There are a number of explanations to choose from to explain Colton's visions. In the first place, the book may be nothing more than a presentation of a young boy's imaginative musings as encouraged by his gullible father. His original exclamation that angels sang to him while he was in the hospital certainly points that direction. It is just the sort of thing a four year old child born and raised in the church would say. The rest of the story could have been manufactured over the months and years as the child was prompted by his parents. The obvious connections to demonic deception may have been suggested by the enemy at the same time. In my opinion, this is the most likely scenario.
Another explanation may be that the entire account was made up by the parents and repeated to the Burpo child so frequently, he accepted it as his own experience. An additional sinister explanation would be that Colton fell under the influence of unclean spirits while sedated during surgery and Mr. Burpo failed to protect and correct his son. This is not to suggest Colton is now or ever has been demon possessed but to say he may have been influenced by ideas planted in his mind by minions of the devil while in a vulnerable state. Yet it is really not for me to say what is behind the story. Obviously I don't know; I offer these explanations only to show there are possibilities other than the one proposed by the book.
Perhaps a more troubling issue is the theological illiteracy that has helped propel Heaven Is For Real to best seller status. Frankly this book project should have never gotten off the ground. In my view, Mr. Burpo's church and denomination should have counseled him to turn away from his error and levied sanctions in the circumstance of his refusal to do so.
The many Christians who have read and enjoyed Heaven Is For Real need to recognize their doctrinal ignorance and make an effort to correct the problem. They need to study God's word in depth on a daily basis and insist on solid Bible teaching from the pulpit. Until then books like Heaven Is For Real will continue to spread their malignant influence throughout the Body of Christ.
1. I have nine children and taught elementary age Sunday School for many years.
2. Henry A “Harry” Ironside, Ironside's public domain commentary texts, Dr. David S. Thomason ed., e-Sword edition, (2011). Additional comments (in no particular order) concerning Revelation 21:9 from the resources I have at hand include: ...The pure and holy Christian Church, (Adam Clarke); ...represents the redeemed church now to be received into permanent union with its Lord, (Albert Barnes); ...[the angel is saying] I will show thee the whole church, (Matthew Poole); ...all the elect of God, (John Gill); ...the glorified church, (B. W. Johnson); The principle concern of this description is to show that the Christian church is the true fulfillment of the people Israel, (Earl Palmer); The Jerusalem that descends to earth from heaven is the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, (Simon J. Kistemaker); In beautiful symbol, the pattern of what the true Church of Christ, even now and here, should ever aspire to be. ...what we have here is the description of the true New Testament Church, (The Pulpit Commentary); The picture is not, of course, intended to evoke images of space stations, or of cities literally floating in the air; rather, it indicates the divine origin of “the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10), (David Chilton)
3. Found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKkBBDEc-4I& feature=related
4. Gary North, Unholy Spirits: Occultism And New Age Humanism, (Fort Worth: Dominion Press, 1986), 182 – 183.
5. See, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYDzUTZys8g& feature =player_embedded#at=24
6. http://www.christianity.com/11622549/print/
7. Marilyn Ferguson, The Aquarian Conspiracy, (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1980), 384.
8. Walter Martin, The Kingdom Of The Cults, (Minneapolis: Bethany House Publishers, 1977), 178 – 184.
9. Walter A. Elwell, ed., Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, (Grand Rapids: Baker book House, 1987), 1087.
10. Robert W Wall, New International Biblical Commentary: Revelation, (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), 232. Also H. B. Swete who says the passage exemplifies “the whole course of the expansion of Christianity: the conversion of the Empire; the conversion of the Western nations which rose on the ruins of the Empire; the conversion of the South and the far East, still working itself out in the history of our own time. In all St. John would have seen Christ using the Sword of His mouth; the white horse and his Rider, the diadem-crowned head, the invisible armies of heaven.” H. B. Swete, Commentary on Revelation (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, [1911] 1977), p. 254.
11. Randy Alcorn, Heaven, (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 2004), 67.
12 North, 182
13. Ferguson, 184
14. North, 153
15. Phil Phillips, Turmoil In The Toy Box, (Lancaster: Starburst Publishers, 1986), 82.
16. Herbert J. Pollitt, The Inter-Faith Movement: The New Age enters the Church, (Carlise: The Banner Of Truth Trust, 1996), 164.
17. Akiane Kramarik also talks about seeing incredible rainbow colors in her visions of heaven.
18. Kevin and Alex Mallarkey, The boy who came back from heaven, (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 2010, 2011), 186.
19. These words come from the endorsements found at the front of Heaven Is For Real.
20. Jo Anne Lyon, General Superintendent, The Wesleyan Church: found in the endorsements located at the front of Heaven Is For Real.
21. Adam Clarke's Commentary On The Bible, e-Sword Electronic Edition, Isaiah 3:4.
Also formatted For Your Kindle
The End Was Near
End Times Bible Prophecy Made Simple
By D. Eric Williams
Product Details
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 167 KB
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B005HGGL00
Lending: Enabled
The Truth About The Boy
Who Came Back From Heaven
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
By D. Eric Williams
Product Details
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 122 KB
Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
Language: English
ASIN: B0063MR3EU
Lending: Enabled
D. Eric Williams has ministered throughout the Mountain-West region of the United States since 1988. In addition to his current pastorate at Cottonwood Community Church in Cottonwood Idaho, he is the Chaplain at the Idaho state Veterans Home in Lewiston Idaho. He holds a BA from the University of the State of New York a MA from the Southern California Graduate School of Theology and is ordained with the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference. Eric, his wife, and nine children, and have home-schooled for more than 20 years.
Eric's ministry is focused on Christ centered expository Bible teaching that is covenantal in nature. His goal is to help families fulfill the kingdom mandate by developing a Christian worldview firmly founded on biblical truth.
Men Of Issachar
Understand The Times, Know What To Do
ISBN/EAN13: 1441435670 / 9781441435675
Page Count:190
According to Webster's dictionary a crisis is a “decisive moment or an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs” in history. It is fashionable to suggest the early 21st century is a time of crisis. We are told by our leadership that crisis is at every hand. Indeed, when crisis does not materialize as quickly or as violently as one might expect it seems civil leadership is not averse to creating “crisis.”
However, we are in the midst of crisis. The situation we face today is not economic, environmental, political or sociological. Instead, it is a crisis of leadership at the most elementary level. It is a crisis requiring a dramatic cultural shift in order to correct the course of history. As things now stand we are headed for disaster. Indeed, we
are experiencing the slow unfolding of disaster all around us even today.
Real Faith
Studies In The Epistle Of James
ISBN/EAN13: 1441436782 / 9781441436788
Page Count: 174
The Epistle of James is all about Faith - real faith, living faith, active faith. Like the apostle Paul, James would have us work out our salvation with fear and trembling. This book endeavors to show how that is done.
According to James' epistle, real faith is based upon certain presuppositions. True faith finds joy in hardship. Faith brings unity in the body; it engenders self-control; it benefits the individual and the world at large.
Real Faith, Studies In The Epistle Of James will en-able you to read the letter of James with fresh eyes and allow you to apply this misunderstood book to your walk of faith.
I am happy to commend D. Eric Williams' studies in the epistle of James. "Real Faith" is down-to-earth, just like the epistle, and is well-suited to help the reader unpack the kind of practical help that James is known for. Douglas Wilson
The End Was Near
End Times Bible Prophecy
Made Simple
ISBN/EAN13: 1451591209 / 9781451591200
Page Count: 140
Are we living in the Last Days? Are the End Times upon us? Many popular writers confidently say we are the terminal generation - but is that what the Bible says? Find out in this introductory study of biblical eschatology by Pastor and writer D. Eric Williams.
In this brief overview of the topic, Pastor Williams reveals the proper approach to interpreting End Time passages and provides the tools necessary for understanding biblical eschatology.
Shine Forth As The Sun
The Messianic Reign In Parable
According To Matthew's Gospel
ISBN/EAN13: 144143772X / 9781441437723
Page Count: 225
The kingdom of God: when will it begin? What are its characteristics? Who will be a part of it? Drawing from the "kingdom is like" parables of our Lord Jesus Christ, Pastor D. Eric Williams examines these questions and more in this collection of sermons concerning the kingdom of God according to Matthew's Gospel.
The Christmas Season
Stories For Each Week of Advent
And Christmas Eve
ISBN/EAN13: 1434816575 / 9781434816573
Page Count: 120
Prophecy, Shepherds, Bethlehem, Wisemen and Christmas Eve: each week of the Advent Season is special and exciting. Now you can make your Christmas Season more compelling and real than it has ever been before. The Christmas Season, Stories for Each Week of Advent and Christmas Eve, will transport you to the time and place where it first came to pass. Be there as the prophet Isaiah declares the coming of the Messiah. Live with the first century shepherds who were told of Christ's birth and experience their awe at the angelic visitation. Agonize with the Bethlehem innkeeper who has "no room in the inn." Wander the far reaches of the Middle East with the Wisemen as they search for the promised Messiah. And finally, live the heartbreak and joy of Mary and Joseph as God's ancient promises find fulfillment through them.
The Christmas season needs a lot more attention from evangelical Christians, and that is what D. Eric Williams provides in his book "The Christmas Season: Stories for Each Week of Advent and Christmas Eve." We tend to pay too much of the wrong kind of attention to Christmas, and not nearly enough of the right kind. In these short fictional stories for each week of Advent, Christian families can find good material to help focus their thoughts on the reason for the season.
Douglas Wilson
The Power Presentation
Career Acceleration Through Public Speaking
ISBN/EAN13: 1434818985 / 9781434818980
Page Count: 150
Quasimodo On Skis
A Collection Of Humorous Essays Designed to
Produce A Chuckle In Even The Most Curmudgeonly Of People
ISBN /EAN 13: 1460931971 / 978-1460931974
Page Count: 101
Heaven Is For Real, The Book Isn't: An Astounding Refutation Of A Story About A Trip To Heaven And Back Page 3