"Are you a Christian?" After a Sunday service at a seminary, a girl with a shy smile greeted me. The girl, named Xiaoli, shared her life experience and faith journey. She mentioned that, with a teenage son and a faith from birth, she regularly attended services at the seminary and had completed systematic theology courses. After the COVID-19 pandemic, she became eager to understand the Bible, particularly the Book of Revelation. For some time, she listened to the teachings of many renowned pastors.
"Listening to their teachings gives me a lot of strength, like a shot of adrenaline," Xiaoli said. "But usually, the sermons are fragmented, so I want to learn systematically." She said that she met a seminary student during previous services and told her about a one-year systematic Bible course in addition to the seminary's regular full-time courses. The course is divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. There are no educational requirements and no need for recommendations from the church in one's hometown, so every believer has the opportunity to study theology systematically.
I consulted with a seminary teacher afterward, who said the school did not offer any so-called theology courses at three levels. Combined with reports from other believers and my experiences, I confirmed that Xiaoli was a member of the Korean Shinchonji Cult.
Based on this experience and observations from my past visits, I believe the church should take the following seven approaches to improve resistance to heresies:
Pastors need to recognize the heresy to protect God's flock.
Pastors must be aware that heretical cults are not regional or confined to specific locations. Cults like Shinchonji, the Bloody Holy Spirit, and the Eastern Lightning are infiltrating churches and capturing the flock actively and systemically. Shinchonji has announced a nationwide preaching strategy. In the southeast, they distribute flyers outside churches and engage believers one-on-one; in the northwest, they target members of CC&TSPMs; in the northeast, they exploit brainwashed pastors to take over entire churches; and in the southwest, they distribute publications to believers' homes. They divide tasks among individuals who are responsible for some areas, set daily preaching targets, and evaluate results with rewards and penalties.
Promote awareness of heretical characteristics and disclose heretical elements with strong measures
The reason I recognize that Xiaoli might be a cult member is that Shinchonji features three levels of courses: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. A church in Guangdong held a series of lectures on resisting heretical doctrines, and a church in Hunan collaborated with universities to educate both believers and non-believers about the characteristics of cults. Some churches established befriend ministry to answer believers’ questions about heresy. Additionally, two churches in Ningbo collected the WeChat contacts of Shinchonji members and published articles and image collections, exposing these heretical elements in church groups, WeChat public accounts, and websites.
Teach believers the correct perspective on the church and pastors.
To lure people away, heresies criticize churches for lacking truth or compassion. Some believers turn to heresies when they become disappointed with their churches, which have shortcomings. Churches should teach believers that the church is a community of sinners and that there are no perfect churches or saint-like shepherds. Churches should remind believers to unite with the church and shepherds when they discover problems by praying, communicating, and solving issues instead of blaming and distancing themselves.
Pay attention to isolated believers.
Xiaoli approached me when I was alone at that time. Those who have not yet formed relationships with other believers or been committed to the church can be their targets. For newcomers to the church, follow-up care is necessary, and a complementary nurturing system and group life can be even more effective. For mobile believers, many churches start to accept them with pastoral care, and for those leaving, churches in their new location are recommended.
Meet believers' needs in sound doctrine.
Dr. Luo from the Institute of Religious Studies, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, noted that many believers, especially young people, leave their church and join heresies due to the lack of systematic biblical teaching. Churches should provide systematic training and correct biblical knowledge for believers at different stages of spiritual life. Additionally, churches can give attention to believers’ overall well-being and provide what they need, such as teachings on mental health, parent-child relationships, and marital relationships. During my visits, I found that many churches had already established progressive discipleship training systems.
Do not avoid teaching the Book of Revelation.
Heresies like Shinchonji claim to be able to interpret Revelation, based on which they establish eschatology and create a sense of urgency about the end times to pressure believers to join the "One True Church" to be saved. Churches should accept the challenge and not shy away from Revelation, offering correct interpretations of the book for believers.
Beware of cults’ online preaching and utilize the digital space.
According to reports, Shinchonji preaches on diverse social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, Douyin (TikTok), Sina Weibo, WeChat, games, and dating apps. They also adopt forms such as biblical art, psychological tests, surveys, community lectures, and Bible studies.
The head of a church council in a town in southeast China mentioned in a report at the believers' conference that the church needs to learn and master online and AI technology. He stated that in the information age, the external environment has shifted from two-dimensional to three-dimensional. The task that God has given to the church in this era is to change the virtual environment, or online environment. The church needs to learn how to gather resources for believers; if it cannot become a provider of high-quality online resources, it can at least filter the information and facilitate the information transmission.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
“姐妹，你也是基督徒吗？”上午十点，某地神学院主日礼拜散堂后，一个女孩儿带着腼腆的笑容跟我打招呼。
这个叫晓丽的女孩告诉了我她的生活和信仰经历。她说有一个十几岁的儿子，母胎信仰，固定在神学院礼拜，读过系统的神学课程。新冠疫情后，她开始迫切想理解圣经的意思，特别是启示录。一段时间内，她听了许多“名牧”解经。
“听他们的道可以给我很多力量，跟打鸡血似的。”晓丽说，“但平时听道总是一段一段的，我想学系统的。”
她说之前礼拜时认识的一个神学生告诉她，现在神学院除了普通的全日制课程外，还额外开办一年期限的系统圣经班。分为初级、中级、高级，没有学历要求。不需要户籍地教会的推荐，每个信徒都有机会系统读神学。
我之后跟神学院老师咨询，学校根本没有开设所谓“初级、中级、高级”的神学课程。结合平时收到的其他信徒的报告可以确认，晓丽是异端新天地成员。
结合这次经历和以往走访的所见所闻，笔者认为教会可以从以下七个方面入手，提高抵御异端的能力。
牧者要认识到异端侵扰的危害性,为上帝保守群羊
牧者要意识到，异端邪教不再是一地一堂的“特产”。新天地、血水圣灵、东方闪电等异端邪教正有组织、有计划地侵扰教会，掳掠羊群。新天地曾发布全国传教战略：在东南，他们在教堂外发传单，一对一结交信徒；在西北转化基督教两会人员；在东北利用被洗脑的牧者接收整个教会；在西南到信徒家中发书刊……他们分地域、片区，分任务到人；每天有传教指标，结果评比，赏优罚劣。
普及异端特征，以雷霆手段披露异端分子
笔者之所以能意识到晓丽有问题，得益于此前曾了解过新天地的特征。其中最为典型的便是它分为“初级、中级、高级”的圣经培训班。
为提高信徒分辨力，广东某教会举行系列抵御异端邪说专题讲座；湖南某教会与高校合作，向信徒和非信徒普及邪教特征；也有教会建立异端陪谈组。
此外，宁波两所教会通过小组，搜集所有已经确定的新天地成员微信，以文章和图集的方式发布到教会群组、微信公众号、网站等，全方位披露异端分子。
教导信徒正确地看待教会和牧者
新天地等异端拉拢人的其中一个手段是抨击其他教会，论其缺乏真理，或缺乏爱心。一些信徒会因本教会的不足心生失望，转投异端。教会要教导信徒正确的教会观：教会是罪人的集合体，不存在完美的教会，也不会有完美如圣人一般的牧者。教会要提醒信徒发现问题时首先要与教会和牧者联合，祷告、表达、沟通，解决问题而非自以为义、指责远离。
关注零散信徒
晓丽找上笔者的其中一个原因在于笔者当时“落单”。一些还未与教会信徒有人际来往、对教会还没有委身感的人容易成为“零散信徒”。
对于刚到教会的新人，教会要跟进关怀，最好能跟进配套的培育系统和小组生活。对于流动信徒，很多教会已经做到接收牧养；对于流出人员，可为其推荐流入地教会。
在真道上满足信徒所需
上海社科院宗教研究所的罗博士在研究新天地等邪教传教特征时提到，许多信徒特别是年轻人加入异端的主要原因之一在于无法得到系统的圣经教导。
教会要针对不同生命层次的信徒、义工提供系统的培训，教导正确的圣经知识。此外，还要关注全人健康，并且为信徒提供所需要的，比如心理健康、亲子关系、夫妻关系等教导。笔者走访中遇见许多教会已经建立层层递进的门徒培训系统，
不要回避启示录
新天地等异端的另一个特征：号称能正确解释启示录，以此为基础建立末世论，渲染末世的紧迫性，威胁信徒加入“唯一真教会”得救。教会应接受挑战，不要避讳启示录，要为信徒提供正确的解读。
警惕“群魔乱舞”的网络传教，积极使用网络空间
据各种报道，新天地传教包罗各种社交媒体：小红书、抖音、微博、微信、游戏、婚介交友；形式包括圣经美图、心理测试、问卷调查、社群讲座、圣经学习。
东南一城镇教会的堂委主任在信徒代表大会的报告上曾提，教会要学习、掌握网络、AI技术。他说道，信息化时代将外部环境从平面二维转向立体三维，如何正面影响空中环境即网络环境也是神在现今时代给予教会的任务。教会要学会为信徒搜集资源，如果成为不了优质网络资源的提供者，那至少可以作为筛选者和信息传递的桥梁。
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系江苏一名基督徒。
防范新天地传教的七点建议
"Are you a Christian?" After a Sunday service at a seminary, a girl with a shy smile greeted me. The girl, named Xiaoli, shared her life experience and faith journey. She mentioned that, with a teenage son and a faith from birth, she regularly attended services at the seminary and had completed systematic theology courses. After the COVID-19 pandemic, she became eager to understand the Bible, particularly the Book of Revelation. For some time, she listened to the teachings of many renowned pastors.
"Listening to their teachings gives me a lot of strength, like a shot of adrenaline," Xiaoli said. "But usually, the sermons are fragmented, so I want to learn systematically." She said that she met a seminary student during previous services and told her about a one-year systematic Bible course in addition to the seminary's regular full-time courses. The course is divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. There are no educational requirements and no need for recommendations from the church in one's hometown, so every believer has the opportunity to study theology systematically.
I consulted with a seminary teacher afterward, who said the school did not offer any so-called theology courses at three levels. Combined with reports from other believers and my experiences, I confirmed that Xiaoli was a member of the Korean Shinchonji Cult.
Based on this experience and observations from my past visits, I believe the church should take the following seven approaches to improve resistance to heresies:
Pastors need to recognize the heresy to protect God's flock.
Pastors must be aware that heretical cults are not regional or confined to specific locations. Cults like Shinchonji, the Bloody Holy Spirit, and the Eastern Lightning are infiltrating churches and capturing the flock actively and systemically. Shinchonji has announced a nationwide preaching strategy. In the southeast, they distribute flyers outside churches and engage believers one-on-one; in the northwest, they target members of CC&TSPMs; in the northeast, they exploit brainwashed pastors to take over entire churches; and in the southwest, they distribute publications to believers' homes. They divide tasks among individuals who are responsible for some areas, set daily preaching targets, and evaluate results with rewards and penalties.
Promote awareness of heretical characteristics and disclose heretical elements with strong measures
The reason I recognize that Xiaoli might be a cult member is that Shinchonji features three levels of courses: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. A church in Guangdong held a series of lectures on resisting heretical doctrines, and a church in Hunan collaborated with universities to educate both believers and non-believers about the characteristics of cults. Some churches established befriend ministry to answer believers’ questions about heresy. Additionally, two churches in Ningbo collected the WeChat contacts of Shinchonji members and published articles and image collections, exposing these heretical elements in church groups, WeChat public accounts, and websites.
Teach believers the correct perspective on the church and pastors.
To lure people away, heresies criticize churches for lacking truth or compassion. Some believers turn to heresies when they become disappointed with their churches, which have shortcomings. Churches should teach believers that the church is a community of sinners and that there are no perfect churches or saint-like shepherds. Churches should remind believers to unite with the church and shepherds when they discover problems by praying, communicating, and solving issues instead of blaming and distancing themselves.
Pay attention to isolated believers.
Xiaoli approached me when I was alone at that time. Those who have not yet formed relationships with other believers or been committed to the church can be their targets. For newcomers to the church, follow-up care is necessary, and a complementary nurturing system and group life can be even more effective. For mobile believers, many churches start to accept them with pastoral care, and for those leaving, churches in their new location are recommended.
Meet believers' needs in sound doctrine.
Dr. Luo from the Institute of Religious Studies, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, noted that many believers, especially young people, leave their church and join heresies due to the lack of systematic biblical teaching. Churches should provide systematic training and correct biblical knowledge for believers at different stages of spiritual life. Additionally, churches can give attention to believers’ overall well-being and provide what they need, such as teachings on mental health, parent-child relationships, and marital relationships. During my visits, I found that many churches had already established progressive discipleship training systems.
Do not avoid teaching the Book of Revelation.
Heresies like Shinchonji claim to be able to interpret Revelation, based on which they establish eschatology and create a sense of urgency about the end times to pressure believers to join the "One True Church" to be saved. Churches should accept the challenge and not shy away from Revelation, offering correct interpretations of the book for believers.
Beware of cults’ online preaching and utilize the digital space.
According to reports, Shinchonji preaches on diverse social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, Douyin (TikTok), Sina Weibo, WeChat, games, and dating apps. They also adopt forms such as biblical art, psychological tests, surveys, community lectures, and Bible studies.
The head of a church council in a town in southeast China mentioned in a report at the believers' conference that the church needs to learn and master online and AI technology. He stated that in the information age, the external environment has shifted from two-dimensional to three-dimensional. The task that God has given to the church in this era is to change the virtual environment, or online environment. The church needs to learn how to gather resources for believers; if it cannot become a provider of high-quality online resources, it can at least filter the information and facilitate the information transmission.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
7 Tips for Protecting Believers From Shinchonji Cult
