A few weeks ago, I got to see “Heaven Is For Real” with some friends. After I watched the movie, it seems a good movie to talk about.
What is “Heaven Is For Real”? It’s a movie starring Greg Kinnear. He plays the father of a little boy, named Colton. Connor Corum plays the role of Todd’s son, Colton.
Unless you have been hiding under a rock, there is a good chance that you have heard of this movie. For me, it has been the subject of many pleasant conversations. It seems a nice move about the reality of Heave; as seen through the eyes of a four year old little boy.
Did you know that this film has stirred up some controversy? I’ll explain it, shortly.
Therefore, my version of the film may differ from DVD. My rental will not include any of bons clips and bonus features that’s on the disc.
I hope you’ll enjoy my take on this movie. Of course, it would help to know something about the story. Here’s a brief summary. Todd Burpo is the father of the child and the pastor of a local church.
If you watch this movie, then you’ll discover something refreshingly different. What’s different? The film does not paint the pastor, as a perfect human being. What a concept.
If anything, the family is seen clearly struggling with financial issues. If you think the position of pastor is a cushy job, then you’re in for a shock. This is a good thing; for it is a subtle reminder that our church leaders are humans and they are far from perfect.
When I first heard about the movie, I thought it was about Colton and what he encounters in Heaven. Though “Heaven Is For Real” is about Colton, it’s also about what happens to the family.
During the early parts of the movie, the family has taken a trip to Denver; it ends with Colton being rushed to the Emergency Room. What happened? The boy suffered a ruptured appendix and he nearly dies. While the doctors rushed to save him, Colton has a near death experience. Besides Jesus, I won’t share about the people that Colton meets. You’ll have to watch the movie.
For me, this movie is more about Todd Burpo, than it is about Colton. There is one scene that really sums it up. Struggling with the issue of Colton’s visit to Heaven, Todd pays a visit to a psychologist. The woman is an atheist. For the audience and the doctor, one thing is clear.
The boy isn’t the one with the problem. The doctor certainly called it when asking “Are you here because of my faith or to work on your faith?” Todd is the one, who is struggling with the reality of what he believes. For some people, pastors are not supposed to have a crisis of faith. Really? What planet are they living on?
There is another point of controversy, about this movie. I suspect the filmmakers probably saw it coming and they decided to talk about it, in the movie. What am I talking about? What picture comes to mind, when you think of Heaven?
//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=inspipoint-20&marketplace=amazon®ion=US&placement=0849946158&asins=0849946158&linkId=NCXVX6V7NYJAM3Z2&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=trueFor me, they did a nice job of covering the wide range of opinions found in American Christianity. Everyone is struggling with the revelation of what Colton has told them; including his own family.
For some people, Heaven and Hell are just concepts and you’ll be surprised at who says it. For others, Heaven is very real and it’s not about sitting on a cloud. You’ll certainly get a good whiff.
If you’d like to find out more details, then you may want to read the book. The film is based on a very real family. Please click on the image and you’ll go right to Amazon’s site. I will give you, a tip about these types of stories.
Go talk with God, the Father about it. Ask Jesus about the content of the book. Listen to what the Holy Spirit is sharing with you. Don’t be afraid to check with the Scripture. Be open to what God is saying to you.
Just don’t force the Scripture to match your opinion of Heaven. As I say this, I will close with 1 Corinthians 2:9:
9 but just as it is written,
“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
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Nice article, Barry! My only criticism is that it could have been longer. This is a fascinating theme.
Thanks Claudia. 🙂 I was trying to stay focused on the video; otherwise I’d still be writing it.
By the way, I’ve been attempting to stay within 800 words for each story. I have been questioning this; so I asked about it in my last blog post. It’s one of 9 questions. I’m getting the sense that I need to stop worrying about the word count and just write.