The founding date of Shincheonji is March 14th 1984. However, the day the constitution was announced was not on that day, but on September 24th. Prior to this, the first church service was held in the basement of Dongsan Apartment in Bisan, Anyang city on June 3rd. Yet it was in early 1981, three years prior, that Chairman Man-Hee Lee began the labour by holding worship services on a mountain under the direction of Jesus. At that time, many people who heard the testimony from Chairman Lee gathered and came to the church, and Shincheonji grew. The structure and layout of the 12 tribes of Shincheonji was then established at the 11th commemorative ceremony in Suwon Stadium on March 14th 1995. 

Chairman Lee said, “The 12 tribes were not created out of man's thinking. Since the 12 tribes were promised in the Bible, won't God's promise be fulfilled when God chooses to fulfil it?” He emphasised, “That’s why the 12 tribes have been created.” Chairman Lee said, “God foretold what is taking place today in the Old Testament and book of Revelation.”

Chairman Lee continued, “The reason Jesus died was to make a place for us who believe in Jesus to be, and he said that when this place is fully prepared, he would take us to be there. That dwelling place is the holy city, New Jerusalem established by the disciples.” 

Moreover, Chairman Lee said that, as prophesied, the kingdom that Jesus has made in heaven will come to this earth, and the kingdom that is on this earth consists of people born of God's seed that was sown by Jesus.