Remembering Jim: Tan Soo Inn on his “life-giving” friendship with the late James Houston, founder of Regent College

God doesn’t expect us to do great things. He expects us to obey Him. But when we do, things happen. In faith, Abraham obeyed God and became the father of His people. Mary obeyed God and had the privilege of carrying the Messiah in her womb. James Houston obeyed God and God used him to […] The post Remembering Jim: Tan Soo Inn on his “life-giving” friendship with the late James Houston, founder of Regent College appeared first on Salt&Light.

Religion Mar 23, 2026 0 13 Add to Reading List

Remembering Jim: Tan Soo Inn on his “life-giving” friendship with the late James Houston, founder of Regent College

God doesn’t expect us to do great things. He expects us to obey Him. But when we do, things happen. In faith, Abraham obeyed God and became the father of His people. Mary obeyed God and had the privilege of carrying the Messiah in her womb.

James Houston obeyed God and God used him to start a very different kind of theological school, Regent College.

Before Regent, most theological schools prepared people for work in the church and in church-related vocations – Pastors, missionaries, theological educators, etc. But Houston had a vision of a school that would prepare all of God’s people for all of life.

He questioned why our best theological education should only be reserved for Pastors and missionaries. If all of God’s people were called to live for Christ, all of God’s people should also have access to the best theological education. Hence, Regent.

Here is Houston’s own account of this call.

“In 1961 and 1962, my family spent a pleasant sabbatical year in Winnipeg, our first visit to North America. I had taken part with a large group of students at the InterVarsity Urbana Mission Convention at the end of the year. Just after my return I was awakened one night by an incomparable light at the foot of my bed. Strangely, I did not feel curious about what I was seeing, but I experienced an inner conviction deeper than any I have had before or since that I was in the presence of God. No voice spoke, but I knew beyond all telling that I was being called to surrender myself wholly to whatever God wanted me to do with my life. I responded similarly to Saul of Tarsus, saying, Lord what will you have me do?” Like Samuel, I invited God to “speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’

“I waited eight years wondering what that commission might be. Then I received the call to leave Oxford, my professional career and our native country for a new endeavor in Vancouver, British Columbia— the founding of Regent College. In many times of stress and suffering that visionary nighttime experience has brought joy and certainty that our family was called irrevocably to commit our future to Regent and its community.”
Joyful Exiles, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 62, 63.

The “golden age” of Regent College

I am one of the beneficiaries of Houston’s obedience. I had the privilege of studying in Regent College from 1981 to 1985.

All institutions have to adapt to changing times and needs but it wouldn’t be wrong, I believe, to think of that period as a “golden age” in Regent’s history, since students then had the privilege of learning from the professors who first carried the vision of the school.

I took a few courses with Houston. I found him to be brilliant and well read. In truth, this dentist from Malaysia/Singapore didn’t understand half of what Houston said in his lectures, but what he could understand were incredible gems of truth that forever shaped his mind and heart.

The author (front row, first from left) and Jim Houston (third from left) at the launch of a Festschrift for Emeritus Professor at Regent College, Ward Gasque (fourth from left) that Graceworks published. This photo was taken in December 2014.

Two lessons among many stand out for me. One was the primacy of character formation.

He noted that there was a modern preoccupation with knowledge and skills. I will always remember him saying: Imagine building an architectural structure consisting of two tall towers. The taller you want the towers to be, the stronger the foundation of the structure must be. Otherwise, the two towers will be unstable and indeed may fall. With this metaphor, he taught us about the need to build a strong foundation of character before we embark on rushing to build the twin towers of knowledge and skills.

The other key lesson that will always remain with me is his commitment to friendship as foundational to life and ministry. I can’t do better than to quote him again:

“I believe that, rather than professional pursuits or even writing meaningful books, the prime action of our lives is the face-to-face encounter with others, bringing God’s presence into their lives by being ‘living epistles’, as the apostle puts it. Daily interruptions while working provide a continual reminder that thinking is meaningless without action, indeed that action is meaningless without the cultivation of friendships.”
Joyful Exiles, (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 177.

Friendships nurtured by face-to-face encounters is what my wife Bernice and I try to practise and champion in our work and our lives.

This is not an easy path. For one, it takes up a lot of time and attention. You cannot have many close friends. It is also hard to remember all the details of the people you walk with. (There was once Houston referred to me as Soo Ann.)

And living with a focus on friendship means it is very difficult to raise financial support for your organisation from your friends. You don’t want to give the impression that you befriend someone to get something from them. I heard that Houston struggled to do that and so do we. Of course, there is nothing wrong with sharing your needs with your friends, but this is not easy for those of us who value our friends for who they are.

In exile no more

Houston practised what he taught. As much as I valued what he taught in class, it was the personal conversations with him that were especially life-giving.

These conversations continued long after my time at Regent. Houston made a number of trips to Malaysia and Singapore, and we were blessed for the opportunities to catch up with him. He also did me the honour of writing the foreword to my first collection of essays.

The last time we met Dr Houston (he always insisted I call him Jim) was in 2016 in one of his visits to Singapore. We had the privilege of taking him to lunch. And as always, conversations with him nourished our souls.

Since then, we have tracked his remarkable journey, how he continued to write as long as he could, and meet people face to face, till the Lord called him home at the age of 103, on March 15, 2026.

I have lost many friends and mentors, dear ones who have gone home to the Lord. Jim’s passing affected me more than I thought it would. We plan to be in Vancouver at the end of this year and were hoping we could still see Jim one last time. We also knew the Lord could call him home at any time. And He has.

When I received the news, the day became very silent. I believe his passing affected me so much because so much of him is in me.

The last time we met him, we asked him to autograph his book, Joyful Exiles, for us. This is what he wrote:

“To dear Soo Inn and Bernice,

With a glorious companionship as joyful exiles.

Love, Jim Houston.”