'Heaven Is For Real' remains a hit as its author addresses critics
Pastor Todd Burpo, author of 'Heaven Is For Real' 鈥� the story of what he says was his son's trip to heaven 鈥� stands by his book in a new interview to be shown next week.
Burpo says his son Colton told him that during emergency surgery he traveled to heaven, where he saw Jesus, John the Baptist, his great-grandfather, and his younger sister who died in a miscarriage.
鈥�Heaven Is For Real,鈥� written by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent, has been a runaway best-seller since it was first published and its sales show no sign of ebbing. It is currently ranks at number one on the New York Times paperback bestseller list.
The book tells the story of Burpo鈥檚 son Colton, who was rushed into emergency surgery when he was 4 for a burst appendix. Over the next months and years, Colton told his parents that he had gone to heaven while he was unconscious and described seeing Jesus, John the Baptist, his great-grandfather, and his younger sister who died in a miscarriage 鈥� something his parents say they never told him about.
鈥淗eaven Is For Real鈥� has faced skepticism, and next week, an hour-long program featuring interviews with Burpo and his family will play exclusively at locations. Lifetree Caf茅s are 鈥渃onversation cafes,鈥� according to their website, located around the country where religious and other issues are discussed.
During the program, Burpo, who is a pastor and runs a garage door company with his wife, addresses nay-sayers.
鈥淎s a pastor and as a dad, I want my son to know I tell the truth,鈥� he says during the interview. 鈥淗e can read the book. He knows if I exaggerated or if I didn't. My son is forever going to believe that I'm an honest person or I'm a liar by what I wrote in that book, because he can read.鈥�
Burpo wrote 鈥淗eaven Is For Real鈥� with Lynn Vincent, who worked with Sarah Palin on 鈥淕oing Rogue,鈥� after Colton began to tell him matter-of-fact stories about what he had seen. His parents say that Colton described meeting his younger sister, who he said has dark hair, when they had never told him about the miscarriage. Colton also described his great-grandfather and pointed him out in an old photograph. His parents said he mentioned images like wounds in Jesus鈥� hands that he had not seen before.
Burpo began to bring up parts of Colton's story in his services. Later, Burpo and his wife Sonja met an agent working for a 海角大神 literary agency through a friend. Promotion for the book involved appearances on 鈥淔ox & Friends,鈥� CNN, and the program 鈥�The 700 Club,鈥� but the book鈥檚 sales were fueled by word of mouth. 鈥淗eaven Is For Real鈥� publisher Thomas Nelson says the book has broken all previous sales records.
Burpo says Colton read the book before it was published and assured him that everything was correct.
鈥淚t didn鈥檛 put me to sleep,鈥� .
Colton is now 11 and that he was happy people have enjoyed the book.
鈥淧eople are getting blessed, and they鈥檙e going to have healing from their hurts,鈥� said Colton, who now plays the piano and trumpet and likes football. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy for that.鈥�
Molly Driscoll is a Monitor correspondent.
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