Do you think it is biblical to talk to or pray to loved ones who have gone on to Heaven?

Question from a reader:

My daughter, Emma, died of cancer a couple of weeks ago. In light of the fact that we are ‘surrounded’ by the saints who have gone before us, who are cheering us on, I find I’m tempted to ‘talk’ to her. I don’t talk to her, because I know I need to pray to God in Jesus’ name.
     But on two different occasions I have spoken to people, non-believers, who have said that they pray to Emma. I can almost understand why they do, in light of the Scriptures about how they are at ...

Death: Signing And Framing Your Life’s Portrait

The prospect of death has a way of getting our attention, of cutting to our very heart. Yet we also have a way of turning our eyes away from Death’s burning light to gaze again at the shadows of this world, stepping back away from death and ignoring the message it sends.

Creator and Culture, and Anticipating a Redeemed Earth

A Christian I met in passing once told me it troubled him that he really didn’t long for Heaven. Instead, he yearned for an Earth that was like God meant it to be. He didn’t desire a Heaven out there somewhere, but an Earth under his feet, where God was glorified. He felt guilty and unspiritual for this desire.

A Real Hope of Heaven

The first time I picked up a book by Randy Alcorn was when I was a sophomore in a theology class at Corban College and we were reading Heaven. As we studied through the book, my view of eternity was radically challenged and altered—for the better. Little did I know that a year and half later I would be working for Randy’s ministry. Nor did I know at that time just how precious those truths about Heaven would turn out to be.

For the past two years, I’ve been the promotions director for Eternal Perspective Ministries.  I ...

Ruthanna Metzgar’s Letter and Triad Conference Picture

You can’t imagine the reaction of people as I read certain passages from Heaven during our Sunday morning meeting at the Triad Handicapped Conference. There were gurgles and squeals and hand clapping and arms flailing.

Enjoying God and Enjoying Heaven: Why They are Inseparable

What is the essence of heaven?...[It is the] beatific vision, love, and enjoyment of the triune God. For the three divine persons have an infinitely perfect vision and love and enjoyment of the divine essence and of one another. And in this infinite knowing, loving and enjoying lies the very life of the triune God, the very essence of their endless and infinite happiness. If the blessed are to be endlessly and supremely happy, then, they must share in the very life of the triune God, in the divine life that makes them endlessly and infinitely happy. — E. J ...

Heaven: Dreading It or Anticipating It?

In Hamlet, Shakespeare called what lies beyond death “the undiscovered country.” People have given much thought to this country—and adopted remarkably different attitudes toward it.

What do you think of Mitch Albom’s book The Five People You Meet in Heaven?

Discerning Christians with a strong biblical theology can pick out the good and toss the bad. Unfortunately, most who read the book (and see the movie) will not do that, and indeed may be incapable of doing so. They will tend to swallow not only the true parts or the conditionally true (if....then) parts, but all of it, including the false assumptions and wishful thinking that underlie it.

Dominion on Death Row

While Randy was writing his novel Dominion, several people gathered together more than once to pray not only for Randy’s strength and perseverance but for the eternal impact it would have on people’s lives. God is faithfully answering those prayers hundreds and thousands of times over. This is just one of the stories.

I received a phone call from a woman named Novella in Leavenworth, Kansas. Sixteen years ago she was a stay-at-home mom and was looking for a way to reach out. She made contact with a death row prison ministry and began writing to a man ...