Jim and Rita Houston Courage Fund

About the Jim and Rita Houston Courage Fund

Regent College and the Houston family are pleased to announce the formation of the Jim and Rita Houston Courage Fund, a new initiative that invites the Regent community to participate in the rich legacy of our founding Principal and his beloved wife.

The purpose of this fund is to encourage current and future members of the Regent community to step out boldly in faith as they follow Christ’s call on their lives. By helping future students journey to Regent and graduates pursue their next steps, the Houston Courage Fund celebrates the breadth of our shared identity as pilgrims in the way of Christ. 

Inspired by Jim and Rita’s example of compassion, companionship, and courage, we invite you to join us in encouraging Christians to embrace their myriad vocations and follow God’s call to the marketplace, the church, the academy, and beyond.

A Legacy of Emboldening Grace

Throughout their lives, Jim and Rita Houston came alongside the people they met to offer encouragement and support in both tangible and intangible ways. Countless individuals around the world have come away from encounters with one or both of the Houstons with renewed courage and boldness to follow Christ’s call and venture deeper into a life of faith. Jim and Rita were constantly offering encouragement. Sometimes they encouraged people to come to Regent. Sometimes they encouraged students to press onward and complete their studies. Often they encouraged alumni to continue in the life of faith as they encountered challenges and uncertainties in their post-Regent journeys.

Jim and Rita’s generosity took many forms and changed many lives. Gifts of china dishes inspired households to hospitality. Gifts of affirmation helped artists share their work. Gifts of seed money empowered entrepreneurs to launch sustainable ventures. Some received help in their pursuit of post-graduate studies; others received a place to sleep and a family home to shelter them. At the heart of each story was a simple act of encouragement to embrace the life of faith with confidence. Jim and Rita knew they couldn’t meet every need, but they constantly reached out to others with bold and emboldening grace.

An Invitation

Today, we invite friends of Jim and Rita Houston, and friends of the College they did so much to shape, to carry forward their legacy. As Jim and Rita proved throughout their lives, those made hesitant by fear can be emboldened by grace. A simple act of encouragement often makes all the difference. Would you make a gift to the Jim and Rita Houston Courage Fund today?

Give to the Jim and Rita Houston Courage Fund

Step 1: Donation Information

You are about to make a donation to Regent College, a Canadian charity.

If you’re giving from the United States, the United Kingdom, or Hong Kong, please see our International Giving page to learn how donating to one of our partner entities might benefit both you and the College.

If you encounter difficulties with this form, please contact [email protected] for assistance. You can also call us at 1-604-221-3390 or 1-800-663-8664 ext. 390.