June 18, 2025
Dear Friends,
I was traveling most of the week, just arriving back in Houston late last night. I had an appointment scheduled for a Zoom conversation with a man in Australia, but he did not show up for the meeting. This happens sometimes, especially since I had to delay it until my return from travel. Hence, I invited him to reschedule. At the same time, I share with you this conversion event noted below. These sorts of emails are not unusual for me to receive, but it will give you a flavor for the Lord’s working. It’s a moving story and it demonstrates the power of the gospel and the resurrection message to draw even through social media.
Dear Dr. Tour,
I felt compelled to share this with you. I was raised Christian by my parents, but as I understand now I was never Saved (I lacked a proper understanding/capacity at the time in my youth). I voluntarily left the path of Christ as an adolescent (though I never quit believing in or holding Judeo-Christian values). Like the Prodigal son (my father reminded me of this parable) I ultimately fell into Sin and lost my way. Very recently, I had a very random calling to purchase a bible (I have not owned a bible nor read the Scripture with any degree of focus in quite some time). Upon receiving my bible and reading several passages, a calling within me began to grow, rapidly. I felt something that I had never felt while reading the Scripture (as a youth I had enjoyed reading the Scripture but had not felt a strong spiritual connection to it).
In the following days and weeks, I began stumbling upon Christian Apologists and scientists on YouTube; of course, the algorithm began feeding me more and more. John Lennox, Wesley Huff, Melissa Dougherty, among others. I began feeling myself sort of realigning, if that makes any sense. I began to realize that I may have only ever superficially believed in the Divinity/Deity of Christ and his Resurrection, but I was beginning to understand Christianity on a very deep level; I was being called to God.
Today, June 7th , 2025, I found myself drawn to watch some of your talks, having seen you in a video with John Lennox and William Lane Craig. Something about the way you talked, particularly when you spoke of Christ and the love you felt for him, struck me rather deeply. I began watching your video with John Lennox “Can Science Explain Everything” and had to watch more. I watched your “Origin of Life Crisis” video and saw the faces of some of the audience after you led the room in a prayer for Salvation; several members of the audience had been born again in that room, and I could see it on/in them.
I then watched your “Dartmouth Q&A: Tour Calls Out ‘Just-So’ Evolution Stories” video. About 30 minutes into this video a female student asks a question regarding Satanic influence in the sciences, and you jumped into an aside about what was required to be Saved. You brought up a slide with Romans 10:9. I’m not sure exactly why I was so compelled, but I decided I ought to follow the Verse. A sense of nervousness and hesitation came upon me, but I sat in my chair, closed my eyes and with you talking in the background, confessed by my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and that he had risen from the dead. I immediately felt something unlike anything I have ever experienced. A sense of calm, joy, and giddiness all at once. Shivers ran throughout my body. I felt a love that I have always longed for. In a matter of moments, I had become Saved by Grace through Faith in Christ, at 33 years of age.
As I write this my eyes are tearing up slightly. For the last 25 years I have strayed further and further from Christ, but I know now that he had never strayed from me. For years I have been burdened with Sin (lust in particular, which perhaps is why I found your story of Salvation rather relatable) and a “superficial” Apathy that has slowly been digging its claws into me, as well as Clinical Depression (after losing my mother to suicide). I feel the burden of my Sins has been lifted; a sense of calm and joy that I was unsure that I would ever feel, even being on anti-depressants, again. Your testimony and guidance were the final step leading me back onto the path of Christ and I wanted to share that with you.
I am starting my life, in the Grace of Christ, at the age of 33 (which I find rather fitting). I wanted to share this story with you and to thank you. Thank you for aiding me on my journey, even if unknowingly.
Sincerely with Love,
_________________
I sent this man some resources, and I hooked him up with a missionary friend of mine for weekly Bible study.
Occasionally, people write to me saying that when I invite people to hear about the resurrection by a 20-second advertisement in the middle of my science videos, it lessens my credibility as a scientist. I ignore that well-meaning advice. That is the most important element of my social media ministry and the last thing that I wish to cut from my videos. Those are my most rewarding moments: inviting the lost to come to the wedding feast of the lamb. I would even compel them to come according to the Master’s command. If a man’s house were ablaze and he refused to depart from his threshold, I would not hesitate to grab him by the shoulders and use all of my strength to pull him from that inferno.
Luke 14:16-24
16 But He said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; 17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’ 19 Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’ 20 Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’ 21 And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.’”
God bless,
Dr. James Tour
