What does God say about life after death?

In the God conversations of the early church, we get a sneak peak... Two thousand years ago, the Apostle Paul, John the revelator and Stephen all saw a glimpse of the heavenly realms - as well as several of the Old Testament prophets. But it seems God still giving glimpses of heaven today!

In this episode of the God Conversations Podcast, Tania Harris talks with pastor and author John Burke, whose decades of research into near-death experiences (NDEs) reveal striking parallels with Scripture. Once a skeptic of spiritual realities, Burke now shares how stories of those who died and came back to life can strengthen our faith and expand our understanding of eternity. You’ll learn about:

1. John’s Story from Skeptic to Believer

John was once an agnostic engineer who doubted Jesus’ divinity. As his father lay dying, he explored NDEs and was struck by how many described encounters with a loving God. These stories set him on a journey from skeptic to pastor and lifelong NDE researcher.

2. How Near-Death Experiences Mirror the Experiences of Biblical Characters

After studying 1,500 NDEs over 35 years, Burke found remarkable consistency with the experiences of the biblical characters: people saw beauty, light, love, and a divine presence—many of which aligned with biblical descriptions of heaven. He says these experiences don’t replace Scripture but bring its truths to life in our time.

3. Consciousness Beyond the Brain

Many NDEs occur when patients have no heartbeat or brain activity, yet they later describe verifiable details of their surroundings. Burke cites these as evidence that consciousness continues after death, echoing the biblical view of life beyond the body.

4. The Presence and Love of Jesus

People from all backgrounds report encounters with a Being of radiant light—whom many identify as Jesus. They describe the love that emanates from him as overwhelming and unconditional. Blind individuals even describe “seeing” light shining from all creation!

5. Life’s True Purpose

Another consistent element is the “life review.” In their NDEs, people see their entire lives pass before them in detail: the good, bad and the ugly! They also relive their life through Jesus’ eyes and discover what matters most: how well they loved others. Many return from their experience deeply changed with more compassion and more focus on things of eternal value.

John believes these experiences are part of God’s invitation to see beyond the limits of this world. They remind us that eternity is real, that love is the one thing that endures, and that the hope of heaven is more vivid than we can ever imagine.

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