A pastor and author who has researched more than 1,000 near-death experiences (NDEs) believes there is conclusive evidence that many of these experiences are real.
John Burke, who co-authored “Imagine God in Heaven: 60 Reflections on God’s Will from the Bible and Near-Death Experiences” with his wife Kathy, told CBN News that he used to be a skeptic.
Listen to the latest episode of “Quick Start” 👇
“Not only did I not believe in near-death experiences, I didn’t believe in Jesus or God,” he said. “Decades ago, when my father was dying of cancer, someone provided him with the first research that coined the term near-death experience.”
Burke said it arrived in the form of a book, which he ended up reading. At the time, Mr. Burke wanted evidence. And this book provided just that. So we’re talking about people who were clinically dead and resuscitated. In the story, he noticed that many people who had near-death experiences claimed to have met Jesus.
“That really started my faith journey because so many people saw Jesus,” he said. “I thought, ‘I better be open to the Bible.’ So I started reading and studying the Bible, and I started having faith.”
It was not only the beginning of Burke’s journey of faith, but also the beginning of his foray into near-death experiences. Over time, his conspiracy evolved into an investigation of 1,500 real cases. His previous film, Imagine the God of Heaven, was a hit and sparked a lot of conversation about these important stories.
“What I’m writing about is how that commonality actually relates to the Bible and what the Bible expects of heaven, hell and God,” Burke said.
His wife, Kathy, told CBN News that he follows a completely different faith trajectory and cannot remember a time when he was not a believer.
“Bible truth has always been a big part of my life, and I really enjoyed being able to stand on it,” she said. “And I know they’re solid.”
Near-death experiences intrigued her deeply, and Kathy explained that while she believes the truths of the Bible are sufficient, these stories provided a new perspective and revitalized her faith.
“It really gave me a fresh perspective and activated my faith, the power of my faith, and the power of God in a really amazing way,” she said.
John expressed some of the most interesting insights he had after researching these stories, especially the types of people who claim to have had near-death experiences.
“What I want to point out is that many of the people I’ve interviewed and written about have been CEOs, spine surgeons, commercial airline pilots, bank presidents, and lawyers,” he said. “They don’t need the money, and there’s nothing to be gained by making up some crazy story about dying and going to heaven and meeting Jesus. Yet they consistently claim that it was the most real thing that ever happened to them.”
John said he believes these stories are an inspiration to people around the world and that God uses these journeys to illuminate the Bible and bring people back to Him. Kathy echoed these reflections.
“I also think this event is a reminder to us that things are not hopeless,” she said. “God has not changed and is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So we must remain focused on Him so that we can still find peace, joy, love, and goodness radiating out to us because we are bearers of His image.”
However, it should be noted that near-death experiences are not accepted as legitimate experiences by the secular world or even by some Christians. Indeed, critics are often vocal in their opposition to these narratives.
“God is working in mysteries more than we are willing to allow within the framework of church and theology, sometimes more than I realize,” John said. “And God feels no need or constraint in any box we try to put him in.”
He continued, “What we’re trying to do with these books is help people understand, ‘No, that’s not contrary to what God has been saying all along in the Bible, it’s actually consistent with it.'”
As the number of voices facing censorship from big tech companies continues to grow, sign up for FaithWire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, created by our parent company, to get the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.
