The Tide®

Christian Serbs who wanted to take a trip for Orthodox Christmas earlier this month to a church in Kosovo cancelled their plans after local Kosovo Albanians said they would stage a protest. According to a news outlet that reports on justice issues, the potential threats ahead of the church visit will not deter the Christians from their beliefs, “dignity, human and religious rights.” T he Tide ® has been broadcasting Gospel radio programming in Kosovo for the past three years, and this latest headline is evidence that Christian opposition still exists in these regions, even though the doors of religious freedom have been opened somewhat. Director Don Shenk said that even though their lives can be difficult, many new believers glean hope from The Tide programs. “We are blessed to hear from listeners in Kosovo whose lives are being changed by the hope of Christ through radio programming,” Shenk said. “Our hearts break when we hear from listeners in Kosovo who are experiencing difficu...

Reading: Philippians 1:12-20 Have you ever felt like you were putting all your effort into something, only to see you weren’t actually getting anywhere with it? Paul could have easily seen his situation like that in this passage. He was in prison. But Paul looked past his circumstances to see what God was doing. Everyone that worked in the prison new why Paul was there: he loved Jesus and was telling people how to be saved. Just by sitting in that prison he was showing them an example of Christ like living. On top of that, people who knew he was in prison stepped up to tell others about the gospel! Paul could have easily seen his imprisonment as a roadblock, or a setback. But he saw God’s hand moving despite what was going on. Even some people were preaching to spite Paul. But he didn’t care, because God’s word was getting taught. What can we learn from this? Sometimes life will throw a prison situation your way. You’ll feel like everything is going fine, like you’re doing...

The Tide® Annual Golf Benefit provides a great way to make a global impact for Christ while also participating in a pleasurable hobby. This year our golf outing will take place on June 21 . This will be the 39th consecutive year for The Tide international radio ministry to host this event at the Penn National Golf Club in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. Over the years, The Tide Annual Golf Benefit has earned the reputation as a great event that is popular among golfers of all ages and skill levels. A few hours of golf for you can help provide eternal hope for others! This benefit will be a scramble and will kickoff with a shotgun start at 8:00 AM on the Founder’s course. The cost per golfer is $85 if registered before May 30 or $90 if registered after. The cost covers the green fess for 18 holes of gold and a golf cart. Complimentary refreshments will be available at various locations around the course and a free picnic lunch will also be provided. Please note: this opportunity is only ...

Three years ago this month, we began sharing the Good News of Christ with listeners in Albania and neighboring Kosovo. “Imagine living in an environment where steps had been taken to attempt to remove any sense of spirituality from the culture,” said Director Don Shenk. “A place where church buildings, temples, mosques or any other type of religious structure was either destroyed or renovated for other use. For almost 30 years, Albania was such a place. Under the communist regime, the authorities in Albania went so far as to remove the word ‘God’ from their dictionaries. But this all changed during the 1990s, and today Albania is open to missionaries and allows total religious freedom.” However, Shenk added, less than 1 percent of the entire population of Albania embraces evangelical Christianity. The Tide broadcasts through the ministry partner Radio 7 are making inroads with potential and new believers in this predominantly Muslim nation. In January 2015, we  began producing ...

I have often had people ask me, “is it wrong to ask God for ___?” I sometimes ask myself the same question. These verses tell us the answer. God came to Earth to be a man in the form of Jesus. Jesus had temptations everyday, for everything that we have been tempted in. He was tempted to lust, or to envy, or to lie. He was tempted to let His circumstances defeat Him. He was tempted by Satan himself in the desert (Matt. 4). There is not a single temptation that we face that Jesus hasn’t also been tempted in. The difference is that He chose to not sin and not give in to that temptation. What most people gloss over is that Jesus also had free will, being fully God and fully man. He always had a choice. But He relied on the strength of His father, just as God calls us to do. Now, to clarify, this doesn’t meant that we can only ask God for help when we are tempted. It simply means that Jesus understands the things we go through better than anyone else. Jesus literally walked through them b...

This year, The Tide annual spring promotional events in Canada will consist of Gospel music concerts featuring The Stiff Family from Wellesley, Ontario. The Stiff Family is a family of six who seek to glorify God in their music and in all their endeavors. They’ve been singing and playing together as a family since the fall of 2013. In the Bluegrass tradition they play acoustic stringed instruments that include banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and upright bass. There is no admission charge for the concerts, but a free will offering will be received to benefit the Gospel Tide radio ministry. The program for the evening will include a brief presentation by The Tide Director, Don Shenk, who will bring updates from around the globe to illustrate how God is using your support to touch lives and build His Kingdom in the hearts of people who are finding new life in Christ through The Tide radio programs in 25 languages. You are cordially invited to join us, and encouraged to bring al...

About three years ago, we began broadcasting gospel programming in Kosovo, reaching people who have experienced turmoil and desperately need the hope of Christ. Thus far, says Director Don Shenk, the fruits of those labors are being realized. “The Tide ministry’s presence is Kosovo is relatively new,” Shenk said, “and we are so thankful for God’s provision in finding and securing radio partnerships there so the people of Kosovo and neighboring Albania can hear the message of Christ and His saving grace.” Alma, a listener in Kosovo, reported that she lives in a remote village and the closest church is in the city: “It is difficult for me to go to church for a Sunday service or meet with other believers,” Alma said. “I’m so happy that I can listen to Pastor G preach on the radio. That’s my only church service, through the radio. I listen to the radio with my mother and my friend—most of the time in secret from other people around us. Thank you for helping us walk in the light. Ou...

It’s early in the year, so New Year Resolutions may still be fresh in your mind. Did you make any New Year resolutions? What were they? A high percentage of New Year resolutions are centered on self-improvement, with some of the most common being things associated with living a healthier lifestyle, such as eating wholesome food, getting more exercise, or losing weight.  All of these reflect the principle that we are primarily a product of what we take in and what we do.  This principle is not only true in respect to our physical bodies, but can also be applied to all aspects of our identity including our spirituality, and our mental and emotional being. When writing to the believers at Corinth Paul taught that God treats us as a temple where His Holy Spirit lives. With that being the case it is important for us to be very aware of, and selective in, what we use to build and maintain that temple. This goes beyond diet and exercise, to include what we take in through reading, ...

It’s commonplace for modern-day Americans to see people walking down busy city streets, earbuds plugged in, perhaps taking them to another place through music, a podcast or a news broadcast. This is the case in big cities around the world, too. In fact, some of the content through those earbuds may be from The Tide ®. For example, Enea who lives in Tirana, the capital and most populous city of Albania, reported that she has been listening to Radio 7, The Tide ministry’s partner broadcast in Albania, since she was a child. “I grew up spiritually because of the radio, and it is like a close friend to me,” Enea said. “I want to   thank you specifically for the program ‘Sipas Fjales.’ I listen carefully to Pastor H, and my understanding of the Word of God has increased. I learned a lot on his program on humility. Sometimes as Christians we have the wrong understanding of humility. I’m thankful to Pastor H who helped me to know the real humbleness of the heart as the Scripture teache...

Psalm 88:1-2 Lord, you are the God who saves me;  day and night I cry out to you.  May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. In the fall of 2011 I reached what felt like rock bottom.  I was having difficulty completing work for my clients and I wasn’t doing well physically or emotionally.  It was a very dark time in my life.  The way of life that I understood to be “Christian” was exhausting and I wasn’t sure it wasn’t worth it.  By that point, my relationship with God had become more of a show or mask.  I remember telling my parents, “If this is what God is like, I don’t think I want Him any more.” A close friend pointed me to Psalm 88 and read through it with me.  You know how most Psalms have at least some joy in them?  This one doesn’t have much.  But as my friend pointed out, that’s ok.  Life isn’t always sugarplums and roses.  The author of this Psalm is pouring their heart out to God even though they d...

Many people make New Year’s resolutions, vowing to perhaps get healthier, be kinder or stop a bad habit. But keeping those resolutions is much tougher. According to U.S. News & World Report, about 80 percent of those who make resolutions give them up by February. For those who make a resolution to impact God’s Kingdom in 2018, T he Tide ®  has a suggestion. “In 2017, The Tide unveiled the new initiative called ‘Every Knee, Every Tongue,’ in which believers can make a big impact with just a small effort on their part,” said Don Shenk. “We’ve discovered that just one dollar can reach 20 people in villages, towns and cities worldwide with the Good News of the gospel. People are amazed when they learn how easy—and affordable—it can be to reach hundreds or perhaps even thousands with a relatively small monetary gift. Imagine the impact we can make worldwide in 2018 as we share more about the saving grace and unmatched love of Jesus!” “Every Knee, Every Tongue” allows people to h...