The Tide®

On April 4, 2019, a group of 30 gathered with The Tide Ministry at the Chambersburg Brethren in Christ Church to cut a ribbon in celebration of a new recording studio built for The Tide ministry partners in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. In 1983 The Tide began working with a church group in Zimbabwe to produce and air a Ndebele language radio program called “Amagugu Evangeli” which means “Precious Gospel” in English. Since then, the ministry has also assisted in the production of Christian radio programs in the English and Shona languages, and has a vision to share the gospel in more languages throughout the southern Africa region. The completion of this new, larger, modernized facility sets the stage for expanded outreach while also opening the door for income generating recording and production services to help offset the cost of making the Gospel freely accessible to people in their own language. A mission team will travel to Zimbabwe in August to dedicate the new studio in person and wil...

The Tide ®  Ministry Making Strides in Adult Literacy for Radio Listeners in India We’ve been reaching radio listeners with the hope of Christ over the airways for more than seven decades. But now, a new initiative is helping listeners in India with literacy as well.  The Tide  partners on the ground in Odisha state report that the Adult Literacy Project (ALP), led by 15 different teachers in 15 different villages,has impacted 418 students in the first three months of 2019 alone. Likewise, another five teachers in five additional villages in Chhattisgarh state have reached 128 students. “When our radio partners and local pastors in India step away from the microphone in the studio, their work is not finished,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “After listeners hear Gospel programs in the languages they were born to speak, they write to our staff and volunteers to report how their lives have been changed by Christ. Furthermore, they want additional ways to learn more abo...

It may be difficult for Americans to imagine having no access to the media channels that play such a huge role in our culture. But this is exactly the case for many living and working in remote villages in India, where  The Tide ®  has reached listeners with the hope of the Gospel for more than 40 years. “Most of us are familiar with the phrase in the Bible that is used  several times throughout the Gospels : ‘He who has ears, let him hear,’” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “In India, there are those who truly want to hear the truth of Jesus and learn more about His saving grace, but simply don’t have the opportunity or the means. When a person hears about Christ in the language they were born to speak, it holds so much more meaning. That’s why for more than seven decades, we have strived to record programming in more and more languages around the world, including eight languages in India. But the lack of a radio or media player could be the barrier between a...

Matthew 14:22-33 Life was good! Relationships and ministry opportunities were expanding; they were exciting and fulfilling my hopes and dreams. Unexpectedly, everything changed in a moment which was only the beginning of a new journey, actually a storm! The diagnosis of cancer, followed by brain surgery, left me with the hope of 50 weeks to live. Then the radiation treatments began. First was an intense stereotactic radiation treatment; then six weeks, five days each week of conventional radiation treatments. My hair fell out; my ears and side of my head were bright red as my skin began to burn from the radiation as the treatments continued. Then the chemo treatments began. I was put on a 30-day rotation of chemo meds. Sometimes I was so violently sick that I was gasping for breath as I was vomiting convulsively. I told the doctor that I couldn’t continue and that the chemo was killing me. My life seemed like a storm with waves so high that...

Last month, village leaders in Penkodo, located in India’s Chhattisgarh state, passed a new resolution that specifically condemned Christianity under the guise of protecting local customs and culture. When local Christians were not participating in traditional Adivasi festivals, village leaders became angry and asked these believers to stop practicing their faith—but the Christians refused. In response, Persecution.org reported, the leaders drafted an April 13 ordinance claiming Christianity was harming local traditions and declaring that the “local church should be destroyed and that all Christians should be driven out of the village.” These are the acts of persecution Christians face in India, where The Tide® (http://bit.ly/2DXqDQP) global radio ministry has reached listeners with the hope of the Gospel for more than 40 years. “Besides our reach here in the U.S. that began in 1946, India was the first global location touched by our heart language radio broadcasts,” said The Tide D...

Definition: Zealous is the adjective of zeal and means to be ardently devoted, fervent, and enthusiastic on behalf of someone or something. Zeal is often used in a religious sense, meaning devotion to God or another religious cause, like being a missionary. 1 Kings 19:5-11 (NIV) Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.  The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night. And the word of the Lord came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  He replied, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God ...

Next month, we’re taking a meaningful trip to the nation’s capital!  The Tide ministry is planning a May 14 group bus trip to the National Arboretum and Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. “We are looking forward to this time with our community to not only appreciate the beauty of God’s creation but to also immerse ourselves in a very sad but important time in our history,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. The chartered coach bus will depart from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, the U.S. headquarters of The Tide ministry, at 7 a.m. May 14. Participants will be treated to a windshield tour of the Arboretum with an exclusive step-on guide through the gardens. Located 2 miles northeast of the Capitol Building, the National Arboretum is operated by the U.S. Dept of Agriculture. Established by an act of Congress in 1927 and encompassing 446 acres, the Arboretum functions as the city’s botanical center. The bus tour will take travelers along 9 miles of a paved circuit through the g...

I woke up with a pounding headache, took a couple Tylenol pills and went to the speaking engagement. Just a few minutes after getting up to speak that Sunday morning in PA, I had a grand mal seizure in front of the audience. I was transferred to Baltimore, MD for brain surgery. A large egg sized tumor was removed from my brain. I told my wife Rhonda, “Honey, I think it’s going to be cancer! How else would God get praise if it wasn’t cancer?” One night in the recovery room while waiting for the diagnosis, I listened to some worship music that a friend had given to me. As I listened I sensed God’s presence so powerfully. Somehow, I turned to 2 Chron. 20 and read the story. It was God’s powerful word that gave me hope! – “Dwayne: worship the Lord!” 2 Chronicles 20 …fits my story. 1-2 Three nations were coming to destroy the people of God. I was facing a battle that had the potential to destroy me, to take my life. 3-4 They decided in their desperation to seek the Lord in ...

He is risen! That’s more than a simple Easter greeting; it’s a proclamation of a truth that is foundational to the gospel Christians embrace. Unfortunately, there are still many people who haven’t even heard the truth that Jesus shed his blood on the cross for their sins, and they still live in spiritual darkness with no hope. Because of this tragic fact—still true even at a time when we celebrate Christ’s resurrection and His ultimate sacrifice for all people—The Tide global gospel radio ministry tells people about Jesus in their own language so that they too may experience a new life of full confidence and assurance in Christ, our living Savior! The Old Testament records the detailed instructions God gave through Moses for the Israelites to enage in celebrations to honor God and keep alive the memory of specific things God had done for them. One of those was the Passover celebration to commemorate the liberty God provided for the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt. We essential...

One of my favorite little songs I grew up on was this chorus we would sing: “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” What does it mean to turn your eyes upon Him? To gaze upon His face and to know there lies all the peace we will ever need to face any circumstance in life. I have faced insurmountable mountains in my life through which I could have allowed myself to walk away from my Saviour. But instead, I chose to turn and gaze upon His face knowing there lies life. I believe it is not only crucial for God’s children to hide His Word in our hearts. I believe remembering and taking to heart the very profound and powerful truths these little choruses hold within themselves will also be an anchor of hope in times of need. As a young girl while in church I would sing as loud as I could during times of worship in church. My mom would lean down and whisper with good intentions, “not so loud.” Music has played a very significant part in my life. It is inspiring to hear the simple words of someone’...

David McKee, Year Beard participant After a full three months of not shaving, the beards on the faces of a brave group of men are getting longer, thicker and a little more unruly. But it’s all for a good cause. The men have committed to be a part of   our  unique “Year Beard” challenge and vowed not to shave their beards for the entire year of 2019 to raise awareness and funds for the ministry. Fourteen men have committed to a full-year beard, while two others won’t shave for shorter periods of time. Through the “ Year Beard ” campaign, the bearded men will each have a fundraising goal that will help purchase more airtime for The Tide ministry’s Gospel radio broadcasts in Asia, Africa and Europe. A motivating factor is the knowledge that for every dollar given, 20 more people worldwide can hear about Jesus. “After one quarter of beard growth, the Year Beard challenge is catching on, as people who knew nothing of our global radio ministry are being told about The Ti...

Men who want to do their part to help people around the world hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ have officially stopped shaving for the entire year of 2019! On Jan. 4, The Tide® global radio ministry kicked off our unique “Year Beard” challenge with 15 men who are willing to stop shaving and grow their beards for a full year to raise awareness and funds for our radio ministry. Full Year Beard participants began this challenge on January 4, 2019 and will end on Jan- uary 4, 2020 with a beard judging contest. However, men canstill sign up to grow out their beards for a shorter time periodthroughout the year with commitments of 6 months, 3 months, or No Shave November. Through this “Year Beard” campaign, these bearded men will all be seeking monthly sponsors to helpthem meet corresponding fundraising goals for each time peri- od that will help purchase more airtime for The Tide ministry Gospel radio broadcasts in Asia, Africa and Europe. A motivat- ing factor is the knowledge that for ...

We’re  celebrating a new radio studio in Zimbabwe with a local ribbon cutting here at home. In 1983,  The Tide  ministry began working with a church group in Zimbabwe to produce and air a Ndebele language radio program called “Amagugu Evangeli,” which means “Precious Gospel” in English. Since then, the ministry has also assisted in the production of Christian radio programs in the English and Shona languages. “Our radio work in Zimbabwe has been accomplished in a rather cramped and noisy setting, but about two years ago, The Tide ministry began building a new, larger and upgraded recording studio so that this local radio ministry can continue to grow and impact more lives for Christ,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “Now, our partners on the ground and local pastors will be able to reach even more listeners with gospel programming in their own languages.” WHO : The Tide global radio ministry WHAT : Local ribbon cutting WHERE : Chambersburg Brethren in Christ Ch...

It is with a heavy heart that we report to let you know that in late January our precious sister in the Lord and partner in ministry, Manjula Roul, passed away quietly in her sleep. She was the wife of Rev. Bijoy Roul and has faithfully served in ministry beside him throughout their married life. Please pray for Bijoy as he grieves the loss of his wife, and for the church in India. She has played a huge role in ministry there not only through the local church, but also through her very capable leadership and oversight of The Tide related radio program production and listener discipleship activities in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. As Director of Follow-up Ministry of Good News Hour, India, Manju supervised and managed an office staff of 6 ministry workers to provide effective discipleship activitieswhile also handling numerous details, reports, and correspon- dence that need to be attended to daily. Manju also made sure detailed records were maintained for all activities and liste...

I don’t think we can truly grasp all that Christ did for us on the Cross. Here was a man, God’s son, who was willing to lay it all down for us. He was the great sacrifice for our sins, our wrongdoings. How could I not praise and follow such a man filled with love and sacrifice as Jesus? No other human alive can do as much as Jesus did for me. When He was being crucified, He didn’t turn in anger or walk away from it and say there is no way I’m doing this. No, Jesus took every step toward Calvary for me, for you, for all of mankind. Jesus didn’t gather those around Himself who were faithful to Him and say, “This is for you, I’m doing this just for you all.” No! Jesus was beaten and betrayed for all mankind. All the way to the vilest of sinners. How could I not worship and follow Him? His life is all love and sacrifice. When we truly love, we are willing to sacrifice anything to show that love to all. To love Jesus’ way, is to shower it upon everyone we meet and know. Jesus’ love i...

Don and Becky Shenk with radio pastors in Nepal His passion for world missions began in Rhodesia (which became Zimbabwe in 1980.)  Born in that fertile, beautiful land as a son of missionaries, Don Shenk learned, first-hand the importance and impact of cross-cultural missions.  He had a front row view of the power of learning the language and the culture for lasting effect.  The transforming work of the Holy Spirit is lubricated when the Gospel is heard in one’s own heart language. It was during a home-missions furlough in 1977, when he met his soulmate, Becky Wenger at a youth event. They married in 1981.  Daughter, Amy, was born in 1983, followed by Don, Jr. in 1986.  Their third child, Michelle was born in Zimbabwe in 1990, on Don’s birthday, after they moved there as missionaries in 1988.  Until they returned in 2000, they served at both Wanezi and Mtshabezi Missions. Feeling called to remain in full-time ministry, it was a “hand-in-glove” fit...

How you ever just looked at your life and said, “wow, I have it good?” or on the contrary have you ever said, “why does everything bad always happen me to me? I can honestly say that I’ve had my fair share of saying both statements. Recently we just experience so much rain and dreariness that caused so many people to get sad or even frustrated that it may have ruined their plans or even there hair for the day. All that rain caused me to think about the saying that we all in grade school, “April showers bring May flowers.” But, what if it isn’t April and all these showers are really unexpected? Think about the rain and how stressful, saddening and even annoying those days can be. I see rain as the trials and tribulations that occur in our lives. Rain is super important and God made it so that the plants and animals and in some towns, even humans can have fresh water. Did you know, less than 2 percent of the earth’s water is ground water, but it provides 30 percent of our fresh wat...

Christians in Nigeria are facing a “strategic modern-day jihad” and a “deliberate plan to destroy and take over the predominantly Christian communities in the region,” according to The Christian Post . While violence and attacks against Christians in Nigeria have been commonplace for years, the intensity seems to be heightening. In fact, Nigeria has moved up two spots to No. 12 on the 2019 World Watch List from Open Doors USA. “Violence in Nigeria, where The Tide ministry has worked for a decade, has certainly increased, and it seems as though religious animosity is only becoming stronger,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “With so many different people groups in one country, Nigeria has always had some underlying ethnic tensions, but we hear from our partners on the ground that radical groups are fueling those tensions to foster an anti-Christian environment where believers are attacked and persecuted for their faith in Jesus.” The Tide ministry has been sharing Gospel progra...

A year ago, Open Doors USA estimated that 215 million Christians were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. Now, for the new World Watch List , the organization says that number has risen to 245 million. And according to a report in The Christian Post , the number may climb even higher in 2019. The Tide ® has been broadcasting Bible messages over the radio airwaves since 1946 and today operates in eight countries on three continents while sharing the Gospel in 25 languages. Four of the nations where we work made the 2019 World Watch List for high levels of Christian persecution. “Violence in India and Nigeria, where The Tide ministry has worked for many years, has certainly increased, and it seems as though tensions are only becoming stronger,” said Director Don Shenk. “We hear from our partners on the ground who say that Christians worship in secret and are forced to be very quiet about their faith. Being baptized, meeting together to worship or telling another pers...

The 2019 World Watch List recently released from Open Doors USA is a stark illustration of just how critical the issue of Christian persecution is worldwide. Many may not know how the believers in these 50 countries suffer, but our  ministry broadcasts Gospel programming in four of the countries on this year’s ranking. “This means that listeners in half of the countries where The Tide ministry broadcasts Gospel programming over the airwaves experience serious persecution for their faith,” said The Tide Director Don Shenk. “Besides working diligently to break into the areas where Christians are shunned, ridiculed, attacked or worse, we must also pray fervently for our brothers and sisters who are suffering because of their faith in Jesus. We are all the same body of one Church.” The Tide ministry has been broadcasting Bible messages over the radio since 1946 and today operates in eight countries on three continents while sharing the Gospel in 25 languages. Four of these nat...