boy visits heaven

Where Is the Little Boy Whose Experience Inspired 'Heaven Is for Real' Today?

Updated July 15 2020, 5:08 p.m. ET

Does heaven really exist? According to Colton Burpo , it definitely does and he knows because he’s been there. 

When Colton was 4 years old, he suffered a burst appendix and was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery. Colton suffered through a number of complications and even his doctors thought that he wouldn’t make it, but miraculously, he pulled through. 

A few months later, however, Colton started making strange remarks to his family about things that he claimed he had seen in heaven during his surgery. At first, his parents thought it was strange, but when Colton started to reveal details about his family that he couldn’t have possibly known at such a young age, his parents agreed that he must have actually visited heaven. 

You can watch the movie adaptation of Colton’s story called  Heaven is for Real ,  which is streaming on Netflix. But after watching, you may ask yourself: What happened to little Colton all these years later?

PLANO, TX - APRIL 10: The Burpo family, (L to R) Sonja, Cassie, Todd, Colton and Cole (front) attend the Dallas International Film Festival World Premiere of TriStar Pictures' "Heaven Is For Real" at Cinemark West Plano, April 10, 2014 in Plano, Texas.

What happened to Colton on the operating table?

For Todd and Sonja Burpo , Colton’s surgery was an agonizing experience. Not only was their son in critical condition when he was admitted, but it also took several days for him to recover, during which time his distraught parents thought he was going to die.

Thankfully, Colton made a full recovery and was able to go home. But a few months later, Todd and Sonja noticed that their son was making some very unusual claims for a 4-year-old. 

Colton talked about how, when he was in surgery, angels sang to him, and he even got to sit on Jesus's lap. All of this seemed strange but in line with what he’d been taught in church. However, Todd and Sonja were taken aback when Colton also mentioned that he met his older sister, who Colton had never met because she had died in a miscarriage years before he was born. 

View this post on Instagram “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. ⠀ He delights in every detail of their lives. ⠀ Though they stumble, they will never fall ⠀ for the Lord holds then by the hand.” ⠀ (Psalm 37:23-24)⠀ ⠀ This past year has been crazy. God has been leading me in a direction that I didn’t plan for. He’s closed doors in some areas while opening new ones for my new season. I’m grateful for those who have been pouring into me and helping me on this journey of becoming a mighty man of God. #21 A post shared by Colton Burpo (@colton59) on May 19, 2020 at 7:29pm PDT

To make matters stranger, Colton said that he had met his great-grandfather during his time in heaven, who had also died before Colton was born, and knew that his great-grandfather's nickname was “Pops.” Also curious was the fact that Colton said he saw his parents sitting in separate rooms during his surgery, something that he couldn’t have known while being under anesthesia.

Where is Colton Burpo today?

Colton seems to have graduated from Victory College in 2019, and now lives in Eagle County, Colo.

Since his heavenly experience, he also regularly travels to a lot to cities like New York and Los Angeles to spread his story and appear on television. He’s been on a number of high-profile talk shows like  Hannity with Sean Hannity and The Kelly File with Megyn Kelly, both on Fox News.

Mid-May, Colton shared a few Bible passages on Instagram, adding that "this past year has been crazy." "God has been leading me in a direction that I didn't plan for," he said. "He's closed doors in some areas while opening ones for my new season."

In 2011, the family also established Heaven Is for Real Ministries , where you can connect with the family, send in a prayer request, or book them to speak at your church or organization. 

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Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back Paperback – Unknown format, October 31, 2010

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#1 New York Times bestseller with more than 11 million copies sold! When 4-year-old Colton Burpo emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven, his family doesn’t know what to believe. Heaven is For Real details what Colton saw and his family’s journey towards accepting their young son had visited the afterlife.

“Do you remember the hospital, Colton?” Sonja said. “Yes, mommy, I remember,” he said. “That’s where the angels sang to me.”

Colton told his parents he left his body during an emergency surgery–and proved that claim by describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital during his operation. He talked of visiting heaven and described events that happened before he was born and how he spoke with family members he’d never met. Colton also astonished his parents with descriptions and obscure details about heaven that matched the Bible exactly, even though he had not yet learned to read.

With disarming innocence and the plainspoken boldness of a child, Colton recounts his visit to heaven, describing:

• Meeting long-departed family members
• Jesus, the angels, how “really, really big” God is, and how much God loves us
• How Jesus called Todd, Colton’s father, to be a pastor
• The Battle of Armageddon

Retold by his father, but using Colton’s uniquely simple words, Heaven Is for Real offers a glimpse of the world that awaits us, where as Colton says, “Nobody is old and nobody wears glasses.”

Heaven Is for Real will forever change the way you think of eternity, offering the chance to see, and believe, like a child.

Praise for Heaven is for Real:

“A beautifully written glimpse into heaven that will encourage those who doubt and thrill those who believe.” — Ron Hall , coauthor of Same Kind of Different as Me

• Reading age 10 years and up
• Part of series Heaven is For Real
• Print length 163 pages
• Language English
• Dimensions 5 x 0.8 x 7.95 inches
• Publisher Thomas Nelson
• Publication date October 31, 2010
• ISBN-10 9780849946158
• ISBN-13 978-0849946158
• See all details

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About the author.

Todd Burpo is pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan and a volunteer fireman. He and his wife, Sonja, have four children: Colton is an active teenager; he has an older sister, Cassie; a younger brother, Colby; and a very special sister he met in heaven. Sonja Burpo is a busy mom and pastor's wife. A certified elementary teacher, Sonja is passionate about children's ministry and helping women work through the difficulty of miscarriage.

Lynn Vincent is the New York Times best-selling writer ofHeaven Is for Real and Same Kind of Different As Me. The author or coauthor of ten books, Lynn has sold 12 million copies since 2006. She worked for eleven years as a writer and editor at the national news biweekly WORLD magazine and is a U.S. Navy veteran.

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0849946158
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Nelson; Illustrated edition (October 31, 2010)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 163 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780849946158
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0849946158
• Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 years and up
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.8 x 7.95 inches
• #35 in Christian Death & Grief
• #54 in Christian Eschatology (Books)
• #225 in Christian Inspirational

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About the authors

Lynn vincent.

Lynn Vincent is the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Same Kind of Different as Me, the story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy white art dealer and a homeless African-American man; and Going Rogue: An American Life, the memoir of former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

The author or coauthor of nine books, Vincent worked for eleven years as senior writer, then features editor, at the national news biweekly WORLD Magazine where she covered politics, culture, and current events. A U.S. Navy veteran, Lynn is also a lecturer in writing at the World Journalism Institute and at The King's College in New York City. She lives in San Diego, California.

Colton Burpo

Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back is a 2010 New York Times best-selling Christian book written by Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent. It was published by Thomas Nelson Publishers. The book documents the report of a near-death experience by Burpo's three-year-old son Colton. The book recounts the experiences that Colton relates from visits which he said he made to heaven during a near-death experience.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Check out Todd's ministry website www.heavenlive.org

Todd Burpo is the pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Nebraska. Todd worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the Imperial Volunteer Fire Department as a fire fighter. He served as the chaplain for the Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighter's Association. Todd has operated an overhead garage door company, coached wrestling and served on local school board. Todd graduated from Oklahoma Wesleyan University in 1991 summa cum laude with a BA in Theology. He was ordained in 1994. In 2011, Heaven is for Real Ministries, Inc was established due to the overwhelming response to the book.

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Customers say

Customers find the story inspirational, profound, and encouraging. They also describe the book as an easy and quick read. Readers find the family's experiences very comforting, touching, and emotional. They describe the story as loving and a wonderful reminder of God's love. Opinions are mixed on the value for money, authenticity, and interest.

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Customers find the story inspirational, profound, and encouraging. They say it provides a sense of hope and will change their view of heaven forever. Readers also mention the book helps their faith in immense ways. They also say it's an eye-opener into the hereafter.

"... HEAVEN IS FOR REAL is heartwarming ...." Read more

"...It only takes a few hours to read but it will change your view of heaven forever ...." Read more

"...tells of one little boy's experience. I think it gives us some insights , but it comes with no claim to being the Complete Traveler's Guide . . ...." Read more

"...Despite being a short read, the book has a massive amount of layers to it. What I liked about the book is that it has something for everyone...." Read more

Customers find the book easy to read, well-written, and quick. They say it's a must-read for everyone, not just Christians. Readers also mention the words seem to come easy, and the inspiration is simple yet powerful. They appreciate the childlike faith and descriptions.

"Todd Burpo is an excellent writer . His heartfelt explanations of his son's illness were extremely touching and had me close to tears...." Read more

"...with Todd on TV and found him to come across as rather plain, simple , and likable...." Read more

"...Not so much because the book was so well written , but the essence of the book and how it brings people together and just gives the reader a reason..." Read more

"...It is an easy read , but a powerful book as well.In my teens, I was very scientifically minded, and a self-professed atheist...." Read more

Customers find the book very comforting, touching, and emotional. They say it's a lovely novel that is a great comfort to those who have recently lost loved ones. Readers also mention the book feels legitimate while reading it and makes them feel good.

"... It will make you feel good . You will come away convinced that everybody goes to heaven (in the end)...." Read more

"...His heartfelt explanations of his son's illness were extremely touching and had me close to tears...." Read more

"...I'm also now very comfortable with the power of prayer and without compunction to use it often, daily in fact...." Read more

"...All I can say about this book is WOW! It was very touching and such a great read!I like the title...." Read more

Customers find the story loving, believable, and touching. They say it shows all the values of family and is a wonderful reminder of God's love. Readers also mention the book is uplifting and a perfect read for religious people.

"...He's also a very good father , and you can read the love and anguish he feels for Colton, Cassie, and his wife as well as his struggling faith in God..." Read more

"...Anyway, this book is an interesting account of what one boy remembered when the Lord interacted with him." Read more

"...This has been a very long review , and a part of me feels bad for not being more positive. I do not mean to lambast the Burpos personal testimony...." Read more

"...However, the book is more important then just an interesting account ...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the value for money of the book. Some mention it's worth the investment, while others say it'd be better off reading a different book.

"... Prices for the books are very reasonable i think.I like having the book library too,also like book marking the page...." Read more

"...It's a quick read, but definitely worth it !" Read more

"...Otherwise it is expensive ...." Read more

"...These stories have both really tough parts, and really great parts ... kind of exactly like life. Hope this helps!" Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the authenticity of the book. Some mention it's inspirational and honest, while others say it'll leave them empty, depressed, and unfulfilled.

"...This book is a short read. The writing is plain, honest , and easy to follow...." Read more

"...The story did not affirm my faith , but I wasn't really expecting it to, as that is the Holy Spirit's job, not a 4 yr old's anecdotal account of..." Read more

"...I believe this account to be true and accurate . I believe Colton and his family believe in The Loving God and his son Jesus Christ...." Read more

"...This recounting of Heaven left me empty, depressed, unfulfilled , uninspired and feeling quite duped into spending the ten dollars I could have put..." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the book. Some mention it keeps them interested the entire time, while others say it seems a bit boring at first and fails to generate much excitement.

"... It will engage you . It will make you wonder. It will make you hope." Read more

"...This recounting of Heaven left me empty, depressed , unfulfilled, uninspired and feeling quite duped into spending the ten dollars I could have put..." Read more

"...a 5 star rating because it was very well written and kept me interested the whole time reading it from beginning to end, Very amazing story and..." Read more

"...The writing is good and keeps you going . The story it self has many things that most would find hard to believe, not the authors fault...." Read more

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some mention it's moving, while others say it'll be slow in the beginning and heavy-laden with background detail.

"...The book had a good flow , but the Christianity aspects took something away for me...." Read more

"...I didn't want to finish it too fast. The reading is easy and flows well ; almost written as an engaging conversation...." Read more

"...It starts off just a little bit slow , but then it's tough to put down. It's like a sneak peek at Heaven. How cool is that?..." Read more

"...sad, and some shocking, but it was a very well written, deep and moving book . I would reccomend." Read more

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Heaven is for real: truth is undeniable, boy visits heaven.

Colton Burpo is an outstanding 12 year-old boy who has visited Heaven, met Jesus, and lived to talk about the experience.

At four-years-old Colton became very ill due to a ruptured appendix. Unaware of what was wrong with him, his parents thought he was fighting the stomach flu. It was not until they took him to doctor that they realized how serious his condition was.

The doctors needed to perform an emergency appendectomy because the ruptured organ was infected and was spilling toxins into his blood.

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While on the operating table, Colton died, and said he saw his parents waiting for him during his surgeries.

Upon waking up from surgery, Colton told his father "Dad, did you know I almost died?" For a four-year-old kid to say those words – it was a big deal, and Colton's dad, Pastor Todd even admitted he was skeptical at first.

"We questioned our son at first. But I think as parents everyone can tell when their four year old is telling the truth. When they are telling you things they can not make up, we are close enough to really verify the story," Todd stated.

Colton started mentioning some of the things he saw over the next upcoming weeks.

He said he met Todd's grandfather, "Pop," and commented on how friendly and nice he was. Colton also recalled meeting his unborn sister who died in a miscarriage just two years before he was born.

Colton then described what he saw in Heaven. He said Jesus took him to Heaven and was wearing a white robe with a purple sash. He then saw God's throne room and had angels sing to him.

In an interview with “Today,” the reporter asked Colton, "Do you still have those vivid memories of heaven?" to which he replied, "Yes I do."

"And what stands out most in your mind? What can you really still see?" the reporter asked. "Well the things I remember most are, my family members and Jesus," he responded.

"Do you worry at all that those memories will get fuzzier and fuzzier over time? That happens to everybody." Colton didn't miss a beat, "No, I think those memories are implanted."

Pastor Colton said, "We are looking at all the people who are finding peace, and hope and comfort from Colton's story. To have peace, that's what we focus on."

The pastor went on to write a book, Heaven Is for Real , about his son's experiences and now it is a New York Times best seller.

There is also a kids version of the book called, Heaven Is for Real for Kids , featuring only illustrations.

The reporter then asked Sonja, Colton’s mom, "Is this all about getting a profit?" She replied, "No it's not about that. God blessed the story."

"Our intention was just to write and help a few people and it kind of exploded."

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'Heaven Is For Real' Boy Details Near-Death Experience

Colton Burpo, whose story has become the basis for a best-selling book and new movie, sat down with ET and detailed the near-death experience that has touched millions of lives.

Heaven is For Real recounts what Colton calls his journey from heaven and back.

"First of all, there's trees, there's water, there's grass, there's angels," Colton told ET's Rob Marciano. "There's everything there. ...Heaven is so much better than how they use it in the movie."

Now 15, Colton's vision came at age four during emergency surgery. Colton's parents Todd and Sonja were skeptical of their son's story until he began telling them things about their lives that he couldn't possibly know.

On a lighter note, Colton said that his journey has come with some unexpected perks, both for him and his friends.

"I've had friends pretend to be me to pick up girls," said Colton.

Watch the video to hear Connor Corum, the six-year-old actor who played Colton, describe his favorite part of the movie. Heaven is For Real is out now.

Updates on Celebrity News, TV, Fashion and More!

• Anniston/Gadsden

Did this little boy go to heaven and meet Jesus? 'Heaven is for Real' movie explores near-death experience of Colton Burpo

• Published: Apr. 16, 2014, 12:56 p.m.

The movie "Heaven is for Real" opens in theaters nationwide today, starring Greg Kinnear and Connor Corum. (Sony Pictures)

• Greg Garrison | [email protected]

Hollywood takes a rare glimpse into evangelical Christian theology with the nationwide release today of "Heaven is for Real," a movie about Colton Burpo, the kid who says he went to heaven and came back.

The movie stars Greg Kinnear as Colton's father, Todd Burpo, who wrote a bestselling book about his son's near-death experience called "Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back."

Colton, at age 4, had his appendix burst, requiring emergency surgery. He was hospitalized for 15 days in March 2003 at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte, Neb.

As the family passed by the hospital later, the boy began talking about his experiences, leaving his body, looking down on the doctor performing surgery on him, seeing his father praying and his mother talking on the phone. He said he sat on Jesus' lap and angels sang "Jesus Loves Me" to calm his fears.

Todd Burpo, pastor of Crossroads Wesleyan Church in Imperial, Neb., said in a telephone interview with AL.com that he was startled by the detail of his son's story about going to heaven.

"You can't explain away the fact he could see where I was and where his mom was and what we were doing while he was in surgery," Burpo said.

Then there was a kicker. Colton began talking about meeting his sister in heaven.

He said of his mother, "She had a baby die in her tummy."

Sonja Burpo had had a miscarriage, but the parents had never shared that information with Colton, Burpo said.

"How do you tell a 3-year-old about a miscarriage?" Burpo said. "We didn't feel he was old enough to have that discussion with. We had never talked to him about it."

Then there were stories about Todd Burpo's grandfather, who died when Todd was 7. Colton claimed to have met him and heard stories about things they had done together when Todd was a child. Colton pointed the grandfather out in a picture that he had never seen before.

"He talks about what his sister looks like, what my granddad looks like," Burpo said. "He could tell me stuff I did with Pop. How does a kid recognize a relative he'd never seen before, from a picture taken in the 1940s?"

Todd Burpo was so amazed by the story his son was telling that he decided to write about it and share the story of what his son knew about heaven.

"There were a lot of things that convinced me he definitely had a real experience," Burpo said. "We thought we would take the time to share our testimony and a few people would find it and maybe it would help them."

The book turned into an unexpected publishing phenomenon. Since its release in November 2010, more than 5 million copies have been sold.

Todd, pastor of Grace Wesleyan Church and a volunteer firefighter, and his wife, Sonja, a teacher, tried to continue to live as normal a life as possible.

Colton continued to attend school in Imperial, Neb. "Our goal as parents is to keep life as much the same as we can," Burpo said. "Most of his daily activity remains the same."

A children's book, written in first-person from Colton's perspective, was called "Heaven is for Real for Kids," for ages 4 through 8.

"I grew up in church not knowing anything about heaven," Todd Burpo said. "We have a lot of kids growing up who don't look forward to heaven because they know nothing about it."

The movie will help spread the word about heaven, Burpo said.

"I hope that Colton's testimony continues to get out there and help people," Todd said. "There are a lot of people who don't have peace. He gives a lot of answers that give them peace. When people read the simple, bluntly honest things he describes, people get it. I think God's trying to wake us up. There's a peace you can have in this world while you're waiting on heaven."

The family encountered plenty of skepticism as the book rocketed to the top of bestseller charts.

"Colton gets mad today," Todd said. "He says 'This is in the Bible; why don't people believe it?' People have threatened us because they disagree with what Colton said."

But the criticisms are balanced by those who have been helped by the book, Burpo said.

"We thought it would help others," he said. "We have heard from people who say, 'We had a child die. Now we have peace. Your book gave me peace.'"

Proceeds from Colton's story have enabled the Burpos to support a variety of Christian ministries, Todd said. "We get to help a lot of ministries we never dreamed we could," he said. "It is fun to be able to bless others."

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What started as a near-tragedy has moved his family to greater faith and helped others appreciate that heaven is real, Burpo said.

"His child-like faith is really rubbing off on us," Burpo said. "The time we spent in the hospital watching our child die, I never want to go through that again. God has given us the opportunity to talk about heaven. How great is that?"

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The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven

A boy who was the subject of a book about his trip to heaven recanted his story., kim lacapria, published jan. 14, 2015.

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In July 2010 a book titled The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven: A True Story , about the purported near-death experience of Alex Malarkey (who was six years old at the time), was published by Tindale House Publishers. The book detailed the aftermath of a 2004 automobile accident which left Malarkey permanently injured and his subsequent claim that he had visited Heaven, and met and talked with Jesus, following the crash.

Malarkey's account was one of several books in a genre dubbed "heaven tourism" and is often mistaken for a similar work titled Heaven Is for Real . The latter book involved a different child named Colton Burpo, who was four years old at the time of his purported visit to Heaven.

On 13 January 2015, Alex Malarkey (not, as many believed, Colton Burpo) sent an open letter to Christian publishers recanting his claims and confessing that he fabricated the story about visiting Heaven in order to gain attention:

Please forgive the brevity, but because of my limitations I have to keep this short. I did not die. I did not go to Heaven. I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies, and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough. The Bible is the only source of truth. Anything written by man cannot be infallible.It is only through repentance of your sins and a belief in Jesus as the Son of God, who died for your sins (even though he committed none of his own) so that you can be forgiven may you learn of Heaven outside of what is written in the Bible ... not by reading a work of man. I want the whole world to know that the Bible is sufficient. Those who market these materials must be called to repent and hold the Bible as enough. In Christ, Alex Malarkey

Malarkey himself was not the first involved party to object to the book's continued circulation. In April 2014, his mother Beth Malarkey voiced a number of concerns about the story on her personal blog . The elder Malarkey stated (among numerous grievances) that Alex was urged by a pastor not to recant his story and was not the primary recipient of the story's royalties despite an ongoing need for expensive care due to injuries sustained in the crash. Malarkey concluded:

Alex's name and identity are being used against his wishes (I have spoken before and posted about it that Alex has tried to publically speak out against the book), on something that he is opposed to and knows to be in error according to the Bible. How can this be going on??? Great question ... How did it get this far? Another great question ... sometimes bits of truth can become so twisted and distorted that it seems impossible to straighten out. Your words can get taken, twisted, and out right fabricated!

In the end, Malarkey's book turned out to be something of an eponymous work.

By Kim LaCapria

Kim LaCapria is a former writer for Snopes.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Heaven Is for Real

A small-town father must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. A small-town father must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. A small-town father must find the courage and conviction to share his son's extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world.

• Randall Wallace
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• Greg Kinnear
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• 197 User reviews
• 88 Critic reviews
• 47 Metascore
• 1 win & 5 nominations

Top cast 47

• Sonja Burpo

• Jay Wilkins

• Colton Burpo

• Cassie Burpo

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• Trivia The Lithuanian painting girl who appears at the beginning and ending of the movie, played by Ursula Clark , is based on the real-life Akiane Kramarik (born in July 9, 1994, in Mount Morris, Illinois), a girl who affirmed to have experienced an NDE and to have met Jesus in heaven. In addition, the painting about Jesus shown in the movie is the real painting made by Kramarik, called Prince of Peace.
• Goofs The events in the film took place prior to 2004 when the pastors last child was born, so the grave stone for the dead Marine should not have read "Birth 1990 - Death 2009".

[first lines]

Todd Burpo : Is heaven a hope? Or as real as the earth and sky? I once asked my grandfather that question. And he said by the time he knew the answer, it would be too late for him to tell me. The day would come when I asked that question again, staring into the eyes of my son.

• Connections Featured in The Making of 'Heaven Is For Real' (2014)
• Soundtracks Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing Written by Robert Robinson and John Wyeth

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• Runtime 1 hour 39 minutes
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Cinemazlowski Movie reviews: 'Heaven is for Real' and 'Joe'

By Carl Kozlowski

Apr 15, 2014

Easter is a time of rebirth and redemption, and so it is perfect that this Easter weekend is the time that Sony Pictures picked to release the new film “Heaven Is For Real” into theatres. Based on the purportedly true story of a young boy who claimed to visit Heaven and came back to write a mega-bestselling book about it with his pastor father, the film is the latest in a string of Christian-themed movies that have been scoring impressive runs at the nation’s box offices this year.

At the same time, theaters this weekend also feature another attempt at resurrection and redemption, as Nicolas Cage watches his comeback attempt “Joe” hit release nationwide. Marking his first truly great performance in the nearly two decades since he won the Best Actor Oscar for “Leaving Las Vegas” for portraying a washed-up writer who wanted to drink himself to death, “Joe” follows the story of a struggling but decent man fighting to survive amid a world that’s constantly turning against him. 

Are either or both of these cinematic efforts divine? Or will you be praying for a way out of the theatre?

I’ll start with “Heaven,” which has a better chance to succeed on an artistic level than such low-budget independently produced faith films as the current surprise hit “God’s Not Dead.” While “Dead” and other such low-budget faith films resonate strongly with die-hard evangelical audiences, they are often heavy-handed and don’t reach anyone beyond the proverbial choir because they can’t afford name-brand actors and filmmakers.

I’m a practicing Catholic who has visited plenty of Protestant churches in my time, so I’m not trying to denigrate faith-based films across the board. “Heaven” stars Oscar nominees Greg Kinnear and Thomas Haden Church and Emmy winner Margo Martindale, and is co-written and directed by the Oscar-nominated writer of “Braveheart,” Randall Wallace. Add in the fact that its source book has sold over 10 million copies and was number one on the New York Times best-seller list, and it’s easy to believe that this could cross over to non-believers who are curious about the afterlife.

The story of “Heaven” follows the family of a small-town Nebraska pastor named Todd Burpo, whose son Colton needed an emergency appendectomy when he was four years old. Colton claims his spirit left his body temporarily during the surgery and that he visited heaven.  Despite the fact that Todd is a preacher, he doesn’t know what to think about Colton’s story and tries to discern if his kid is making it up or having psychological issues. But with each further explanation of what he saw in the afterlife, Colton manages to convince his father and other skeptics around them to believe he actually has an incredible experience to share.

That’s the entire plot in a nutshell, with no big cliffhangers. “Heaven” has a simple storyline, almost too much so at times, as the first half hour takes forever to get going, and there’s rarely much tension in the rest of it either. But, like the book it is adapted from, its purpose is to assure viewers that there is a beautiful afterlife that awaits those who believe. “Heaven” scores points on an artistic level through the fact that its cast is filled with talented actors who invest themselves fully in its tale, and that it doesn’t use a didactic approach in the manner of “God’s Not Dead.” It takes a quiet approach to its message, and for those inclined to believe or at least be open to the possibility of an afterlife, that slow build could have a quiet and lasting impact.  And of course, it’s perfectly fine family fare.

“Joe” is also quietly powerful, though it has a lot more complexity in its plot and portrait of desperate small-town lives straight out of the Southern Gothic world of Flannery O’Connor stories. “Joe” follows the story of Joe (Nicolas Cage), a man who heads up a work crew that clears backwoods areas of dead trees. He treats his men – all African-Americans in an area that is still caught up in de facto segregation – with respect and fair pay. He meets a teenage loner named Gary (Tye Sheridan) one day as the boy asks for a job on the tree crew, and hires him.

Joe comes to learn that Gary is horribly impoverished and abused by his worthless alcoholic father, and teaches him lessons in self-esteem and self-respect. He also defends Gary against his father and helps the boy move in with him to be in a safe environment.

But Joe has enemies from elsewhere in town and his past, and constantly has to control a temper that once got him thrown in prison for 29 months for assaulting a policeman. As Joe faces pressures from saving the boy as well as his own economic strains and the danger of others seeking to hurt him, he gets caught between trying to be a truly good man and the sometimes inevitable fact that good guys sometimes have bad things happen no matter how hard they try.

“Joe” marks a huge artistic comeback for its star Nicolas Cage, who has been lazily making poor action movies for well over a decade yet delivers what might be his career-best performance here. Young Tye Sheridan builds on his impressive debut in “Mud”  and offers a beautiful portrait  of a kid trying to do the right thing when everyone around him does wrong to him.

While Joe is the story of a decent man trying to help the lives of those around him and is artistically satisfying for mature discerning viewers, it should be noted that it is filled with an abundance of foul language. Yet rather than seeming like an empty exploitative choice, the language does fit the hardscrabble and emotionally illiterate lives of the characters around Joe and Gary, as well as their frustration with a world that can’t be better. “Joe” also has a few bursts of shocking violence, although it is more implied with clever editing than graphically shown.

Director David Gordon Green brings “Joe” to life in a sad and dusty world of poverty and broken dreams, but keeps his real focus on the decent hearts of Joe and Gary. They’re two fellows who might be all too easy to ignore in real life, but they’re heartbreakingly compelling onscreen.

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Boy Who Saw Heaven Inspires Movie and People

When Colton Burpo was 4-years-old, he claims to have seen Heaven during a near death experience and now that incredible story has been turned into the film, Heaven Is For Real. INSIDE EDITION sits down with Burpo.

It’s the new movie about one boy’s extraordinary claim, that Heaven is for real, because he was there.

Heaven is For Real , starring Greg Kinnear, is based on the best-selling book of the same name, about the near-death experience of little Colton Burpo.

Colton sat down with INSIDE EDITION’s Megan Alexander, who asked him, “You really went to Heaven?”

Colton replied, “Yes.”

Colton is 14 years old today. When he was just four, he was rushed to the hospital with a ruptured appendix where surgeons fought to save his life. That’s when Colton says he left his body and went to Heaven.

Alexander asked, “What was it like?"

"Well, Heaven is such an amazing place.” Colton replied. “I mean, there's people, angels, animals. There's pretty much everything up there.”

Watch the Entire Segment

Colton's description of Heaven has been met with some skepticism. He says everyone in Heaven was wearing wings and that Jesus was riding a rainbow colored horse.

Colton continued, "There's so many colors in Heaven. I mean, the colors in Heaven, they have even more then we have down here on earth."

Colton's dad,Todd Burpo, who was a pastor, says he became convinced of the story when his son described looking down on him in the hospital, as he prayed for his son's life.

Alexander asked Todd, "You believe your son saw Heaven?"

"Absolutely." Todd said. "I remember that first trip for eight hours I tried to explain it away. It took me eight hours for me to finally say, okay, this is true.

Todd's book Heaven is For Real was a sensation when it was released three years ago. It's been on the New York Times best sellers list even since, selling eight million copies.

He says Colton's story gives people hope. Todd told Alexander, "When people are hurting, people need hope. It's been amazing how many levels we've been able to give people hope on."

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• Book Reviews

Are Visits to Heaven for Real?

A pastor’s book recounting his son’s visit to heaven rose to the top of the bestseller list and became a major motion picture. Christians were quick to spread the word, but could such visits be for real?

In recent years, Christian booksellers have inundated the evangelical world with testimonies from people who say they visited heaven in near-death experiences. Their stories are full of specific details about what heaven is like, who is there, and what is happening in the celestial realm. But when we compare their claims with Scripture, it becomes clear that they are merely figments of the human imagination, not true visions of heaven as it is described in God ’s Word.

The best known of all these tales, Heaven Is for Real , 1 was a major motion picture, released in April 2014. It is the story of Colton Burpo, whose parents believe he visited heaven when he was just four—during surgery after a burst appendix nearly took his life. Colton’s descriptions of heaven are full of fanciful features and peculiar details that bear all the earmarks of a child’s vivid imagination. There’s nothing transcendent or even particularly enlightening about Colton’s heaven. It is completely devoid of the breathtaking glory featured in every biblical description of the heavenly realm.

There’s nothing transcendent or even particularly enlightening about Colton’s heaven.

Stories like Colton’s are as dangerous as they are seductive. Readers not only get a twisted, unbiblical picture of heaven; they also imbibe a subjective, superstitious, shallow brand of spirituality. Studying mystical accounts of supposed journeys into the afterlife yields nothing but confusion, contradiction, false hope, bad doctrine, and a host of similar evils.

We live in a narcissistic culture, and it shows in these accounts of people who claim they’ve been to heaven. They sound as if they viewed paradise in a mirror, keeping themselves in the foreground. They say comparatively little about God or His glory. But the glory of God is what the Bible says fills, illuminates, and defines heaven. Instead, the authors of these stories seem obsessed with details like how good they felt—how peaceful, how happy, how comforted they were; how they received privileges and accolades; how fun and enlightening their experience was; and how many things they think they now understand perfectly that could never be gleaned from Scripture alone. In short, they glorify self while barely noticing God ’s glory. They highlight everything but what’s truly important about heaven.

It is quite true that heaven is a place of perfect bliss—devoid of all sorrow and sin , full of exultation and enjoyment—a place where grace and peace reign totally unchallenged. Heaven is where every true treasure and every eternal reward is laid up for the redeemed. Anyone whose destiny is heaven will certainly experience more joy and honor there than the fallen mind is capable of comprehending—infinitely more than any fallen creature deserves. But if you actually saw heaven and lived to tell about it, those things are not what would capture your heart and imagination.

You would be preoccupied instead with the majesty and grace of the One whose glory fills the place.

Sadly, undiscerning readers abound, and they take these postmodern accounts of heaven altogether seriously. The stratospheric sales figures and far-reaching influence of these books ought to be a matter of serious concern for anyone who truly loves the Word of God .

The Bible on Near-Death Experiences

There is simply no reason to believe anyone who claims to have gone to heaven and returned. John 3:13 says, “ No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ” And John 1:18 says, “ No one has seen God at any time. ”

Four biblical authors had visions of heaven—not near-death experiences. Isaiah and Ezekiel (Old Testament prophets) and Paul and John (New Testament apostles) all had such visions. Two other biblical figures—Micaiah and Stephen—got glimpses of heaven, but what they saw is merely mentioned, not described ( 2 Chronicles 18:18; Acts 7:55 ).

Only three of these men later wrote about what they saw—and the details they gave were comparatively sparse ( Isaiah 6:1–4 ; Ezekiel 1, 10 ; Revelation 4–6 ). All of them focused properly on God ’s glory. They also mentioned their own fear and shame in the presence of such glory. They had nothing to say about the mundane features that are so prominent in modern tales about heaven (things like picnics, games, juvenile attractions, familiar faces, odd conversations, and so on). Paul gave no actual description of heaven but simply said what he saw would be unlawful to utter. In short, the biblical descriptions of heaven could hardly be any more different from today’s fanciful stories about heaven.

Lazarus of Bethany fell ill and died, and his body lay decaying in a tomb for four days until Jesus raised him ( John 11:17 ). A whole chapter in John’s Gospel is devoted to the story of how Jesus brought him back from the dead. But there’s not a hint or a whisper anywhere in Scripture about what happened to Lazarus’s soul in that four-day interim. The same thing is true of every person in Scripture who was ever brought back from the dead, beginning with the widow’s son whom Elijah raised in 1 Kings 17:17–24 and culminating with Eutychus, who was healed by Paul in Acts 20:9–12 . Not one biblical person ever gave any recorded account of his or her postmortem experience in the realm of departed souls.

Crossing the Boundaries

Far too much of the present interest in heaven, angels, and the afterlife stems from carnal curiosity. It is not a trend biblical Christians should encourage or celebrate. Any pursuit that diminishes people’s reliance on the Bible is fraught with grave spiritual dangers—especially if it is something that leads gullible souls into superstition, gnosticism, occultism, New Age philosophies, or any kind of spiritual confusion. Those are undeniably the roads most traveled by people who feed a morbid craving for detailed information about the afterlife, devouring stories of people who claim to have gone to the realm of the dead and returned.

Scripture never indulges that desire. In the Old Testament era, every attempt to communicate with the dead was deemed a sin on par with sacrificing infants to false gods ( Deuteronomy 18:10–12 ). The Hebrew Scriptures say comparatively little about the disposition of souls after death, and the people of God were strictly forbidden to inquire further on their own. Necromancy was a major feature of Egyptian religion. It also dominated every religion known among the Canaanites. But under Moses’s law it was a sin punishable by death ( Leviticus 20:27 ).

The New Testament adds much to our understanding of heaven (and hell), but we are still not permitted to add our own subjective ideas and experience-based conclusions to what God has specifically revealed through His inerrant Word. Indeed, we are forbidden in all spiritual matters to go beyond what is written ( 1 Corinthians 4:6 ).

Those who demand to know more than Scripture tells us about heaven are sinning: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever” ( Deuteronomy 29:29 ). The limits of our curiosity are thus established by the boundary of biblical revelation. In the words of Charles Spurgeon,

It’s a little heaven below, to imagine sweet things. But never think that imagination can picture heaven. When it is most sublime, when it is freest from the dust of earth, when it is carried up by the greatest knowledge, and kept steady by the most extreme caution, imagination cannot picture heaven. “ It hath not entered the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. ” Imagination is good, but not to picture to us heaven. Your imaginary heaven you will find by-and-by to be all a mistake; though you may have piled up fine castles, you will find them to be castles in the air, and they will vanish like thin clouds before the gale. For imagination cannot make a heaven. “ Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered the heart of man to conceive ” it. 2

What God has revealed in Scripture is the only legitimate place to get a clear understanding of the heavenly kingdom. God ’s written Word does in fact give us a remarkably full and clear picture of heaven and the spiritual realm. But the Bible still leaves many questions unanswered.

We need to accept the boundaries God Himself has put on what He has revealed. It is sheer folly to speculate where Scripture is silent. It is sinfully wrong to try to investigate spiritual mysteries using occult means. And it is seriously dangerous to listen to anyone who claims to know more about God , heaven, angels, or the afterlife than God Himself has revealed to us in Scripture.

The Glories of Heaven

It is, however, right and beneficial for Christians to fix their hearts on heaven. Scripture commands us to cultivate that perspective: “ If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on earth ” ( Colossians 3:1–2 ). “ While we do not look at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal ” ( 2 Corinthians 4:18 ). “ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ ” ( Philippians 3:20 ).

Such a perspective is the very essence of true faith, according to Hebrews 11. Those with authentic, biblical faith acknowledge that they are strangers and pilgrims on this earth ( v. 13 ). They are seeking a heavenly homeland ( v. 14 ). They “desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them” ( v. 16 ). The “city” that verse refers to is the heavenly Jerusalem, an unimaginable place—the very capital of heaven. It will be the eternal abode of the redeemed. No wonder Christians are intrigued with the subject.

But no matter how much they might obsess over what heaven is like, people who fill their heads with a lot of fantastic or delusional ideas from others’ near-death experiences have not truly set their minds on things above. If the inerrant biblical truth God has given us is the only reliable knowledge about heaven we have access to (and it is), then that is what should grip our hearts and minds, not the dreams and speculations of human minds.

Answers Magazine

April – june 2014.

A closer look at the Genesis Flood account reveals a beautifully written, unified narrative that points to one inspired author. The passage masterfully highlights one central message: “God remembered Noah.” Along with in-depth articles on the Flood, this issue shows biblical and historical evidences of Christ’s Resurrection, new discoveries about the miracle of a butterfly’s metamorphosis and much more!

• Heaven Is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back (Nashville: Nelson, 2010).
• Charles H. Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit , 6 vols. (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1856), 2:18.

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The Two-Way

Boy says he didn't go to heaven; publisher says it will pull book.

Bill Chappell

Alex Malarkey, seen here in a 2009 photo, has written an open letter saying that events described in the best-seller The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven were made up. John Kuntz/The Plain Dealer/Landov hide caption

Alex Malarkey, seen here in a 2009 photo, has written an open letter saying that events described in the best-seller The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven were made up.

Nearly five years after it hit best-seller lists, a book that purported to be a 6-year-old boy's story of visiting angels and heaven after being injured in a bad car crash is being pulled from shelves. The young man at the center of The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven , Alex Malarkey, said this week that the story was all made up.

The book's publisher, Tyndale House, had promoted it as "a supernatural encounter that will give you new insights on Heaven, angels, and hearing the voice of God."

But Thursday, Tyndale House confirmed to NPR that it is taking "the book and all ancillary products out of print."

The decision to pull the book comes after Alex Malarkey wrote an open letter to retailer LifeWay and others who sell Christian books and religious materials. It was published this week on the Pulpit and Pen website .

"I did not die. I did not go to Heaven," Alex wrote. He continued, "I said I went to heaven because I thought it would get me attention. When I made the claims that I did, I had never read the Bible. People have profited from lies, and continue to. They should read the Bible, which is enough. The Bible is the only source of truth. Anything written by man cannot be infallible."

He concluded, "Those who market these materials must be called to repent and hold the Bible as enough."

Here are a few key background details of the story: Alex Malarkey was paralyzed at the age of 6 when he was in a car wreck. He then spent two months in a coma. He's now a teenager. The book lists him as a co-author along with his father, Kevin Malarkey.

Calling the book a "spiritual memoir," The Washington Post notes that it "became part of a popular genre of 'heavenly tourism,' which has been controversial among orthodox Christians."

Alex's parents are now divorced; he and his siblings live with his mother, Beth Malarkey, who has previously spoken out against the book featuring her son. She has also said that profits from the book haven't been going to Alex. Another book about a boy who said he had gone to heaven, Heaven Is For Real , has been turned into a movie.

Last spring, Beth Malarkey wrote a blog post stating, "Alex's name and identity are being used against his wishes (I have spoken before and posted about it that Alex has tried to publicly speak out against the book), on something that he is opposed to and knows to be in error according to the Bible."

She added, "I am fully aware of what it feels like to be pulled in. There are many who are scamming and using the Word of God to do it. They are good, especially if you are not digging into your Bible and truly studying it. They study their audience and even read 'success' books to try to build better and bigger ... 'ministries/businesses.' "

Thanks to NPR editor Susan Vavrick for flagging this story.

• alex malarkey