On May 1, 2024, the European Pastor Conference titled “Global Pastors Conference” of the Zion Christian Mission Center (ZCMZ) took place in Frankfurt, Germany, under the theme “Present and Future of Christianity in Europe.” Pastors from 8 countries gathered at the temple of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a partner of ZCMZ.
The pastor conference marked the second event in a global series organized by ZCMZ, commencing on April 20, 2024, with over 4,000 participating pastors in the Philippines. This initiative by ZCMZ is a response to the declining membership numbers across various Christian denominations. In Germany, the percentage of Catholic and Protestant church members decreased from 90 percent in 1919 to 70 percent in 2010 and further to 55 percent in 2018.
The conference commenced with worship music and a traditional Korean drum performance. At the heart of the conference was a 40-minute speech delivered by the chairman of ZCMZ, Man Hee Lee. He spoke about the new covenant sealed by Jesus Christ, the parable of the sown seeds and harvest time, as well as the last book of the Bible, the Revelation. The 92-year-old referred to himself as a witness to the fulfilled reality of the Revelation and urged the audience to reflect on their faith and examine whether the fulfillment he witnessed corresponds to the events recorded in the Revelation.
In the second part of the conference, guests engaged in workshops discussing the challenges currently faced by Christianity and developing solutions for the future. They agreed on using the Bible as a standard and emphasized the will of the only eternal Creator God. A pastor remarked afterward: “Everything I saw and heard today was not just a show or wishful thinking. Because I observed the people here and what their demeanor is. I saw that everyone here is sincere, and that left a very positive impression on me.” Another pastor from Munich summarized: “Christianity in Europe is declining. We all need to sacrifice more and unite, as we experienced here today.”
What is the Zion Christian Mission Center?
The Zion Christian Mission Center (ZCMZ) was founded in South Korea in 1990. It offers free Bible courses at 432 locations in 97 countries worldwide. These courses cover the study of the entire Bible with a focus on the parables, the prophecies of Revelation, and their fulfillments. It demonstrates how one can examine their own faith to align it with the truth through the Word of God.