CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.— Studies report that around 98% of people in Pakistan are Muslim, with only 0.6% of residents admitting they are Christian. These numbers make it clear to Christians—including The Tide® (www.TheTide.org) ministry—that there is a significant amount of people that most likely have not had the chance to hear the Gospel and accept Jesus as their Savior.
This is why The Tide® ministry has recently reached Pakistan, an area deeply connected to their religious influences by cultural tradition and pressure from their leaders. Along with Pakistan, this well-respected global missional outreach program shares the Gospel daily in over 30 different languages in 39 countries on three continents, reaching millions of people including those in Afghanistan, Albania, Bhutan, India, Kosovo, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Thailand, and Zimbabwe.
Since the people in Pakistan are so disengaged with the message of Christianity, The Tide® ministry has been coming up with new and unique ways to share the Good News. After review and evaluation, staff decided to make some adjustments to the program content to ensure that the gospel message is being shared very clearly in a way that is easy to understand. The team decided to promote and upload the radio broadcast through their WhatsApp group for distribution to listeners who have access to the internet and will encourage listeners to respond through this popular messaging app in addition to the regular radio broadcasts.
“Our goal is to spread the love of Christ to people all around the world, no matter the avenue,” stated The Tide® Director Don Shenk. “When Reverend Charlie Byers started ‘The Gospel Tide Hour’ broadcast 75 years ago, radio broadcasts were the latest innovation, and we are determined to keep that spirit of originality. In addition to our popular radio broadcasts, we are coming up with new and creative solutions that are designed to best engage as many people as possible with the Gospel.”
The Tide® ministry has also begun a “Middle East Children’s Program” designed to provide a creative and attention-catching forum to answer any questions and to break down barriers for children in the Arab and Muslim societies of the Middle East to come to Jesus as Savior. Utilizing a series of videos involving puppets, the program will answer any key questions about Christianity in a way children could understand, as well as declare the salvation message and invite children to accept Jesus as their personal savior. The puppet shows will be aired on all Arabic satellite channels, including the most-watched Christian satellite channel in the Middle East. In addition, the program will be posted online through various digital media channels. Through this method, The Tide® ministry anticipates being able to reach a minimum of 5 million children throughout the Middle East through satellite and online.
The Tide® is currently celebrating the past 75 years of global missions, while also looking forward to the next seven decades with their plan called “The Tide®Diamond Vision”:
- Amplify – The Tide ministry will increase ministry initiatives so that more people can experience God’s grace.
- Magnify – The Tide ministry will work to grow its support base to an expanded demographic.
- Solidify – The Tide ministry will develop and supply more resources to help new believers to grow in their faith and live in right relationship with God.
- Verify – The Tide ministry will measure the effectiveness of its activities to both manage them well and to demonstrate the efficient stewardship of resources.
- Glorify – The Tide ministry will strive to ensure that all it does to achieve its vision will bring glory to God.
For more information about The Tide 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. Read more about The Tide ministry and Director Don Shenk here.
In addition, 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, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Harrison, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Deborah Hamilton, ext. 102.