Shincheonji Church & Zion Christian Mission Centre’s full statement to student claims

One of the religious groups featured in a Courier Mail exclusive has issued a statement responding to questions on its methods in recruiting new members

One of the religious groups featured in a Courier Mail story has issued a statement responding to questions on its methods in recruiting new members

A Message from Shincheonji Church & Zion Christian Mission Centre (Brisbane)

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share who we are and address some of the questions raised about Shincheonji Church and Zion Christian Mission Centre.

We hope this statement helps clarify any misunderstandings.

We kindly ask that our responses be shared in full, as we believe it’s important for our voice to be heard in its entirety.

Zion Christian Mission Centre (ZCMC) is the Bible study and theology school established by Shincheonji (SCJ) Church.

It’s important to note that signing up for Bible study with ZCMC does not mean becoming a member of SCJ Church.

Anyone who joins SCJ church does so willingly and is made very clear about our beliefs before that.

Our purpose is to share the Word of God with everyone who has a thirst to understand the Bible.

This aligns with what we believe is God’s will for all nations, as written in Isaiah 2:2-3.

We welcome people from all backgrounds to ask questions about God and the Bible and to study the Bible with us.

Before signing up to our Bible study course, all students are given clear information about the course and our organisation.

Unlike traditional Bible colleges, our courses do not cost any money.

We believe the Word of God is the water of life without cost (Rv 22:17).

Shincheonji Church Australia - Brisbane Facebook page.

Students voluntarily contribute or fundraise to help with costs to maintain facilities and class materials, the remaining costs are all supported by SCJ.

We believe in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour from sin, through his blood.

We believe in the Kingdom of God that Jesus promised in the New Covenant (Lk 22:14-20).

Our Bible Studies are focused on testifying this Gospel of Jesus.

We are not a traditional church or theology school.

Our teachings are not for mere academic study, but we believe the Word of God is to convey the will of God for all people to be able to understand.

Our courses cover from the basics of the Bible to the deeper things that many people question and want to understand, such as questions about Genesis, the parables of the Kingdom of heaven Jesus taught, and the book of Revelation.

There is a growing number of people around the world that are thirsty for understanding the Word of God and His will in the Bible, rather than just carrying out a superficial life of faith.

Our aim is to be able to reach these people no matter what background they may come from, in a way that is straight forward and understandable.

As a result of this ministry, over the years, ZCMC has had hundreds of thousands of graduates worldwide, including many pastors from a range of denominations within Christianity.

While there would be people who have negative opinions about us, it would only be fair to ask if the public would be willing to hear the opinions of the many thousands of people who had positive experiences, or at least come and experience our Bible courses for themselves.

Unfortunately, the way SCJ and ZCMC have been portrayed in some media stories has been one-sided and doesn’t reflect the experiences of those who have chosen to study with us or join our church.

We understand the rumours, but they don’t match the reality of what we’ve experienced.

Our work is rooted in love and respect for others. We never pressure anyone to accept our message, but we believe it’s important to share the good news of the Bible with those who are willing to listen.

We know that the enthusiasm of some ZCMC graduates in inviting others to Bible studies can sometimes be misunderstood.

We want to make it clear that there is never any intent to deceive, offend, or harm anyone.

We believe in the Bible and the importance of sharing its teachings. While the media may refer to this as “recruitment,” we see it as evangelism, a practice taught by Jesus Himself.

We also want to address the idea that we “target” specific groups, such as university students.

This is completely untrue.

We welcome everyone, regardless of their background or age.

If university students are more visible among us, it’s simply because many are eager to learn, not a result of ‘targeting’.

We understand that not everyone will agree with us, and we sincerely apologise if our efforts have unintentionally caused discomfort.

Our hope is that those who encounter us will see the sincerity behind what we do and feel encouraged to explore the value of the Bible for themselves.

Thank you for allowing us to share our perspective.

Originally published as Shincheonji Church & Zion Christian Mission Centre’s full statement to student claims