“90 Minutes in Heaven” Author Don Piper to Speak
By David Ettinger
Heaven is among the most misunderstood and maligned topics in the Bible, and First Orlando Senior Pastor David Uth wants to set the record straight.
“Unfortunately, the world has produced a lot of books about Heaven, but they’re not about the Heaven of the Bible,” he explained. “These books have to do with the ‘new world,’ the ‘new earth,’ the ‘new order.’ I’m referring to authors such as Eckhart Tolle.”
However, it is not only new-age proponents who lack comprehension, but also believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who are fuzzy regarding Heaven theology. That is why, beginning April 18 & 19, Pastor Uth will be launching a five-week series called, fittingly enough, “Heaven.”
The series will begin in a big way, as guest speaker Don Piper will speak that very first weekend. Piper is the author of the New York Times best-selling book, “90 Minutes in Heaven,” which chronicles a “glimpse” of heaven Piper had while standing at heaven’s gates following a fatal auto accident.
Piper’s story is a fascinating one.
On January 18, 1989, Piper was driving on a bridge when his Ford Escort was struck by a tractor-trailer driven by an inmate from the Texas Department of Corrections. Piper was instantly killed and paramedics pronounced him dead. Piper says he then went to heaven, where he was reunited with loved ones, but does not claim to have met Jesus.
“Heaven is a place of reality, majesty and bliss,” Piper said during an interview with the 700 Club. “I was surrounded by people I had known and loved in life who had preceded me [in death]. And they all looked really good. In fact, they were perfect in every way, as I was.”
Piper also said that in heaven, “the streets were gold and the music was “incredible. Heaven is an amazingly active and exciting place,” he added.
You will be able to hear much more from Piper on Saturday, April 18, at 6 p.m., or Sunday, April 19 at 9 & 10:45 a.m.
Beginning the following weekend, April 25 & 26, Pastor David will begin his teaching, which will make up the last four parts of the “Heaven” series.
“This series has been born out of years of ministry,” he said. “In fact, questions on Heaven are probably the most frequently asked I have received. That is definitely the subject matter that most people want to know about.”
And Pastor Uth is determined to shed as much light on this fascinating topic as possible.
“Because of all the wrong information out there about Heaven, it is so important that the truth be told,” he said. “We need to speak at the truth and look at the truth.”
According to Pastor Uth, that “truth” comes from none other than the Lord Jesus Himself.
“As we study the Word, the Lord will paint a true picture of what Heaven is like,” Pastor Uth said. “I think many people are going to be very surprised when they find out what awaits them in Heaven.”
However, as in all of Pastor Uth’s sermon series, the goal is always far more than just gaining knowledge, but in growing closer to the Lord.
“My prayer is that this series will increase our joy and expectancy of Heaven,” he said. “I also pray that the series will reduce the fear many of us have of what is to come. That’s not to say that we won’t still have questions, but this study should help give us confidence of what that moment after we die will be all about.”
That as much as anything else is what Pastor Uth is hoping to achieve with the series on “Heaven.”
“I believe that whatever tension we have when we think of Heaven will be relieved as perfect love casts out all fear, for Heaven is a place of perfection — in every way.”