October 12, 2026
The Tide® celebrates 80 years of Gospel broadcasting, casts vision for what comes next
October 24 livestream and in-person event in Carlisle, PA, will introduce The Tide Forward, the ministry’s plan for the decades ahead
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — The Tide® (www.thetide.org) global media ministry will celebrate 80 years of broadcasting the Gospel with an anniversary event Oct. 24 in Carlisle, PA. The no-cost event, open both in-person and by livestream, will look back on eight decades of ministry and introduce what The Tide calls its next chapter: The Tide Forward.
The in-person celebration runs from 5 to 8 p.m. at Whispering Pines of Carlisle, 1538 McClures Gap Road, Carlisle, PA. Tickets are free, but registration is required since this is a catered event. Those interested in attending in person can register here. Supporters who cannot attend in person can register for a free livestream here; The Tide will send viewing details to registrants as the event date approaches. Full information is posted at thetide.org/event/the-tide-80th-anniversary-celebration.
Since its founding, The Tide’s goal has stayed the same: leading as many people as possible into a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ, primarily through Christian media broadcasts in multiple languages around the world. The Oct. 24 event will give old and new supporters, partners and staff a chance to mark that history together before turning to what comes next.
“Eighty years ago, this ministry started as a single radio signal out of Chambersburg. Nobody involved back then could have told you it would reach the places it has reached,” said Don Shenk, executive director of The Tide. “This event isn’t really about looking backward, though. It’s a chance to say thank you to the people who made that reach possible, and then to turn around and ask God what He wants from us next.”
Viewers and listeners around the world have written to The Tide describing how God has used the ministry to change their lives and draw them closer to Himself:
“I watch your stories every week, and I’m amazed to see again and again that with God nothing is wasted. Even when we mess up and put ourselves in trouble, He will use that hard time to show Himself and to help us understand others better… Your stories of powerful redemption have been such an encouragement for me.” – A listener in the Balkans
“I am a regular listener to your ‘LAMTHEAM’ Dzonkha program and a student of your Correspondence Course… I listen to this program with my parents. After listening to this program, I could know about Jesus Christ and His love. I want to know more about Jesus Christ and interested to receive more literature.” – A listener in India
As The Tide marks 80 years, the ministry is introducing The Tide Forward, a strategic framework built around three priorities:
- RELEVANCE: To continue to position The Tide as a globally impactful ministry, ensuring its significance for future generations.
- IMPACT: To broaden The Tide’s reach in current and new strategic regions, enhancing the effectiveness of its work. It will focus on expanding The Tide’s reach by identifying geographic areas or communities that have not yet been engaged, which will involve a thorough assessment of the vision and current reach of its partners, enabling the identification of regions where The Tide can extend its presence and impact.
- TRANSFORMATION: To further glorify God by fostering life transformation through ministry. The goal is not simply to reach more people, but to see lives transformed. Every broadcast, partnership, and ministry outreach is an opportunity for someone to encounter the hope of Jesus Christ and experience lasting transformation. The Tide will integrate spiritual practices into organizational life to support personal and collective growth, then capture and communicate evidence of transformation resulting from its work. Ultimately, this will strengthen mission alignment through intentional storytelling and celebration of impact.
“The Tide Forward isn’t a rebrand or a new slogan,” Shenk said. “It’s us saying that the conviction that started this ministry in 1946 — that people deserve to hear about Jesus in their heart language (the language they were born speaking) — still has more ground to cover.”
To register for the free in-person event or livestream, or to learn more about The Tide Forward, visit thetide.org/event/the-tide-80th-anniversary-celebration.
From its humble origins in 1946 as a local Gospel radio broadcast in Chambersburg, PA, The Tide® ministry has grown into a global network of Christian media broadcasting partnerships committed to worldwide evangelism and discipleship. In 2008, The Tide® ministry ended all English-language programming in order to focus on developing and distributing indigenous heart-language content in areas around the world that are less touched by the Gospel. Today, The Tide® ministry works with partners in multiple countries across three continents to broadcast Gospel-centered messages via radio, satellite TV and other media. In order to make disciples and plant churches, The Tide® ministry also provides resources for literature distribution, correspondence courses, discipleship and leadership training activities, and the distribution of radios and media players.
For more information about The Tide® ministry broadcast projects, history, radio programs around the world, special year-long campaigns, the weekly Global Update radio features or other news, visit its website at www.thetide.org or its Facebook page.
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To schedule interviews with Don Shenk, director of The Tide® global media ministry, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Daniel Moyer, ext. 104.
To inquire about airing any of The Tide® ministry radio broadcasts, contact Michael Hamilton, 610.584.1096, ext. 101.
