What We Do

Our generation must build a bridge between God’s ancient Word and the world we inhabit—not by changing the truth, but by changing how clearly it can be heard. —Toby Larson

We invite you into a life with more meaning, more joy,
and deeper connection — with God, and with true friends.

RisingTide exists to help you take that journey
by hearing God’s Word and celebrating His invitation.

Because you were made to enjoy the living God —
to hear Him speak,
to walk with Him,
and to find fulfillment in what He has said.

The Bible is His invitation —
every word, every line, every verse.

RisingTide is here to help you hear that invitation
and step into the full story God has for you.

We’re beginning with
short, meaningful reflections and conversations
drawn from Genesis to Revelation in our podcast — A Moment to Celebrate.

So whether you’re curious… returning…
or longing for deeper roots…
A Moment to Celebrate helps you recognize God’s voice
and see His work in the world — and in your life.

Because our goal for you isn’t just knowledge.
It’s encounter — knowing God in a way
that transforms you from the inside out.

And as you know Him,
you grow into the purpose He has prepared for you —
including deeper, life-giving friendships
that reflect His heart.

Our Leadership Team

Toby Larson

Toby has a calling for ministry and a vision to use technology to bridge biblical truth with today’s culture. He has both an M.Div. and a Th.M. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His passion for storytelling, combined with a lifelong dedication to Christ, has fueled the development of the new RisingTide platform. Toby has a background in radio, television, media production, and Christian ministry. From news and entertainment at NBC New York to media production in San Francisco and Beijing, Toby is driven by a desire to see lives transformed through faith-centered digital media and the power of good storytelling.

Founder and Lead Communicator

Cynthia Larson

Co-Founder

Cynthia is a bold witness for Christ and is passionate about the gospel being proclaimed to the world. She has an MA in Missions and Evangelism from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She has worked in Christian radio and film in Beijing and taught at the undergraduate and graduate level at The Communication University of China. Cynthia believes the primary work of the Church worldwide is to reach the lost and raise the found, along with a special focus on teaching the word of God to young people. Her greatest joy in life is being married to her first and last boyfriend of thirty-five years (Toby Larson) and having seven children together — five are on this earth and two are in heaven. Cynthia is deeply committed to health and nutrition. She loves God and loves life!

Art Field

With over 26 years of commissioned service in the US Navy, culminating as Captain, Art has diverse experience in technology sales, advertising, entrepreneurship, and catering. At Saint James Episcopal Church, Art oversaw the construction of a 22,000-square-foot Ministry Center, a project that showcased his dedication to fostering community. Central to that project was a professional kitchen, where Art brought people together through food. This dedication to serving others continues at RisingTide and his passion for uniting people through food and fellowship is a powerful example of the impact one person can have on the world. As the Chief Financial Officer of Rising Tide, Art oversees fiscal responsibility and stewardship, ensuring the organization’s financial resources are managed with integrity and aligned with its mission.

Chief Financial Officer

Beliefs

  • As God’s Word given to all people, the Bible is wholly inspired by Him and, as originally written, free from error. It is our holy guide, teaching what is profitable for all godliness (2 Timothy 3:16f). It is trustworthy in every respect, standing as a sure record of truth— theological, moral, salvific— and of history itself.

  • At the most basic level, being a Christian means recognizing that we are not our own. A Christian does not belong to oneself, but to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

  • We extend grace to those who hold different convictions, yet we believe the Bible to be wholly true. Therefore, any promise of salvation apart from Jesus misses the central, absolute, exclusive, and indispensable nature of Christ and His cross (Galatians 2:21). Scripture teaches that the salvation offered in Jesus Christ cannot be obtained by any other name (Acts 4:12; cf. Isaiah 45:6).

  • We believe that God eternally exists in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—who share one substance, are equal in power and glory, and are infinitely perfect.

  • We affirm the acronym GOSPEL: God’s Grace is Obligatory, Sovereign, Provision-making, Efficacious, and Lasting. We believe that a person’s restored relationship with God (through justification and adoption) and renewed nature (through regeneration, sanctification, and glorification) do not precede but follow His gracious initiative. God must come to us before we can come to Him.

  • We are committed to “majoring on the majors.” Because of this conviction, we seek not to isolate ourselves from fellow Christians with whom we may have disagreements. Since we love Christ, we are bound to love His people as brothers and sisters (1 John 4:19).

    In practice, this commitment to “preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3) means we are not compelled to divide over matters that, though significant, remain secondary—such as baptism, worship style, spiritual gifts, the sovereignty of God and the will of man, and similar issues.

  • Christians are promised abundant life now, and all believers will be rewarded at the end of time both on the basis of what Christ has done and in light of what we have actually done. We will not receive reward for what we merely hoped to do, thought we did, claimed we did, pretended to do, or convinced ourselves or others we did or gave. Our reward will be based on what we truly did—including every hidden thing—our deeds and even our words. Jesus affirmed this (Matthew 12:36).

    Yet the greatest reward for all who are in Christ will be heaven itself.

  • We seek to avoid moralistic legalism—adding extra-biblical lists of do’s and don’ts. At the same time, we wholeheartedly pursue God’s desire for our true holiness and Christ-like wholeness of character in daily life (Galatians 2:4; 5:1–26; Colossians 2:16–23).

  • Each episode of A Moment to Celebrate, produced by Rising Tide, seeks to make what God has made known accessible to all—even to those just beginning to explore His Word. Following Jesus’ example, we avoid jargon and aim to speak in ways that even children can understand. He taught through stories, images, and everyday experiences, using words His listeners already knew.

    At the same time, we believe Christians are not asked to “park their brains at the door” (Matthew 22:37; 2 Corinthians 10:5; 1 Peter 3:15). For that reason, we make no apology for offering challenging messages and engaging in in-depth study of the Bible.

  • The church is not a building but a people—God’s called-out ones gathered to Jesus Christ. When we gather, the Word is preached with authenticity, the sacraments are administered with integrity, and scriptural discipline is practiced with grace. Brothers and sisters in Christ are loved, the saints are built up in faith and unity, social ministry is advanced, and a perishing world is engaged with the gospel.

    We believe the church is not only a home for believers but a place where those who are not yet Christians can genuinely encounter Jesus Christ. In this community, both preaching and teaching work together to make God’s Word known, reflecting the New Testament’s use of “preaching” for the whole ministry of the Word to those who have not yet heard or believed.