church of Jesus, The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (hereafter ‘Shincheonji Church of Jesus’) sent shockwaves throughout the Christian world in 2019 in South Korea and overseas through its unprecedented graduation ceremony of 103,764 graduates that was held simultaneously in 113 countries on 10th November 2019. It also hosted the ‘Open Bible Seminar on The Second Coming and Harvest’ attended by 60,000 people in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) - with 6000 registering for Bible teaching - as well as various volunteer activities in communities through Shincheonji Volunteer Group. Founded in 1984, Shincheonji Church of Jesus is an abbreviation of “Shin-cheon-Shin-ji” - Chinese characters for “New Heaven New Earth”  - and is the promised church of the Bible.

The graduation of 103,764 Bible students from all ages and backgrounds has made evangelistic history and is unprecedented growth for any religious institution within just one year. Students who completed the intensive six-month Bible study programme at one of Shincheonji Church of Jesus' 500 Zion Mission Centres (Bible-teaching institutes) worldwide cited its 'Bible-centred teaching' as the main reason why they persevered through the Bible study programme. All graduates scored above 90% in their graduating exams, demonstrating mastery of the Bible. Let's look more deeply at what the Zion Mission Center curriculum offers.

Introductory

This is an introduction to the four categories of the Bible (history, instruction/teachings, prophecy and fulfillment) and teaches the true meaning of the parables. Jesus spoke about the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven in parables (Mt 13:10-11) and said that one must understand them in order to receive forgiveness of sin and receive salvation (Mk 4:10-14). Jesus also said that, when the time comes, the parables must be explained plainly (Jn 16:25). This course enables one to clearly understand the meaning of the parables and seal them in one’s heart.

Intermediate

This covers the major events of the Bible from Genesis to the prophets to the four Gospels, up until the penultimate book of the Bible, which is the book of Jude. It teaches students about some of the prophecies of the New Testament and how to differentiate between that which has been fulfilled (fulfilment) and is yet to be fulfilled (prophecy). Students are taught to categorise time, place, and characters correctly.

Advanced

Many different teachings on eschatology - the 'end times' recorded in the book of Revelation - are taught by many different pastors today. Some pastors teach that the number ‘666’ is a barcode, that the red dragon represents communism, that the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns represents the European Union, or that there will be an impending 'rapture'. However, these are all interpretations ('rapture' does not appear anywhere in the Bible). The Bible clearly says that anyone who adds or takes away from the book of Revelation will not be able to enter heaven (please read Rv 22:18-19). 

Understanding the correct meaning of the book of Revelation is, therefore, of paramount importance. Students are taught about the meaning of the prophecies and fulfillment of the entire book of Revelation and, ultimately, records God's final plan to restore this broken world and return all creation back to Him to end death, mourning, crying and pain (Rv 21:4). It is extremely hopeful. Those who believe and keep the promise, at the time when the fulfillment of this promise is testified, will receive salvation and become the kingdom and priests of God.  

Shincheonji Church of Jesus' slogan for 2020, which will be fulfilled this year, is ‘The Year of the Reign of God, the Last, Seventh Trumpet Sound, and the Completion of the Creation of the Multitude in White’. To this end, more than 200,000 people are currently studying the Bible either through Zion Mission Centers or online, and Shincheonji Church of Jesus is predicted to grow to one million believers by 2022. This is the greatest truth in 6000 years of Biblical history that is moving peoples' hearts throughout the world. In the recent words of one spokesperson of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, “We will continue to preach the living God through His word, transcending ethnicity, culture and religion.”