Claimed to be initiated by the collaboration of churches and pastors from Hong Kong and mainland China, the "2024 New Year Joint Conference for Global Chinese Pastors" took place on January 14 in Hong Kong, causing widespread attention.
According to the Concern Group on Newly Emerged Religions, the organizer is suspected to be associated with the heretical Shincheonji Church of Jesus from South Korea. The theme of the Christian conference was "Redemption of Resurrection, the Blood and Flesh of the Lamb," with around 300 attendees, mostly mainland Chinese believers. The gathering was held inside Noah's Ark in Ma Wan.
It is reported that an invitation letter was circulated online among Christian groups that only pastors and church workers were qualified to attend online or on-site in Hong Kong on January 15. The invitation letter included the slogan, "Let the initial love and enthusiasm reignite! Revive the church and shoulder the mission."
The Christian Times, an online Christian newspaper in China, revealed that many mainland Chinese believers and church workers received posters or registration links through diverse channels. Some even planned to attend the conference after seeing words like "revival" and others. After online registration, they received phone calls instructing them to come, with the meeting lasting about five days and attendees covering their travel expenses while accommodations were centrally arranged.
At the same time, a scholar on cults and heresies noticed this activity, warning them not to fill out the registration forms they send. Although it seemed ordinary, this group usually uses such special events to attract people and collect personal information, such as ID cards, Hong Kong-Macau travel document numbers, and passport numbers. They then input this information into their system, making individuals unwittingly part of their organization. The scholar mentioned knowing a victim in the past who was fired from their job because the church collected their personal information.
The Christian Times revealed that hundreds of believers from different regions of mainland China attended the on-site event, and the live situation was later broadcast online. Speakers from varied regions, such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangzhou, and Heilongjiang, claiming to be house church pastors, came forward to share. However, they never mentioned their religious beliefs or confessions of faith throughout the event. There were online rumors before the Christian gathering that a church in Suzhou was behind it, but the pastors in Suzhou denied any involvement.
During the event, the organizers did not disclose their specific background or mention the name of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. They only promoted some spiritual courses scheduled to follow. However, those familiar with their situation mentioned that the Shincheonji Church typically does not reveal its stance or name upfront. They let people attend classes in phases, revealing their identity later, with significant confusion. The content of the on-site preaching raised explicit questions, especially during the sharing of the last speaker, who identified himself as Reverend Zhang. His theme was "Redemption of Resurrection, the Blood and Flesh of the Lamb," discussing prophecies from Revelation, the return of Jesus, and the new blood and flesh of Jesus, similar to the content spread on the website and videos of Shincheonji.
A Christian in Hong Kong, who preferred not to disclose their name, also mentioned that this activity was highly publicized locally. Some people went to the doors of churches, directly inviting pastors and preachers to participate. However, when pastors were repeatedly asked about their stance, denominational background, or statement of faith, they responded vaguely, only saying, "We are all one family in the Lord."
Several churches and Christian organizations in Hong Kong issued statements, saying that individuals associated with this cult had visited them. Pastors, unaware of the situation, took photos with these believers, and the photos were exploited to deceive people's trust. Therefore, they declared that the group hosting the joint gathering had no connection with them and that they had not participated in planning or supporting these activities, urging Christians to discern carefully.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
引起各界关注、声称由香港和内地多个教会教牧同工联合发起的“2024全球华人教牧新年联合特会”，1月14日在香港举行。
据新興宗教關注事工，该主办方疑似为新天地的韩国异端。特会活动的主题是“出死入生的救赎 羔羊的血和肉”，约300人出席，出席者大多为内地一般信徒，聚会在马湾的挪亚方舟内举行。
据悉，此前在网上的基督徒群体流通了一张邀请函，声称特会将在1月15日香港线上和实地同步举行，而且只允许教会的传道人和教牧同工报名参加。
邀请函上写着“让起初的爱心和热心再如火挑旺起来吧！复兴教会，肩负使命”的口号。
《基督时报》透露，不少大陆信徒和教牧同工也从不同渠道收到了海报或者报名链接，并看到复兴等字眼就计划报名前去。随后有的在网络报名后收到了电话联系，说给到个人信息后就可以过去，大约五天时间的聚会只要自付路费，食宿他们统一安排。
同时，也有研究异端邪教的学者关注到这一活动，提醒说，千万不要填写他们发来的报名表格等，看上去好像很平常，但他们通常会通过这样特会的方式吸引大家并收集大家的个人身份信息等，比如身份证、港澳通行证件号和护照号码等，然后将身份信息录入他们的系统，这样就在名义上成为了他们中的一员。此位学者以前就认识一位受害者，因为被新天地收集到了身份信息，而被工作单位开除。
据《基督时报》，内地有几百位不同地区的弟兄姐妹有去实地参加的，现场的实况随后在网络上进行了重播。现场讲员是有一些称自己是来自内地不同地区比如江苏、浙江、广州、黑龙江的几位自称家庭教会的牧师出来分享，但却全程不提自己的信仰立场和信仰告白。特会在举行前，网上流传说是苏州一教会举行的，而苏州的教牧则回应和他们无关。
当天的现场，主办方在全程也未提自己具体的背景，也未出现新天地的名号，只是推销一些随后要上的属灵课程。但据了解他们情况的人介绍说，新天地一般就是不先表明自己的立场，也不提新天地的名号，只是让人先一期期的上课，在后期才会说出来自己的身份，所以迷惑性很大。现场宣讲的内容中可以引起明确质疑只有比如最后一位自称张牧师的讲员的主题“出死入生的救赎 羔羊的血和肉”分享中讲到启示录和耶稣再来的预言，以及耶稣新的血和肉的内容，和新天地一些网页和视频中传播的内容非常类似。
一位不便透露姓名的香港的基督徒也介绍说，这个活动在香港当地也很高调，有人到一些教堂或教会门口敲门直接邀请教牧、传道人去参加，但当有牧者一次次地问他们的立场、宗派背景或信仰告白则都含糊应对，只是以“主内一家人”做回复。
香港多个教会和福音机构发声明说，之前有这个特会的人曾到访，牧者在不知情下与这些教徒合照，相片被利用转发骗取人信任，因此他们声明说，举办该联合特会的团体与他们没有任何关联，也没有参与策划参与及支持这些活动，并呼吁众信徒谨慎明辨。
新天地疑似在香港开特会吸引大陆信徒
Claimed to be initiated by the collaboration of churches and pastors from Hong Kong and mainland China, the "2024 New Year Joint Conference for Global Chinese Pastors" took place on January 14 in Hong Kong, causing widespread attention.
According to the Concern Group on Newly Emerged Religions, the organizer is suspected to be associated with the heretical Shincheonji Church of Jesus from South Korea. The theme of the Christian conference was "Redemption of Resurrection, the Blood and Flesh of the Lamb," with around 300 attendees, mostly mainland Chinese believers. The gathering was held inside Noah's Ark in Ma Wan.
It is reported that an invitation letter was circulated online among Christian groups that only pastors and church workers were qualified to attend online or on-site in Hong Kong on January 15. The invitation letter included the slogan, "Let the initial love and enthusiasm reignite! Revive the church and shoulder the mission."
The Christian Times, an online Christian newspaper in China, revealed that many mainland Chinese believers and church workers received posters or registration links through diverse channels. Some even planned to attend the conference after seeing words like "revival" and others. After online registration, they received phone calls instructing them to come, with the meeting lasting about five days and attendees covering their travel expenses while accommodations were centrally arranged.
At the same time, a scholar on cults and heresies noticed this activity, warning them not to fill out the registration forms they send. Although it seemed ordinary, this group usually uses such special events to attract people and collect personal information, such as ID cards, Hong Kong-Macau travel document numbers, and passport numbers. They then input this information into their system, making individuals unwittingly part of their organization. The scholar mentioned knowing a victim in the past who was fired from their job because the church collected their personal information.
The Christian Times revealed that hundreds of believers from different regions of mainland China attended the on-site event, and the live situation was later broadcast online. Speakers from varied regions, such as Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangzhou, and Heilongjiang, claiming to be house church pastors, came forward to share. However, they never mentioned their religious beliefs or confessions of faith throughout the event. There were online rumors before the Christian gathering that a church in Suzhou was behind it, but the pastors in Suzhou denied any involvement.
During the event, the organizers did not disclose their specific background or mention the name of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. They only promoted some spiritual courses scheduled to follow. However, those familiar with their situation mentioned that the Shincheonji Church typically does not reveal its stance or name upfront. They let people attend classes in phases, revealing their identity later, with significant confusion. The content of the on-site preaching raised explicit questions, especially during the sharing of the last speaker, who identified himself as Reverend Zhang. His theme was "Redemption of Resurrection, the Blood and Flesh of the Lamb," discussing prophecies from Revelation, the return of Jesus, and the new blood and flesh of Jesus, similar to the content spread on the website and videos of Shincheonji.
A Christian in Hong Kong, who preferred not to disclose their name, also mentioned that this activity was highly publicized locally. Some people went to the doors of churches, directly inviting pastors and preachers to participate. However, when pastors were repeatedly asked about their stance, denominational background, or statement of faith, they responded vaguely, only saying, "We are all one family in the Lord."
Several churches and Christian organizations in Hong Kong issued statements, saying that individuals associated with this cult had visited them. Pastors, unaware of the situation, took photos with these believers, and the photos were exploited to deceive people's trust. Therefore, they declared that the group hosting the joint gathering had no connection with them and that they had not participated in planning or supporting these activities, urging Christians to discern carefully.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Korean Cult 'Shincheonji' Suspected to Host Christian Conference in Hong Kong to Attract Mainland Believers
