A pastor and author who has investigated more than 1,000 near-death experiences (NDEs) believes there’s definitive evidence that many of these experiences are authentic.
John Burke, co-author of “Imagine the God of Heaven Devotional: 60 Reflections on the Heart of God from the Bible and Near-Death Experiences” with his wife, Kathy, told CBN News he was once a skeptic.
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“Not only did I not believe in near-death experiences, I didn’t believe in Jesus or God,” he said. “Many … decades ago, my dad was dying of cancer and someone gave him the very first research that coined the term near-death experience.”
Burke said this came in the form of a book, which he ended up reading. At the time, Burke wanted evidence — and the book provided just that: stories of people who were clinically dead and resuscitated. Among the stories, he noticed many of those experiencing NDEs claimed to have seen Jesus.
“That really began my whole faith journey, because so many saw Jesus,” he said. “I was like, ‘I better be open to the Bible.’ So I started reading, and studying the Bible, came to faith.”
That was the start not only of Burke’s faith journey, but also his foray into NDEs. Over time, his intrigue bloomed into an investigation of 1,500 real-life cases. His previous book, “Imagine the God of Heaven,” was a hit and sparked much conversation about these important stories.
“What I write about is how the commonalities really do relate to the Bible and what the Bible’s expectation of heaven, of hell, of God,” Burke said.
His wife, Kathy, told CBN News she had a very different faith trajectory and can’t remember a time when she wasn’t a believer.
“Scriptural truths have always been a big part of my life, and I’ve enjoyed being able to stand on them,” she said. “And I know they’re solid.”
NDE’s left her deeply intrigued, with Kathy explaining that, though she believes the truth of Scripture is enough, these stories offer a fresh perspective and have revitalized her faith.
“It just has really given me a fresh perspective and revitalized my faith, and the the power of my faith, and the power of God in really amazing ways,” she said.
John expressed some of the most fascinating reflections he has had after exploring these stories — particularly the types of people who claim to have experienced NDEs.
“The thing that I like to point out is that many of these people that I’ve interviewed and write about, they were CEOs, they were spine surgeons, commercial airline pilots, bank presidents, lawyers,” he said. “They don’t need money, and they have nothing to gain by making up crazy, wild stories about dying and going to heaven and seeing Jesus, and yet, they consistently say it was the most real thing that ever happened to them.”
John said these stories inspire people all over the world, and he believes God is using these journeys to help illuminate Scripture and point people back to Him. Kathy mirrored these reflections.
“I also think that it reminds us that things are not hopeless,” she said. “God has not changed, and He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever, and so we have to keep our focus on Him, and we can still find that peace, and joy, and love, and goodness radiated because we’re His image bearers.”
It should be noted, though, NDEs aren’t embraced as legitimate experiences by the secular world and even some Christians. In fact, critics are often vocal about their opposition to these stories.
“God operates in more mystery than I think sometimes we’re willing to allow in the church and in our box of theology,” John said. “And God doesn’t feel any need or constraint to the box we try to put him in.”
He continued, “What we’re trying to do … in these books is help people see, ‘No, it’s not against what God’s been saying in Scripture all along — it actually aligns.'”
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