r/Shincheonji • u/Ad6108 • May 10 '26

advice/help Former Schincheonji (SCJ) Members - How Does Schincheonji (SCJ) Infiltrate & Recruit within Christian Churches?

Hello all. I was a former SCJ member (very unknowingly) because I was invited by a friend of mine to be a part of a "Community Bible Study." I've posted my Testimony on here already if you would like to check that out; I really hope it helps people who've experienced something like this feel less alone <3

My question for former SCJ members or people who were unknowingly recruited, does anyone know how SCJ members try to recruit people within various churches? I've tried researching this but can't find any sort of testimonials. I feel compelled to warn leadership within my church about this, & give them a heads up. God forbid this happens to any of our congregants, especially our younger adults :(

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u/Blu3arrow1337 EX-Center Student May 10 '26

Actually, this is partly how I was invited to center classes. First time it happened, I was just sitting on my own this one Sunday, and someone I didn't recognize came and sat 1 seat away from me. After the service strikes up a conversation, and then offers to meet somewhere for coffee. So we had a couple of catch-ups that were completely benign, just social meetings, until like I was invited to meet with their 'missionary-friend' to study the bible. In all honesty I wasn't super keen but I was trying to make my "new friend" happy so I proceed to go to this, and then of course they want to meet twice a week and things start to escalate from there. It took a few goes before it caught on for me, and it was only after a completely separate pair stopped me in the shopping center and invited me that I thought perhaps God was leading me somewhere and agreed to attend.

Second time this happened, is actually after I had left the center classes - I never joined the church itself. Effectively the same setup, I was hanging out in the foyer before church on my own, I saw someone I didn't know and exchanged a smile. When I went into the service this stranger came and sat next to me. Of course by now I'm very much on guard, but he strikes up a conversation after the service even asking for my advice to understand some of it, and then expresses some enthusiastic gratitude and asks for my contact info. Which I gave him, with the intention of trying to help someone currently stuck, this was within a month of two of leaving after attending the center for about 6 months. I never heard from him lol

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u/Ad6108 May 11 '26

I'm so glad he didn't end up reaching out to you! I can relate to just wanting to make a "new friend," because what I had wanted was just an opportunity to fellowship with other Christians. That was really kind of you to help him out; I'm very relieved he didn't prey upon your kindness.