This past week I read two amazingly different books. As I thought about it last night it occurred to me that I don’t think I could have read two more opposite books. I started the week by reading The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, because it needed to be read before I saw the new film. It is a good book, but very predictable at times and slightly too formulaic. It is also gruesome and violent at both a physical and psychological level. The second book I read this week is Todd Burpo’s syrupy sweet tear inducing Heaven is For Real. My reading was distinctly bi-polar this week. I thought I would spend some digital ink with a brief review of Heaven is for Real.
The Great Stuff
- Disclaimer, I did not think I would like this book. In general I am not a big fan of books like this which involve dying and coming back to life , ala Don Piper. These kinds of books are not bad, it’s just that I don’t need them. I’m already convinced that heaven is real. But . . . this particular book has such a compelling story that it is interesting in spite of the fact you know from the very first page where this is headed. There are no surprises here; nevertheless it is fascinating. I do not know whether that is Burpo or his co-author Lynn Vincent.
The Good Stuff
- There are a lot of good, wholesome things about this book, but one which sticks out is that I think I would like this family. More than that, there is something about the way in which the story unwinds that feels familiar. At several points in the narrative I kept thinking, ‘Yeah, that is exactly how I would be,’ or ‘I’ve felt that way before.’
- A second bit of good stuff would be the way in which Todd Burpo, a pastor, uses Scripture as his guideline for interpreting what his son is telling him; not the other way around. It would be so tempting to take our experiences and then view Scripture through that lens, but Burpo works hard to rightly point out that Scripture is our guide and we must start there. I appreciated that aspect of the book very much.
The Bad Stuff
- There is not too much bad in the book, but I somewhat worry about this little boy as he grows up. His parents are going to need to make very certain that he is healthy and well-adjusted as he grows up in his small town. I can see where something like this–not the going to heaven business, mind you but the celebrity of being the boy who died and went to heaven–might eventually become a negative on him. I’m not saying it will, but I’m saying the possibility is there and those adults around him will need to help him process through it all.
In summary, I liked this book, and I recommend it. The read is quick, only 154 pages of text with a fairly large font (but not as quick as Don Piper’s book 90 Minutes in Heaven. He was in heaven longer than it took me to read his book.) Inevitably people ask me, “Do you believe the story is true?” Well, I suppose I have to now, don’t I? I have no reason not to and there is nothing in the book contrary to my theological construct of eternity. I can say that the narrative is persuasive and has the feel of authenticity. I hope its true. But whether Heaven is For Real is for real or not; I do know that heaven is for real.
4 responses to “HEAVEN IS FOR REAL: A BOOK REVIEW”
[…] there are other books I would recommend way ahead of Platts. You can click here, here, and here to find other reviews. Oooohhh, and don’t forget about that other one (click […]
Thanks for writing about the book. I love the bible and am so excited to get to heaven (and the millenium) because of all I have learned about it through the Word and good teachers of the Word. I put off buying this book because of some of the concerns which you have expressed and I feared it would be another cultish Rick Warren book. However, it is easy and entertaining to read and highly encouraging, I did find it to line up with what I have learned very well except I was bothered by 1) that we all get wings (this seems out of line considering Jesus is the first fruit and I feel our bodies will be more like His as opposed to the angels, 2) there are differences in the ages of those living in heaven (this is only my perception but again I feel like God would not saddle some with being a child for eternity so not sure why this is in Colton’s experience). That said–I feel like what happened here is no different than any other person who has experienced heaven due to a near death experience. The difference is — Colton spoke about it over time and his dad had the foresight to write it into a book which I am sure will be a blessing to many people and likely be another seed that brings them to faith. When my neice died it was a terribly sad but profound experience for those who witnessed and heard about it….while she passed to the other side over the course of a day, in her unconsious state, she was speaking to various loved ones who had already passed on–some seemed to be in her room. One theme we saw repeated was reconciliation and resolution with both people from heaven and this life. It was amazing. She also spoke of events that were occuring within the household of which she could have no knowledge (as if she were viewing it from a perspective outside her body) and sometimes before they occurred. She also spoke about heaven (and its beauty) and most amazingly, kept indicating she needed to leave by 3:15. At the moment she died (which was 3:15) she sat up in bed and excitedly exclaimed, “hello mama” before expiring.
The point is: as long as it is truthful and lines up with scripture, I personally am thankful for this book as long as it reaches those who have not yet read the word but have heard it anecdotally or once or twice a year. They are missing the word and its wonderful benefits but hopefully they are experiencing Christ in the little they encounter — enough to believe and be saved.
trudy,
i agree with you that Scripture must be the baseline for our beliefs, not our experiences. funny how you mention the issue with the wings, because i though the exact same thing when reading the book. i’ve always thought we would not have wings in heaven. i still think that, by the way. thanks for reading my blog and for sharing your own experiences. i appreciate that.
[…] about the movie. At first, I referred them to my review of the book a couple of years ago. Click here to read the review of the book. Yesterday, though, I broke down and bought my ticket to see the movie. I watched it in a […]