CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.—The Tide® (www.thetide.org) ministry’s “Year Beard” campaign is challenging men for the second time to stop shaving for a whole year. Though the new year has begun, it is not too late to commit to putting razors down. Participants in the Year Beard challenge will grow beards to raise awareness for the ministry so that radio broadcasts can continue to expand around the globe.
Donnie Shenk, a participant in the 2019 challenge is excited for another year of growing out his beard. He loves that Year Beard gives him an opportunity to “share the Gospel of Christ in a unique and interesting way.” He explained that “people seem to be intrigued by the fact that I would go a whole year growing out my beard. They want to know why. You can really easily start a conversation about why you have that beard and who it is we’re here to serve.”
In the second year of this challenge, the ministry has opened up the campaign to men who are willing to grow their “head hair” out for an even hairier experience. Through Year Beard, the hairy guys will each have a goal that will help The Tide ministry’s Gospel radio broadcasts expand around the world in Asia, Africa and Europe.
Shenk encourages guys to consider putting down their razors. “As men, we often find it difficult to talk about our faith, but not so much to talk about our physical day-to-day lives,” he said. This is an opportunity for men everywhere to express their faith through facial hair.
The Tide ministry records and broadcasts Gospel programming in eight countries on three continents in 27 languages. With more than 7,000 languages spoken worldwide and more than 2,000 people groups that have been unreached by the Good News of Jesus, the opportunities are tremendous, and the need is great.
Participants in the Year Beard challenge can still sign up to grow out their hair for one, three, or six months with the goal to raise money each month for The Tide ministry. A motivating factor is a knowledge that for every dollar given, 20 more people worldwide can hear about Jesus, and in 2019, the challenge raised more than $27,000.
Depending on the time they commit, participants receive t-shirts, beard combs, beard oil, and a devotional book called “Bearded Gospel Men,” along with conversation starters such as country fact sheets, a testimony sheet, and a pocket info card so they can speak to potential donors about The Tide mission. Those who raise the most money for The Tide ministry throughout the year will be eligible to win sporting event tickets and gift cards.
For nearly 75 years, The Tide ministry has recorded and broadcast gospel programming in nine countries on three continents in 27 heart languages spoken by millions of people in multiple regions, including Albania, Bhutan, India, Kosovo, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Thailand, and Zimbabwe. With more than 7,000 languages spoken worldwide and more than 2,000 people groups yet unreached with the Good News of Jesus, the opportunities are tremendous.
For more information about The Tide broadcast projects, history, radio programs around the world, special yearlong campaigns, the weekly Global Update radio features or other news, visit its website at www.thetide.org or its Facebook page. Read more about The Tide ministry and Director Don Shenk here.
The Tide ministry is actively looking for people godly and manly enough to take up the 2021 Year Beard® challenge. Visit www.YearBeard.org for background and to meet some of the participants who are growing out their facial hair to raise awareness and financial support to help The Tide ministry reach an additional 1 million people with the name of Jesus next year.
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To schedule interviews with Don Shenk, director of The Tide global radio ministry, contactMedia@HamiltonStrategies.com, Marjorie Pratt, 610.584.1096, ext. 107, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.