Book Review: Imagine Heaven by John Burke

Imagine Heaven: Near-Death Experiences, God's Promises, and the Exhilarating Future That Awaits You by John Burke
Genre: Adult NonFiction (Christian Nonfiction)
Date Published: November 1, 2015
Publisher: Baker Books

1 out of 25 Americans has had a near-death experience.

Do they reveal the Heaven of the Bible?

 

All of us long to know what life after death will be like. Bestselling author John Burke is no exception. In Imagine Heaven, he compares more than one hundred gripping stories of near-death experiences (NDEs) to what Scripture says about our biggest questions of Heaven: Will I be myself? Will I see friends and loved ones? What will Heaven look like? What is God like? What will we do forever? What about children and pets?

Burke shows how the common experiences shared by thousands of near-death survivors--including doctors, college professors, bank presidents, people of all ages and cultures, and even blind people--point to the exhilarating picture of Heaven promised in the Bible.

This thrilling journey into the afterlife will make you feel like you've been there, forever changing the way you view the life to come--and the way you live your life today. You'll discover Heaven is even more amazing than you've ever imagined.

 

"Burke has managed to write this book like a detective novel--it's very hard to put down, yet filled with important content that answers the questions a typical person would have with this subject. In all honesty, this is now the go-to book on Heaven and NDEs."--J. P. Moreland, distinguished professor of philosophy, Biola University

 

"In his engrossing book, my friend John Burke surveys the vast literature on NDEs, examining them in light of the Bible and showing how they can help us live with an eye on eternity."--Lee Strobel, bestselling author of The Case for Christ and The Case for Grace

 

"It's been a long time since I have enjoyed a book as much as this one. Imagine Heaven is clearly reasoned and draws relevant applications for our lives."--Gary R. Habermas, distinguished research professor and chair of the department of philosophy, Liberty University

 

John Burke is the author of No Perfect People Allowed, Soul Revolution, and Unshockable Love. He is the pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas. As an international speaker, John has addressed hundreds of thousands of people in twenty countries on topics of leadership and spiritual growth.

Imagine Heaven is a stand alone book telling the Near Death Experiences of multiple people. I was enthralled by every bit of it. There are people of all ages, nationalities, and religions telling their stories, and all these stories have so many similarities. It's crazy how similar their stories are. The children who talk about things and people they should know nothing about... blind people describing things they've never seen before... It all amazed me. I think this is an excellent book to read, regardless of what your personal beliefs are. Ultimately, for me.. this was a book of hope.

John Burke is the New York Times bestselling author of Imagine Heaven and Imagine the God of Heaven and has researched 1500 cases of near-death experiences and how they correlate with the Bible. Imagine Heaven has been translated into 28 languages with over a million copies circulated in the US and more across the globe. John’s new You Tube channel and podcast, “The Imagine Heaven Podcast with John Burke” is on all platforms and is currently reaching over 80 countries. John has appeared in multiple documentaries and movies and has been a popular guest on many podcasts and news outlets. John and his wife Kathy founded a multi-site church in Austin, Texas which he led for 26 years. They recently founded Imagine Heaven Ministries that supports their global outreach to share God’s love and the hope of heaven with the world. John and Kathy enjoy living in Austin, Texas and have two married children and two granddaughters.

To learn more about John Burke and his books, visit his website. You can also find him on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, & YouTube.

Buy this book at:

Book Review: More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell

More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell
Genre: Adult Non-fiction (Christian)
Date Published: January 1, 1977
Publisher: Living Books

With almost ten million copies in print, More Than a Carpenter continues to be the most powerful evangelism tool worldwide. Josh McDowell's timeless examination of the true nature of Christ and his impact on our lives is one of the best-selling Christian books ever. Written by a former skeptic of Christianity, it is a hard-hitting book for those who doubt Jesus' deity and his purpose.

More Than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell is the perfect book for skeptics and doubters. We all have questions. I know I do. This was like a Bible study for me to do on my own. Did it answer all my questions? No. Of course not, but it put a lot of things in perspective. It’s a short read that’ll leave you thinking for a long time.

Since beginning ministry in 1961, Josh has given more than 24,000 talks to over 10 million young people in 118 countries. He is the author or coauthor of 112 books, selling over 51 million copies worldwide, including More Than a Carpenter (more than 15 million copies in print worldwide), which has been translated into over 85 languages, and The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict, recognized by World magazine as one of the twentieth century's top 40 books.

Josh continues to travel throughout the United States and countries around the world, helping young people and adults bolster their faith and scriptural beliefs. Josh will tell you that his family does not come before his ministry—his family is his ministry. He and his wife, Dottie, have four children and eight grandchildren.

To learn more about Josh McDowell and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Buy this book at:

Book Review: Wicked Women of the Bible by Ann Spangler

Wicked Women of the Bible by Ann Spangler
Genre: Adult Fiction/Non-Fiction (Historical/Christian)
Date Published: September 22, 2015
Publisher: Zondervan

What can Jezebel, the Bible s wickedest queen, reveal about God s holiness and power and even about his sense of humor? What about the Woman at the Well the one with five husbands and a live-in lover? And what of the prostitute whose tears bathe the feet of Jesus in front of people who despise her?

There are also wicked good women like Deborah, Ruth, Hannah, Abigail, Esther, Mary, and more. What do their lives tell us about God s invincible love and his determined plan to save us?

In Wicked Women of the Bible Ann Spangler tells the stories of twenty wicked and wicked good women in greater detail. At the end of each story, Ann provides a brief section including additional historical and cultural background as well as a brief Bible study in order to enhance the book s appeal to both individuals and groups.

The stories of these women of the Bible reveal a God who is not above it all but who stoops down to meet us where we are in order to extend his love and mercy."

Wicked Women of the Bible by Ann Spangler gives us a brief look into the lives of many women of the Bible.  Each woman's story isn't very long, but let's face it, we don't have too many details on many of them either, so this book takes what we know happened and fictionally fills in some of those spaces with what might have happened or been said. This is a combination of fiction and non fiction, because along with these stories with their fictional aspects, the book also give an account of the times. I love books like this, because it brings Biblical people to life and makes me search the Bible for more info on them. It's always interesting to see how people so far back in history really aren't that different from us today. We make the same mistakes... do the same stupid things. Good or wicked... we're all still people, no matter what time period we lived in.

 

Ann Spangler is the best-selling author of numerous books, including Praying the Names of God, Women of the Bible, and Finding the Peace God Promises. An award-winning writer, Ann’s books have sold millions of copies over the course of her writing career. The mission of her books is to help readers strengthen their connection with God by encountering him in Scripture.

Before becoming a writer, Ann was an acquiring editor at various Christian publishers. From her unique perspective as an author and publishing professional, she believes readers are looking for well-written books that address the deep spiritual hungers that characterize our world.

She is the mother of two teenage daughters, both of whom were born in mainland China. In her spare time (what is spare time?), she loves to read, have dinner with friends, spend time on Lake Michigan’s beautiful beaches, travel, and stream British TV shows. An admitted Anglophile, she harbors deep prejudices in favor of anything British.

To learn more about Ann Spangler and her books, visit her website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

Buy this book at: