About Us

Creatively sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ
worldwide
through media and partnerships

Who We Are

The Tide is an international Christian outreach committed to worldwide evangelism and discipleship. Our goal is to lead as many people as possible into a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ. We do this primarily through Christian radio broadcasts in multiple languages around the world. We also engage in other activities such as discipleship, leadership development, church planting, and short term mission trips.

What We Do

  • We tell people about Jesus in the language they were born to speak.
  • We disciple new believers and develop local leaders.
  • We focus our efforts on people groups who have limited access to the Gospel.
  • We provide radios and media players for people to listen to the broadcasts.

How It Works

Rather than broadcasting translations of English programs, The Tide works with partners in Africa, Asia, and Europe and with local ministers to produce radio programs to share the Gospel with their language and in the context of their culture. These local ministry partners are our boots on the ground to provide listener care and coordinate discipleship and leadership training activities.

Since 1946

The Tide began as a local radio broadcast in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, known as The Gospel Tide Hour. Founded by Rev. Charlie Byers, pastor of a church in Chambersburg, the initial mission of The Gospel Tide Hour was to reach the Chambersburg community for Christ.

In 1975

The Tide became international when the original program began airing across Southern Africa. This expansion initiated a gradual shift in emphasis from domestic radio programming to a strong emphasis on global missions. In 1978 the Gospel Tide Broadcasting Association began producing programs in other languages in both Africa and India, using indigenous speakers to share the Gospel message in their own language.
Since 2008
Realizing that North American airwaves are saturated with Christian radio programming, The Tide stopped producing an English language program and transitioned its entire focus to meet the great need for indigenous language Christian radio programming in other regions of the world. Today, in addition to producing evangelistic radio programming in numerous languages, the ministry of The Tide includes literature distribution, correspondence courses, discipleship and leadership training activities, and the distribution of radios and media players. The majority of our activities now take place in relatively undeveloped regions of the world targeting less privileged populations and is accomplished in partnership with like-minded individuals, ministries, indigenous missionaries, and local church movements.
Statement of Faith

We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe the Bible to be the true, inspired and authoritative Word of God.

We believe that God created mankind in his own image as good and innocent. Through Adam’s disobedience all have inherited a sinful nature which results in separation from God.

We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His substitutionary death on the cross, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His imminent personal return in power and glory.

We believe salvation is a gift from God freely offered to mankind by grace. It is received through personal repentance from sin, accompanied by faith in the person; and finished work of Jesus Christ. There is nothing we can do to earn this salvation.

We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential. The Christian is enabled to live a godly life through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

We believe that those in right relationship with God will be raised from the dead into eternal life in the presence of God. Those who have rejected God’s forgiveness through his Son will suffer an eternal agonizing separation from God.

We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe humans are made in God’s image. Each human being is of infinite value and is to be cared for and nurtured. We should relate to others in love and justice — opposing that which destroys, oppresses, demeans, or manipulates, and fostering that which restores, upbuilds, and affirms. God’s plan for the human family calls for wholesome, growing relationships among all persons; it forbids abusive and destructive behavior.

We believe God gave human sexuality a good place in creation. Being either male or female is integral to who we are and in a complementary way provides for the full expression of our humanity. God has given standards for the expression of our sexuality that are necessary for proper relationships among people. Human sexuality is affirmed within the chaste, single life, or a lifelong marriage between a man and a woman.

These statement are a summary of our doctrinal beliefs. On a more comprehensive level, we affirm the principles of Christianity as expressed in the Lausanne Covenant.

Meet Our Team

Don Shenk

Executive Director

Don was born to missionary parents in what was then known as Rhodesia, and prior to joining The Tide in 2001 served as a missionary teaching at a Bible School in Zimbabwe, Africa. In addition to lecturing in the classroom at Ekuphileni Bible Institute Don served as Academic Dean, Director of Student Ministries, and also developed and implemented a manual skills training program to enable rural pastors to minister bi-vocationally. Through twenty eight years living in Zimbabwe, and numerous visits to Africa, Eastern Europe and India as a ministry administrator and resource person for church conferences and leadership training events, Don has acquired a wealth of international, cross cultural ministry experience. As the world becomes more and more of a global village, Don’s greatest passion is to reach people for Jesus Christ and to bring them into the Church.

Becky Shenk

Office Manager

Becky was born in Mechanicsburg, PA to Gerald and Anna Mae Wenger.  Prior to joining The Tide in Dec. 2001 she served as a missionary in Zimbabwe, Africa with her husband Don Shenk.  While living at Ekhuphileni Bible Institute she taught typing and crocheting.  Since joining The Tide she has had the privilege of traveling with her husband to numerous places in Africa and India.  She has a heart for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world.  She loves being able to connect with other women in other parts of the world and sharing her heart for her family and her Lord. Becky and Don have three children and seven grandchildren.

Jeffrey Knauer

Director of Development

Jeff brings to The Tide ministry a wealth of experience in Christian service. He spent 22 years as lead pastor of three congregations in Chambersburg and Lancaster, PA, as well as in Shrewsbury, NJ. Following pastoral ministry, God’s calling led Jeff to 20 years of Christian consulting, working with churches, schools, camps, and other religious non-profits. Jeff traveled more than a million miles across the country as he guided more than 350 projects to advance God’s Kingdom.

Erlinda Hand

Engagement and Mobilization Coordinator

Ever since her teen years Erlinda has had a strong desire to change the world by sharing Jesus with others and has engaged with a variety of ministries and mission work in several countries. Prior to joining The Tide ministry team Erlinda spent seven years living in NE Asia where she and her husband both worked as teachers serving in a tentmaking missionary role to be light in the dark and share the Good News as they had opportunity.

The Board

The Tide international radio ministry is governed by a self-perpetuating Board of Directors that meets regularly throughout the year to cast vision, monitor and evaluate ministry progress, consider new initiatives, and to give oversight to the Director and staff.

John Walden – Chairman
Bill Strausbaugh – Assistant Chairman
John Miller – Secretary
Lane Thrush – Treasurer
Ed Asbury
Mel Andricks