“Heaven is For Real”
My dear friend is very excited about Colton Burpo's story, "Heaven Is For Real." What is an appropriate, scriptural response to those who believe his account, and the accounts of others, of having visited heaven and returning to tell the story? Am I wrong to be skeptical because Colton and his father have sold millions of books and produced a movie, no doubt for great monetary gain?
In light of a well-publicized near death experience hoax by the person featured in “The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven,” there is wisdom in approaching the subject of near death experiences with cautious examination of what people report.
God, of course, can do anything. In both the Old and New Testaments (examples include 1 Kings 17:21-22 and Mark 5:41-42), we find accounts of people who went beyond near death experiences; they were dead and God raised them from the dead. Yet, God chose not to include in the inspired narratives any information on the experiences of the resurrected individuals.
With claims of near death experiences today, it is good to compare what people say about heaven with what the Bible teaches. You can do this kind of comparison by going to the Frequently Asked Questions page on the website of Heaven is For Real Ministries.