November 9, 2025
Dear Friends,
I invited many people to talk to me this week. However, they all had other commitments and wished to postpone it until next week. So I was heartbroken and cried out to the Lord for a conversion this week. Sure enough, at lunch today, a young man from China, aged 20, came, whom I had invited two weeks ago after he attended the college Bible study. He was supposed to come again last week for lunch, but he never showed up. But he came today. So we met again and I invited him to hear about the Christian faith. We met in my living room, as it was noisy outside and we were having lunch. Thirty minutes later, he gave his life to the Lord. This was even easier than normal. I learned that he had been reading in the Gospel of John with some of his friends on campus. So the ground was already tilled. He was ready to pray and receive. I have given him a Bible since he only had one on his phone via an App. I also gave him a copy of “Growing in Christ,” which he will study with Berny G., one of the other undergraduates who attends Rice. A high school young man overhead, and though a believer already, asked for a copy of “Growing in Christ,” and he will study it together each week with these two college students.
I have had a podcasting film crew visiting me for the last three days. They have been interviewing me and several of my research group or my former students who have started many of the companies that were an outgrowth of our academic research. They want to do a story on the productivity of our research group. But then we got to talking a lot about faith as well. The crew of three wanted to come to the church this morning, which they did. They also attended the main service, followed by the Bible study, during which they conducted some filming. Additionally, they came to the college lunch at my home. We spent a long time talking about faith while they were filming it. The videographer and one of the interviewers were both believers. The main podcaster is not a believer, and I’ve shared this with him before. I also shared it with him again while we were walking and recording a video. He had a lot of odd views, but he was amazingly open. They came into the house, and they wanted to meet Shireen. They asked Shireen why she does this every week. And she explained to them. And we told them about how we wanted college students, half of whom come from broken homes, to see what it’s like to have a married couple who loves the Lord, who has raised children, and what a home can look like when serving the Lord. The videographer was especially touched. And only in that moment did he see the importance of marriage and of having children. And I explained to him to start serving in the church very actively, and a young woman will see him serving and be attracted to him. And that he should be on the lookout for a young lady in the church who is serving. Because it’s much better to be married to a selfless person than a selfish person. Through service, selfless individuals will be recognized. He said he wished he could come to this lunch every week. But he lives in Arizona. I will be attending a meeting in 10 days in Arizona, in the same city where he lives, and I have invited him to join me. He said that he will indeed do that. The other podcaster, who was a believer, was also deeply moved through his conversations with many of the others here. The main podcaster was amazed at what was happening. What we have in Jesus Christ and the church is an absolute treasure. Glory to be to Jesus.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” — John 13:34–35
Several have asked me for a report on my trip to Europe. I recorded 3 videos at the University of Cambridge. One of those videos is already posted on my YouTube channel.
And the other two will be posted shortly. As for the meeting in Austria, it was a confidential gathering where we were not allowed to disclose the names of the other attendees or the topics discussed. However, after the meeting, Stephen Meyer, John Lennox, and I stayed for an additional day and recorded a podcast with Peter Robinson, host of the “Uncommon Knowledge” podcast at the Hoover Institution. That video should be coming out shortly on the Hoover Institution YouTube podcast.
https://www.youtube.com/@HooverInstitution
With all of these videos you will have a good sense. Overall, it was successful in every respect. For the glory of Jesus. The gospel was preached. We were able to share and witness to many along the way. From scientists at Cambridge to journalists, high-tech entrepreneurs, and even princesses in Austria.
“After he had greeted them, he began to relate one by one the things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it they began glorifying God.” --Acts 21:19–20
“When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.” — Acts 14:27
God bless,
Jim Tour
