John Burke’s Story
When John was a young man his father was dying of cancer. Someone gave his father the book Life After Life by Raymond Moody (Life After Life is a 1975 book written by psychiatrist Raymond Moody. It is a report on a qualitative study in which Moody interviewed 150 people who had undergone near-death experiences.)
As an agnostic young man, John read the book in one night. He thought, “If this is true, then this is the biggest news ever!” It propelled him on a journey of faith and on the path to discovering Jesus for himself.
John is now pastoring Gateway church in Austin Texas and has written several books about faith and finally a book about the subject that started it all for him – a book about Near Death Experiences called Imagine Heaven. Connect with John Here: http://www.johnburkeonline.com/
Here is an article that John wrote about why Near Death Experiences and Christians don’t always get along. It’s pretty interesting and might answer a few questions you may have.
Most Important Lesson from NDE’s
John has researched around a thousand NDE’s. I too have researched a plethora of accounts myself. There wasn’t hardly a story he mentioned in the book that I wasn’t already very familiar with.
With SO much research sometimes the hardest thing is knowing where to start? What are the most important lessons we can learn from Near Death Experiences?
Well, that is something that I highlighted in my interview with Howard Storm and something I tried to highlight in my conversation with John as well. It begins with understanding that God is love. Unconditional infinite love. What God wants from his children is for us to show that love and share his love with others.
John Burke begins his book with the story of George Ritchie:
George Richie encountered an astonishing love. A love beyond his wildest imagination in the brilliant person of Jesus Christ. Jesus asked him, “What have you done with your life to show me?”
The question, like everything else proceeding from Him, had to do with love. How much have you loved with your life? Have you loved others as I am loving you? Totally? Unconditionally?”
George wanted to justify himself and said, “I had not known love like this was possible. Someone should have told me.”
“I did tell you”, Jesus responded.
But how? How could he have told me and I not not have heard?
“I told you by the life I lived. I told you by the death I died. And, if you keep your eyes on me, you will see more.”
Return from Tomorrow, George Ritchie
Howard Storm was told by Jesus, “Love the person that you are with.”
Learning to love others is the meaning of life.
