The Tide®

Many believers around the world find hope and wisdom in the Gospel radio programs broadcast by The Tide®. But beyond those who already put their faith and trust in Jesus, the programming also reaches those who may be far from Christ or not yet introduced to His love and grace. “The Tide ministry has been honored to share the Gospel in Albania for the past five years, first over radio airwaves in partnership with Radio 7, then through media players, live streaming and, most recently, through a television program geared toward young people,” said Don Shenk. “We hear from many Christians who are touched by the content of the programs, especially in a country where Islam and atheism are present. So it is amazing when we hear from unbelievers that they have been uplifted or are now putting their faith in Christ after listening to a Tide partner pastor on the radio.” One of these listeners is Skerdi, whose testimony also shows the far-reaching impact of The Tide programming. “I have be...

The COVID-19 global pandemic has forced people into isolation worldwide, including in Albania, where we have shared the Gospel over the airwaves since 2015. “But when we open our hearts to the Gospel, we are never alone,” said Director Don Shenk. “Christ is always with us, to the end of time, and all of us at The Tide ministry are praying for every listener in every corner of the world who is going through difficulty—whether sickness, the death of a loved one, the loss of a job or feelings of isolation, worry or fear.” Like in many other countries, schools and churches in Albania remain closed, activities have been cancelled, any many families are experiencing unprecedented challenges. Amid all this, however, many are finding hope through a program called “Sipas Fjales”—meaning “According to the Word”—which airs through The Tide ministry throughout parts of Albania and Kosovo—and beyond due to online efforts and media downloads. Aleksander from Shkoder in Albania reports that he is ...

In 2015, The Tide ministry entered in local partnership with Radio 7 Albania and some local pastors to produce and air Christian radio programs in the Albanian language. These programs, titled ‘Sipas Fjales’ (According to the Word), are being used as church planting tools as pastors make disciples of listeners who respond to the Gospel. The Gospel is clearly being preached and listeners are eagerly responding. During January, February, and March this year our radio pastors in Albania received 412 phone calls, 323 text messages, and 621 WhatsApp contacts from listeners. Additionally, 285 listeners responded through email, and between our two Albanian radio pastors they were able to meet individually with 96 listeners. The effective outreach and discipleship that The Tide ministry has experienced using radio has prompted us to press on in Albania using television to reach a younger audience. Pastor Klodi often meets with listeners at the coffee shop operated by his congregatio...

A sampling of letters from those whose hearts have been touched by The Tide radio programs. (Full names and locations are not include to protect identity) ALBANIA Every day when I go to work I listen to Radio 7 Nord. I listen many programs but today I would like to share something about the program Sipas Fjales. It is in 13.30 Tuesday and Thursday. This is a perfect time for me, because we have the lunch break. I prefer during lunch break to have my radio on on my phone and listen to the program. My friends that work with me, got curious what I was listening and they asked me. So I was so happy to share with them what I was listening pastor Klodi share on the program. The program is a great help to open up discussions and share about my Christian faith.  I gave my life to Jesus 5 years ago. My faith journey was not easy because my parents were against my decision and it is a daily battle for me. Many times I can’t go to church, though my heart aches for fellowship with other beli...

When a congregation from a church in Gjakova, Kosovo, traveled to a town square to worship God and pray, they had no idea who might join them. But when a group of interested teenagers flocked to the church group, doors were opened for young lives to be changed by Christ. The Tide ® has been working with local churches in Kosovo for more than two years, including with a pastor who broadcasts Gospel radio programming and leads a church near the city of Klina. “This church planned an outreach event in Klina recently and were heading to the main square to worship and share the Gospel with whoever approached, but what happened next exceeded everyone’s expectations,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “Just as they finished sharing the vision for Klina, they started to pray and worship, and many young people from the nearby school jumped in, wondering what was going on and drawn in by the music and prayers.” Shenk added that the group prayed with the teens, told them about God and opene...

Although Albania remains one of the poorest nations in Europe, the country threw off the shackles of communism in 1990 to embrace democracy, joined NATO in 2009 and is now a candidate for membership in the European Union, according to Christian Today .  The Tide ® has been producing and airing Christian programming in the Albanian language for several years, and has witnessed firsthand the change taking shape among Albania’s growing body of believers. Despite progress, Albania’s economy has remained stagnant in some areas, Christian Today further reported. Donkeys and carts are still common sights in rural areas, and 40 percent of Albania’s 3 million inhabitants are still employed in agriculture. Many people, especially the young, are choosing to start over in locations like Italy and Greece. “Albania seems to be on the cusp of great change, and many feel the time for evangelism is ripe and a significant window is now open to share the Gospel,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. ...

More than three years ago, The Tide ® began partnering with Radio 7 in Albania to produce and air Christian radio programs in the Albanian language. Radio 7 recently celebrated its 15th anniversary of reaching the people of Albania for Christ, partly through The Tide ministry’s program called “Sipas Fjales” or “According to the Word.” “Our partnership with Radio 7 since January 2015 has been wonderful,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “It is an honor to reach Albanian listeners with the Good News of Jesus through Radio 7, and we congratulate them for 15 years of service to the King—and pray for many more decades of reaching people for Christ.” Radio 7 reported that this verse from Psalm 126:3 is a reflection of the past 15 years in ministry: “The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Radio 7 began with a desire to follow the Great Commission to preach the Good News wherever Albanians live. Over the years, projects and outreach efforts have included...

Our missions team recently returned from Albania, where representatives conducted a Leader-to-Leader training seminar for pastors from across Albania and Kosovo. Traveling to Albania as part of the group was Director Don Shenk, who noted that Albania was once an atheist state and is now predominantly Muslim, but since 1998 Albania has legally allowed total religious freedom. Despite many mission organizations entering Albania, however, it is still estimated that less than 1 percent of the population are evangelical Christians. “The purpose of our visit to Albania was to encourage and resource pastors who are engaged in leading young congregations and planting new churches,” Shenk said. “Since 2015, The Tide ministry has been working with some of these pastors to effectively share the Gospel with Albanians in their own language in a culturally relevant context. After this wonderful time of training and outreach, we can now further encourage them to follow the leading of...

The annual World Watch List from Open Doors USA highlights Christian persecution around the world and encourages prayer and support for the believers living in the 50 countries where persecution is most prevalent. T he Tide ®  broadcasts Gospel programming in four of the nations on this list: India (No. 11), Nigeria (No. 14), Nepal (No. 25) and Bhutan (No. 33). Director Don Shenk said the ministry has been honored—for more than seven decades—to share the love, hope and peace of Christ with new and potential believers who are at risk every day for following Jesus. “The rankings on the 2018 World Watch List do not bode well for our partners on the ground in those countries,” Shenk said. “It is very disturbing to see India continue its trend of climbing higher on the list, and to see Nepal ranked at 25 this year after not even being on the list of 50 last year. And although not on the list, there are some indications that the situation in Albania is moving away from total religious...

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...

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 ...

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...

Christmas is right around the corner, and as Christians everywhere celebrate Jesus’ birth—the true reason for the season— The Tide ®   is blessed to share about His life with radio listeners around the world. “We are grateful that God allows us to reach millions of potential listeners in eight countries through 25 languages, as we tell them why Jesus came to Earth as a babe in a manger—to ultimately die for their sins and give the gift of eternal life,” said Don Shenk. “Regardless of the persecution some of these listeners face, they can hold onto the true joy found in Christ this Christmas.” For example, Ilirjana from Switzerland listens to the Albanian Radio 7 broadcast, which is also available online to listeners in other countries. The mother of three reported to The Tide ministry that her husband is not a believer and she has little opportunity to meet other Christians. But, she says, “I am so thankful for the online programs that you are broadcasting. I listen to Pastor J ...

What kind of help can people get from a few simple words? If those words are in the language they were born to speak and straight from the Bible, a handful of words can make a world of difference. The Tide ®  counts on this truth when broadcasting global Gospel radio programs around the world—in seven countries on three continents in 24 languages. “One of our heartfelt goals at The Tide ministry is to speak truth into people’s lives over radio airwaves,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “Everyone has challenges to deal with, no matter what country we’re living in. A radio listener from Kosovo recently shared the profound impact that our radio program has made in his life, and we are so thankful for these lives and the way the Lord has allowed us to impact them through His Word.” The Tide ministry’s Radio 7 broadcasts in Kosovo have brought nearly 12,500 people closer to the Gospel message. A listener named Kujtim recently expressed that even though he isn’t very religio...

The Tide   has heard touching stories of what it’s like for Christians to live in a Muslim-majority country. After listening to The Tide Gospel radio programming, one listener in Albania shared her powerful testimony. Director Don Shenk reports that Ida, a university professor, recently told the ministry that she regularly listens to a Tide radio program and talks about Christianity with her students. “I listen to Radio 7 all the time, and the broadcast has literally changed my life,” Ida shared. “I’m a university professor, and I believe God has placed me in the midst of students to make a difference for God’s Kingdom. I often share my faith with my students and encourage them to search for God and know Him.” Ida’s brave decision to share her testimony with her students can actually be a dangerous one. According to a recent Associated Press article, Albania has heightened its security efforts due to terror threats and attacks in Europe. Police have increased their presence a...

A sampling of letters from those whose hearts have been touched by The Tide radio programs. Full names and location are not included to protect identity. Albania I love listening to Pastor Hervin. I learned a lot from the Bible because of his radio show. His passion for the Word of God is contagious. I’m so happy now we can download the programs from the website. I share them with my colleagues at work. They are not believers but they always have those moments when they need God and are more open to hear. Pastor Hervin’s programs help me to share my faith with them and other family members. –  Marsela I listen to Radio 7 all the time, and the broadcast has literally changed my life. I’m a university professor, and I believe God has placed me in the midst of students to make a difference for God’s Kingdom. I often share my faith with my students and encourage them to search for God and know Him. Pastor Hervin’s program is a unique program to help us all know God. He is a great te...