Comment from a Reader:

I am disappointed with Randy’s response to near-death experiences. Dismissing people’s very real experiences and counting them off as “mystical” accounts is the reason so many people move away from Christianity and religion. Discounting people’s documented and very real experiences is irresponsible at best. It risks people walking away from faith, because their experiences matter. I hope you will consider taking the time to research the topic of near-death experiences a bit more and consider how it affects both the mental health and faith of people that experience them.

Response from Eternal Perspective Ministries:

Several years ago, when several books about these types of experiences came out, Randy did a series of blogs on them. In one of the articles, he wrote:

I am not the judge of who has really been to Heaven or Hell—God can do what He wants and doesn’t need my permission! But I believe that no near-death (or supposed “after-death”) experience should be exempt from examination in the light of God’s Word. Where the experience contradicts the revealed Word of God, Scripture alone should be trusted. For the Christian, there is no other option. We dare not base our beliefs on people’s memories of their personal experiences. This minimizes the authority of God’s Word and is a path to unending doctrinal error.  

Randy mentions how he is not the final judge—God can do anything He wants, including giving people glimpses of Heaven. (An example of God’s supernatural intervention that comes to mind is the many documented cases of people in the Middle East who have visions or dreams about Jesus and come to faith in Him as a result.)

Randy adds, 

Gary Habermas and Sean McDowell both argue that near-death experiences are evidence for life after death. They don’t assume all accounts are true or accurately remembered, but they do recognize that there are many such experiences—a number of them told by credible people. I agree that’s the case; I’m just not sure how much can be proven from that. But as long as we’re not looking for proof, just some cumulative evidence, I would say, sure, NDEs may well indicate the reality of the mind, or soul, being a very real entity apart from the body, in a temporary separation. And that would argue for the likelihood of a more long-term separation of soul and body between death and resurrection. I do concede that, and I don’t want it to sound like I am casting suspicion on everybody’s experiences, just some of them.

Our ministry’s main concern is that we’re on shaky ground when we begin basing our doctrine or beliefs about Heaven on the subjective experiences of other people (especially when these stories have often ended up marketed in books). We need the objective truth of God’s Word. It’s a firm foundation, never changing, never shifting. “Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89). As God’s people, we are called to be wise, and to test every spirit (1 John 4:1). God’s Word must be the standard we evaluate everything against, like the Bereans who “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).

One example is Alex Malarkey, who co-authored The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven with his father, Kevin Malarkey. Alex later claimed he made up the story of going to Heaven (see this article). But how many Christians bought that book and, either consciously or subconsciously, formulated their beliefs about Heaven through what they read?

Paul tells the Galatians, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed” (1:8). Someone could be very convinced they saw something, and be very sincere in that belief and have documented their experience, but what do we as Christians do when their account contradicts God’s revealed Word? We have no choice but to stand on the objective truth of Scripture. Of course, this shouldn’t be done in a spirit of hatred or condemnation or pride, but we are to “judge” in the sense that we are to use wisdom and discernment. This isn’t about placing mental burdens on people but pointing them to the beauty and trustworthiness of God’s Truth. (See Randy’s blog.)

We would encourage anyone who feels they had a supernatural experience to dig into God’s Word, and study it, and seek God’s face and His wisdom, and to place their ultimate trust in His revealed truth in Scripture. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32). Our subjective experiences should not be our source of objective truth.

Here is a response sent to someone whose granddaughter felt she had a vision of Heaven/near-death experience.