April 8, 2026

Dear Friends,

This week a family of three prayed with me according to the pattern of Luke 18:13 & Romans 10:9.

Last week I wrote,

“There is one last couple that came to mind as I was praying; he, too, is a faculty member at Rice. I must share with him and his wife, I thought…I providentially saw them both just this morning, and I mentioned to his wife that I’d like to take them through the details of the gospel and the resurrection. She said, ‘I would love that! I just thought you were too busy to share with us.’ She also wants her teenage son to be in attendance. So we are scheduling that meeting for one evening this week.”

I went to their home one evening, and I shared with the three of them the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and the gospel message of salvation. All joyfully prayed with me. It was important for me and for them to have that time to codify the embrace of the resurrection following a presentation of the evidence. I then gave each of them a copy of “Growing in Christ,” and Chuck and Barbara Lloyd are planning to go to their home to give the three of them the 13-week foundational Bible study. 

That’s the best way, the family coming as a unit.

Acts 16:32–34
“…they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house… and he rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.”

Acts 18:8
“Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household…”

I was scheduled to meet with a Jewish engineering professor, but something came up for him, so he wanted me to tell him my story in just a few minutes around a crowded table. I declined. While he can bring all the friends he likes, I am insisting on undivided attention for 1 hour, so we are rescheduling for this week.

Of all the things I do in life, my greatest joy is seeing people embrace faith in Jesus and his resurrection from the dead, leading to salvation. That process is a must. There is no other way.

Romans 10:9
“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

God bless,

Dr. James Tour