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Don Piper's 90 Minutes in Heaven
- 05/10/07
- 30
The Bible tells us about three people who were privileged to see heaven on this side of the grave. All of these men, Stephen and the Apostles Paul and John, were alive when they were given a glimpse of the wonders of heaven. Don Piper, a Baptist pastor, claims to be a fourth, though unlike the other three, he first had to die first. Returning home from a conference, Piper’s car was crushed under the wheels of a truck. Though medical personnel declared him dead at the scene of the accident, ninety minutes after this accident, a pastor, waiting at the scene, was told by God to pray for the dead man. He did so, and Piper immediately returned to life. For the 90 minutes that his body lay lifeless inside the car, Piper claims to have been in heaven. He now carries with him memories of paradise and in 90 Minutes in Heaven, a book which has sold over a million copies and which has been a long-time fixture on the New York Times list of bestsellers, he seeks to encourage other Christians with a description of our eternal home. “Because I was able to experience heaven,” he says, “I was able to prepare [friends] for it. And now I am preparing you.”
The title may be deceptive. A reader might assume, from the title, that a significant portion of the book is dedicated to describing heaven. The reality is that the author’s time in heaven comprises only 15 pages of this 205-page book. A further seven pages, appended to the end of the book, engage very briefly (and unsatisfactorily) with the “why questions.” The bulk of the book describes Piper’s accident, rescue and convalescence with some attention to the ministry opportunities that have arisen since his time in heaven. The book is, in reality, a biographical sketch of Don Piper and a lengthy description of the trials he faced as he recovered from devastating bodily injuries. Following the description of heaven, there is little further reflection on paradise. There is little attempt to describe how the author’s life and perspective on Scripture have changed because of his experience. There is little interaction with the Bible. There is little gospel.
Piper’s description of heaven left me cold. I was dismayed to find that his heaven seems largely man-centered. In fact, if you were to ask your unbelieving friends and neighbors to describe heaven, they would probably create a place very much like this. Piper did not see Jesus, nor did he see God, though, to be fair, he saw only the “outskirts” and did not pass through the pearlescent gates. Despite this, he was exceedingly joyful and feels that he experienced the very joys of paradise. For ninety minutes he walked through heaven, greeted by those he knew in this life, all of whom were (quite conveniently), the same age they were when he had last known them. As I read this description of heaven I thought immediately of a quote from John Piper’s book God is the Gospel. He asks:
The critical question for our generation—and for every generation—is this: If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever say, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?
From the descriptions in 90 Minutes in Heaven we would would have to respond, “yes!” It seems that Don Piper’s heaven is a heaven where we are fulfilled without Christ. Piper’s heaven was a place of reunion with loved ones, a place of beautiful music and a place of literal pearl (or “pearlescent”) gates and literal streets of gold. It is a heaven that can be so easily described to a human mind using mere human words, as if it had originated in a human mind. Piper is able to describe it in some detail, but what he presents is surely far too human to be heaven.
A further troubling aspect of the book is a clear lack of theological precision. For example, Piper continually describes miracles that surrounded his rescue and recovery, yet these are often not the type of events that theologians would classify as being miraculous. They may have shown God’s grace and power, but they were not, strictly speaking, miracles. He also uses his experience to minister to people who lack assurance of their faith. But what true, lasting assurance can we find in the dubious experiences of another mere human? Our assurance is to be in God and His promises through Scripture, not in man.
I do believe Don Piper is a sincere man and one who loves God. He seems to sincerely believe that he experienced heaven and has been called by God to share his experience with others. But I do not believe that he did see heaven. I cannot say what his experience was, whether it was purely psychological or whether it was even some type of demonic deception. What I do know is that the Scriptures are wholly sufficient for believers. We do not need to see or experience heaven in this life. Nor should we desire Don Piper’s heaven or to be encouraged by this experience.
I see no reason to believe that God wants us to know more about heaven than He has revealed to us in His Word. As the old hymn asks, “What more can he say than to you he has said?” God surely desires that we desire heaven, but only if we desire heaven primarily so we can be with the Savior. This is the heaven which we glimpse only dimly in Scripture, but which we await with eager expectation. It is most certainly not Piper’s 90-minute heaven.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (30)
Tim,
A very fair and helpful review. Two of the clearest “longing for heaven” passages in Scripture reveal a distinctly Christ-centered focus…
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be WITH ME in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be WITH CHRIST, which is better by far. (Php 1:23)
Jesus is what makes heaven heaven!
Tim,
I had lunch with a man yesterday who told me that John Piper had been in Amarillo last week speeking at First Pres., the PCUSA congregation. I was floored, and told him that I couldn’t think of any reason why John Piper would be speaking there. Well it turns out, it was DON Piper, speaking on his 90 minutes in heaven!!!!! ;-) Talk about a comedic mix-up. Other than the similar sounding names, I don’t know how anyone could confuse the two.
Lazarus was truly dead and in the tomb for three days, and yet no one seemed to care about his “experience”. The attention is on Christ who raises men from the dead.
I’m still waiting for someone to come back and write “90 Minutes in Hell”.
”..primarily so we can be with the Savior. ”
Amen. Just to see Jesus, our Lord and Redeemer will be worth it all.
“If I die and go to heaven and Jesus isn’t there, it would be hell, and if I die and go to hell and Jesus is there it would be heaven”.
“I’m still waiting for someone to come back and write “90 Minutes in Hell”.”
Someone gave me a CD to listen to from a Calvary Chapel member who die and went to hell, and he goes into great detail about hell. He said God told him to go tell people so that they might repent.But it’s not biblical at all. Another distraction from the truth of the Bible.
“”90 Minutes in Hell”.”
Someone has written something like that (shortly after Piper’s book came out). I think it’s something like “40 Minutes in Hell.” I haven’t bothered reading it and I don’t think anyone else has either.
Heaven is all about Christ. No Christ, no heaven. I love this passage:
1 John 3:2-3 “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”
I can’t wait for the day.
I’ve known some folks who’ve been seriously derailed by this book. Thanks for your candid review Tim.
Josh”…the word of God is not bound.”—2 Timothy 2:9
Maybe we should be glad that the books only talks about his “heaven’ experience for a short part of it.There is no doubt that this man was dead and then brought back to life -that is starnge in itself.I was intrigued to read about his accident and all of the health problems that he has and has overcome.he should have just named his book something else,but somebody must have told him to name the book that so many would read it.I will be honest last summer it was a must read on various blogs and al wanted to learn about Don’s experience inheaven.Looking back up until now I never did read what any of the people ahd to say about the book after reading it.The book had many requests to be read and I had to wait 3 months from our public library to get.
I agree with you, Tim… the description was a bit “cold.”
I’ve never read the book, but I listened to a two-part series on “Truths that Transform,” a radio ministry of Dr. D. James Kennedy and Coral Ridge Ministries, in which Mr. Piper spoke on the topic of his book.
Like many others, I tuned in only because I wanted to hear “the good stuff,” but similar to his book, he gave a minute and a half or so describing heaven, and so I was a bit dissatisfied.
Of course, what was the most dissatisfying was, like you pointed out, the very plain and dull description of heaven that he gave. It seemed, to me, more like a hallucination or a dream in which Mr. Piper experienced something that his consciousness created and identified as heaven, rather than a biblically-correct account…
I do not doubt the possibility that his vision was of psychological or physiological in nature rather than paranormal or spiritual.
Someone defending Piper might say, “but you see, that’s not the point. It’s only a fraction of the book, and the rest of the book addresses so many other important things.”
Fair enough. Then take a little bit of responsibility in selecting an appropriate title that will do something other than simply push a bunch more copies off the shelves.
Thanks Tim. I have never heard of the book, but have heard of others claiming similar things. If Christ isn’t there I don’t want to go.
I remember my grandpa passing out in an Arby’s and his heart stopped beating only to be revived by the ambulance crew. My uncle asked him if he saw a light at the end of the tunnel or something and my grandpa simplyl laughed. I remember his constant reminders of his coming death, “absent from the body and present with the Lord.”
Don Piper may claim to have been absent from the body, but he clearly wasn’t present with the Lord!
If anyone’s looking for a solid book on heaven, try Randy Alcorn’s book, Heaven. After reading it, I discovered most of my theology about heaven came from the Baptist hymns I grew up singing, which aren’t all entirely accurate. His is weighty read, much like a textbook, but based solely on the truth about the “new heaven” and “new earth” presented in Scripture. It’s a fascinating and encouraging book. My ten-year-old daughter is loving the children’s version, too. (easier to read, I might add!)
There is an individual who has written accounts of both Heaven and Hell, but I doubt any readers of this site have read them (I include myself in with this category). But, being a BookStore manager I come into contact with the good, the bad, and the utterly blasphemous. Mary Baxter has written an account called The Divine revelation of Hell for which the publisher offers: “Heaven or hell? Over a period of forty days, God gave Mary K. Baxter visions of hell and commissioned her to tell all to choose life. Here is an account of the place and beings of hell contrasted with the glories of heaven. It is a reminder of the need each of us has for the miracle of salvation.”
And then, somehow by coincidence, Mary Baxter was permitted glimpses into Heaven and then wrote A Divine Revelation of Heaven. Here is the publisher’s info:” Catch a glimpse of heaven—-and your eternal home! After 30 nights of horrifying excursions into the depths of hell, Baxter experienced 10 rapturous trips into the realms of heaven. Here is her amazing account. As she recalls her journeys with Jesus and the angels, she realizes her destiny in Christ and receives a fresh vision for her life.”
Guttenberg had a good thing going when he invented the printing press. Leave it to man to pervert another great invention.
all of whom were (quite conveniently), the same age they were when he had last known them.
Wow, it would suck to be a 98 year old friend of his. Imagine being stuck in an aged, broken body because Piper remembers you that way.
There’s a book on hell by Bill Wiese, and is titled 23 Minutes in Hell. Wiese talks about seeing jail cell-type rooms with demons chained to the walls.
Maybe these two authors should get together and provide a twofer.
I stumbled across this book while I was looking through the JOHN Piper books at Barnes and Noble. Only his last name was shown on the binding, so I picked it up, read the back cover and was really starting to wonder. I finally saw that it was written by DON Piper. Oooops! I was quite relieved to see that one of my favorite pastor/authors hadn’t gone off his rocker.
An actually good book about heaven is “Heaven” by Joni Eareckson Tada
Thanks for reposting this Tim. So much error and deception is caused when people teach from experience and not from the word of God.
From what you have described of Don’s experience, if he had allowed scripture to interpret his experiences (and not the other way around), maybe he would not have written a book, but simply a journal entry on his unusual ‘dream’.
I’ve seen this book several times in CBD and thought to myself, “Oh no, not another one!” Didn’t people learn from Mary Baxter? I will just flat out say Don Piper didn’t go to Heaven. He may have been clinically dead, but that’s still not DEAD. His vision of Heaven, I think, is the typical vision of Baptists who haven’t studied the Bible, particulalry the subject of Heaven, with any depth and who’ve heard all their lives about “the pearly gates” and “the streets of gold” and “meeting loved ones up yonder”. (I can say that because I’m Baptist.) Don Piper’s “heaven” is a far cry from that place where eye, ear, or heart is left speechless because of it’s grandeur!
I got this book from a relative and just finished it. It was disturbing on several levels. I had three preliminary thoughts. 1.) Of the three men you mention in your opening, none of them describe heaven as cavalier as D. Piper does. Stephen prays for unbelievers before being knocked unconscious by a rock. Paul wasn’t even allowed to speak of it. John had to use the apocalyptic genre to describe it. 2.) D. Piper said there were no “sad” songs about Jesus suffering in heaven. Yet that theme is very present in heaven as the church triumphant gazes at the lamb who still looked crucified (bloodied) and yet standing. 3.) The elevation of experience over the Bible. Even if he did believe he had this experience. He’s been called to preach the Word, and the heaven of the Word, not his experience.
Tim, as always, thanks for the helpful review.
I’m glad to see that I am not the only one who found this book disturbing and unbelievable. A number of devout friends of mine were buying copies and handing them out to others. I am not sure what to do with mine….maybe a good doorstop, coaster, or leveler for my dinette table.
When I get to heaven, I’d like to meet face-to-face (if we have faces, that is) with some of the people on this blog with whom I’ve had some theological differences. I think we’ll shake hands (if we have hands), hug (if we have arms), then smile at some of the petty, miniscule disagreements we had which we once thought were gargantuan, all-or-nothing issues (like ESV v. NIV discussion).
We shall have hands and faces and arms, if Jesus’ glorified body is any indication. Why would we not? (At least after the resurrection; what paradise will seem like I cannot say, other than it will be good.)
Thanks, Tim, for your dead-on (pun intended) commentary. Very helpful.
We will also have names.
Chris HutchinsonBlacksburg, VA
In Oct of 2005, I was attending the Ligonier Pastor’s Conference in Orlando and signed up for the potluck roommate selection. I received a note in the mail from the conference which told me that my roommate would be Don Piper. After I decided it wasn’t a typo and that John Piper wasn’t going to be my roommate, I Googled Don Piper’s name and came up with the author of the book you are writing about above. I noticed that the book’s author was from Pasadena, TX near Houston where I live and my upcoming roommate was from Seattle. Praise God that He introduced to Don Piper of the Reformed Presbyterian Church in the Ravenna neighborhood of Seattle. (see http://www.seattlerpchurch.org/pastor.shtml). This Don Piper is a Godly man who I greatly respect. You can imagine the fun we had with both our names during the conference; Piper and Wells in the same room.
Thanks for the great review.Nice to get a view on thoughts about the only truth.
BlueRectangle books
How many Pipers are their in the evangelical field? Once I was about to purchase a book in an online auction by R.C.Sproul and at the last moment I discovered that the author was his son R.C.Sproul Jr. Of course Jr was in such a small print that I hadn’t noticed earlier.
I just read 90 Minutes in Heaven and I was blown away. I unlike most of you believe that Rev. Piper died and went to the gates of Heaven. When I read his description of Heaven I was filled with joy. The Bible says that God works in many ways, and I feel that he allowed Rev. Piper to die and come back to earth to share his experience so others might be saved. Many people have taken most of the book out of context. Rev. Piper said that he didn’t see Christ because he knew if he did he couldn’t return to earth. I like Rev. Piper am a Baptist so we have the same Doctrine. And if anyone can think that what happened to him is not a miracle then think again.I am only 17 years old and I have seen many people escape death by prayer. My Dad is a preacher and I have seen him pray for someone at deaths door and saw the person improve before my eyes. Prayer does change things. It wasn’t Don Pipers time to leave the earth. God allowed him to get a small taste of what was to come. Reading this book has made me look forward to Heaven even more. It has strenghened my walk with God. And has shown me that anything is possible through God. I believe that Don Piper died and went to Heaven and one day will return again forever.
Like Ashley I was encouraged by this book. I have been somewhat afraid to die even though I am a believer. I know Christ died for me and I want to see him in heaven too - but it is hard for my human mind to imagine getting to do that. This book made me excited to get to go there. Don Piper mentions that the people who greeted him there shouted praises to God and that the music he heard was all giving glory to Him. I didn’t think that it was a heaven without Christ. I think he just had not seen Him yet. Who knows what lies ahead beyond the gates? I am now reading “Heaven” by Joni Eareckson Tada to encourage be further. So far I have not found any contradictions between the two books. Some people have mentioned that his description sounds too earthly but Don mentions several times that describing heaven is frustrating because there are no earthly words. He tries to use the best words he knows to describe it. Also, no, it would not be bad to be a person who was a friend of Don Piper’s and died at 98 years old. He makes clear that while people looked the same as the last time he saw them, their brokeness (missing teeth, slumped back, wrinkles) were no longer there. Maybe they just appeared to be the same age for Don and they would appear to be a different age for someone else. He mentions that age is not relevant there.
Tiffeny,
I’m very happy that you are reading Joni’s book. Why not write her, and see what she thinks of this Don Piper book.
Here’s a Scripture passage to study and ponder:
“I know a man in Christ … caught up into the third heaven. … and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. … And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exaulted above measure.” 2 Cor. 12:2-7
Paul says he went to heaven, and couldn’t utter the words he heard there, “lest he should be exaulted above measure”.
There are many people out there who makes things up. Beware of the craftiness of Satan and man.
I dont Know about the rest of you but My Lord and Saviour is way larger than what the Bible holds and says. How small Of a mind must you have to believe that the Bible contains all of the vast greatness of Our Lord . After all the Bible was edited by MAN . The Word of God goes way beyond book bindings .
Billy,That’s exactly what Joseph Smith said. And we have the book of Mormon leading thousands on their way to perdition. Not to mention the Catholic Church, which added many things to the closed canon of Scripture. As did Chalres Taze Russel, who was the founder of Jehovah Witnesses.
God has set up these wonderful boundaries for us, and it is a precious treasure to have the Bible, and to be able to know security and assurance that this is His final authority to His people.And we dare not add to it. Nor take away as well.
Blessings to you.