John Burke, a pastor and author, has extensively studied over a thousand near-death experiences and believes these accounts affirm the existence of God and the truth of the Bible. In his new book, “Imagine the God of Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God’s Revelation, and the Love You’ve Always Wanted,” he shares his findings with readers.
Burke describes a near-death experience as a moment where someone is clinically dead – no heartbeat, no brain activity – and then miraculously or medically, they return to life. He said, “And when they come back, they talk about experiencing the life to come, and they talk about how it’s more real than anything they’ve ever experienced in this world.”
His research spans interviews with people globally who have undergone such experiences. He explained, “They are seeing and experiencing the God of Scripture. And we’re looking, not only at His love story told throughout history in the Bible, but also his heart and characteristics, the mystery, the majesty of God.”
Despite the compelling nature of these stories, skepticism persists. Burke attributes this to the difficulty of translating other-worldly experiences into human language. He likens it to trying to describe a three-dimensional world of color using the terms of a two-dimensional black-and-white painting.
Burke’s interest in these experiences stemmed from his own agnosticism. “When I first heard about this, I was an agnostic,” he recalled. “So, hearing these experiences as an engineer got me thinking, ‘Maybe this is evidence,’ and then it got me into the scriptures and then I started to see the evidence, and I came to faith.”
He sees these experiences as not only evidence for non-believers but also as a source of deep lessons for Christians, emphasizing God’s love for humanity.
In summary, Burke’s exploration of near-death experiences offers an insightful look into what lies beyond, drawing closer connections between these experiences and the narratives of the Bible. It’s a reminder of the profound love and mystery that surrounds our understanding of faith and the afterlife.
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” 1 Corinthians 13:12.