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This Forthcoming Film Is ‘For Real’

The little-boy-who-saw-Heaven book will be made into a movie.
on Mar 28, 2013 · 3 comments

Once they’re begun, some ongoing Christian franchises just seem inevitable:

Randall Wallace—who wrote the Academy Award-winning film Braveheart and directed Secretariat—is directing Heaven Is for Real, which will be produced by Joe Roth (Oz the Great and Powerful) and T.D. Jakes—pastor at The Potter’s House in Dallas, best-selling author and co-producer of the movie Jumping the Broom, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

cover_heavenisforrealRead more at ChristianRetailing.com.

I don’t always critique books that purport to recount near-death experiences. But when I do, I don’t first challenge whether God would actually do that for someone and let him/her tell the tale 1. Rather I ask: do we really need more emphasis on the present Heaven as if that’s our final destination, rather than going there to await their own future resurrection (a timely topic this week) and also the resurrected New Heavens and New Earth?

But if you want to challenge the notion of near-death experiences at all, see Tim Challies’ review, or Randy Alcorn’s review 2

Do you think God would give someone now a sneak preview of Heaven’s current “version”? If so, what would you expect?

  1. Unlike, say, the Apostle Paul who went to Heaven but could not talk about it — 2 Cor. 12: 1-10. ↩
  2. Alcorn is the author of the nonfiction Heaven, which is really more about the oft-ignored and left-unimagined New Heavens and New Earth. ↩
E. Stephen Burnett explores fantastical stories for God’s glory as publisher of Lorehaven.com and its weekly Fantastical Truth podcast, and coauthored The Pop Culture Parent and other resources for fans and families. He and his wife, Lacy, live in the Austin area, where they serve in their local church. His first novel, a science-fiction adventure, arrives in 2025 from Enclave Publishing.
  1. akmeek says:
    March 28, 2013 at 7:08 pm

    One thing I find amazing is how so many of these books contradict each other. From what I’ve read, most of them are mushy, man-centered cheap theatrics. Just my two-cents.

    Reply
  2. E. Stephen Burnett says:
    March 28, 2013 at 7:12 pm

    Heaven is For Real at least includes the Gospel, and one could argue that those looking to that book for “proof” are abusing its message and its authors’ intent. I’m not sure that would be the case for yet another NDE-themed book I spied at the store just this afternoon, which was directly, even arrogantly titled, Proof of Heaven.

    I want to sigh and kindly, yet firmly, say to its author/ghostwriter(s)/publisher:

    Son, I don’t know you. I know Jesus Christ. He says it’s real. That settles it. Okay? Now, when you can top His dying for my sins and then resurrecting to defeat death and Hell, I may ask you instead for such “proof.”

    Reply
  3. Bainespal says:
    March 28, 2013 at 8:36 pm

    Since the purpose of this post appears to be cautiously making fun of the motives behind this kind of book….
     
    “ChristianRetailing.com”?  “….Christian Products Industry”?  *facepalm* *headdesk* *facepalm*
     
    And some of us (I assume) thought the mainstream Christian book industry was full of scam and kitsch.  I’ve know that God has been for sale in the Evangelical world since I saw the words “God on the Go” on a Bible in the book section at Wal Mart, but I don’t relish another reminder.  And I’m not raving against capitalism or anything like that…. it’s good to make a living…. but this is ridiculous and disrespectful. 🙁

    Reply

What say you?