90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death & Life

by Don Piper, Cecil Murphey

book data

1784 ratings, 3.53 average rating, 638 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		23%
4		29%
3		28%
2		14%
1		4%

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published

September 1st 2004 by REVELL

binding

Paperback, 208 pages

isbn

0800759494 (isbn13: 9780800759490)

description

As he is driving home from a minister's conference, Baptist minister Don Piper collides with a semi-truck that crosses into his lane. He is pronounced...more

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How did you feel after you read this book?	2	20	10/25/2008 01:06PM

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Erin rated it:

05/28/07

After reading the back cover of this book and learning that the story was about a man who had been killed in a horrific car crash, went to heaven and then returned to life 90 minutes later, I had high expectations for a riveting read. I was really disappointed. I survived a harrowing car accident 2 years ago so expected this to be somewhat cathartic. Instead, I found the story to be recounted poorly and disjointedly. By far the largest problem with the book however was that the author is a S...more

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Bert rated it:

05/08/08

Read in April, 2008

Rev. Piper's description of "heaven" is brief and early in the book. If you want afterlife details, there are few to be found here. The problems are many with this book, but let me affirm Piper's ministry to persons confined to the fixator--a torturous contraption they use to try to save severely broken limbs. Piper presents several opportunities that he had to encourage and inform those who have to wear that thing. I commend him for that. I broke my neck and wore a halo for months. Mo...more Rev. Piper's description of "heaven" is brief and early in the book. If you want afterlife details, there are few to be found here. The problems are many with this book, but let me affirm Piper's ministry to persons confined to the fixator--a torturous contraption they use to try to save severely broken limbs. Piper presents several opportunities that he had to encourage and inform those who have to wear that thing. I commend him for that. I broke my neck and wore a halo for months. More than once I've had the opportunity to share my experience with someone having to wear that thing screwed into your skull. Not fun.

The biggest problem with this book is biblical. I don't have enough space here to show you this (that's why I'm writing a book about it: Heaven for Skeptics, due out late 2008), but biblical heaven isn't defined as an afterlife destination in the Bible. For example, Matthew's Gospel uses the word "heaven" (ouranos) seventy-seven times in sixty-eight verses, and not one of them has anything to do with where you go when you die. Instead, most of them have to do with a relational reality that is both present and coming in Jesus.

Jesus only spoke of the afterlife three brief times, yet modern evangelical Christianity plays the fear and death card up front, as if it's what Jesus talked about all the time, as if the whole point of Christianity is where you go when you die. Jesus rarely mentioned death and the afterlife. He spoke constantly about having Life real, rich, abundant, and eternal. He talked about what the kingdom of heaven is like, where it is, what you can do with it now, and how to enter it an live. Death, for example is mentioned by Jesus only only a couple of times (as defeated) in John's Gospel, but Life is front and center: nearly fifty times.

I have no doubt that Piper had a real experience that changed him forever. My concern is that he's merged his experience with his own theological ideology and agenda, focusing on death and the afterlife via his testimony. Is death and the afterlife the point of Christianity biblically? No. It's not. So it disturbs me when preachers do that. Threats and emotional manipulation by fear-based and death-focused tactics is neither biblical nor Christian. The scriptures don't say we go to heaven when we die. They say that the kingdom of heaven is coming to us when Jesus comes on resurrection day: "Thy kingdom come . . ."

Most of this book describes not Piper's "90 minutes in heaven" but pain, depression, recovery, and his present mission to tell his story. He had help writing it, but it doesn't show. It's rather wandering and repetitious. The good news, however, is that it's a quick read. It's a compelling story, admittedly. And while I don't recommend it for biblical and theological reasons, I wish Piper God's speed in his recovery and ministry....less

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Jen rated it:

12/27/07

Read in December, 2007

This book probably doesn't deserve the two stars that I gave it, and some people may be angry that I didn't rate it higher. I saw it at the bookstore, waited to get it on hold at the library, and in the meantime had it highly recommended by a patient's spouse among other people, so I was quite excited when it was available to me. Then the holidays hit and I didn't have much time and well, the book was due yesterday...no worries, it's a short read, and it promises to be a very interesting read ...more

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Leila rated it:

04/15/08

Read in January, 2008

**spoiler** reveals some of what’s in the book.
The subject of this book had help with the writing. There is a lot that's repetitive. I don’t know if it was an effort to ‘pad’ the book and create more pages or to drive home certain points Don Piper wanted to make. It didn’t detract from the main message about Mr. Piper’s experience in heaven after he died and then his return to mortality and the anger he had. He struggled to learn what the mission God wanted him to accomplish by ‘...more

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Mike rated it:

03/12/08

This book is about a guy who clinically dies in a car wreck for 90 minutes, until he miraculously comes back to life. While "dead" he experiences heaven and then proceeds to preach to everyone that will listen. I suppose if you are the spiritual Christian type, then you will find this book appealing and inspirational. I am extremely skeptical about these sorts of things and therefore can't relate well. The book was written by Don Piper with the help of an established writer. It was app...more

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Kathy rated it:

12/19/07

Read in December, 2007

In early December my family found out that my dad had lung cancer. My dad, for many months, had been encouraging me to read Don Piper's 90 Minutes in Heaven but I just never took the tiime to sit down and read this encouraging book. On the day my dad was scheduled for surgery, I took this book to the hospital with me, with hopes of reading it while waiting. I did just that. Although, I didn't finish reading it at the hospital, I finally finished reading it at the end of the day. Reading this boo...more

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Alayne rated it:

08/09/08

I think the author did a great job in describing a very difficult personal experience and how God used him to help others dealing with issues in life to bring them closer to God. I can only imagine how difficult it was for him to write this book. I think people who expected the entire book to be about his 90 minutes in heaven were disappointed. If you read this book with an open mind and no expectations, I think you'll get a lot out of it. Don Piper's message is to relate how God used him to...more

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Jessica rated it:

04/13/08

Read in April, 2008

Well, hmmmm, not real sure what to say about this book because I don't want to be negative but I was definitely disappointed. I guess I expected more of the book to be about the heaven experience, not all about the recovery process. I kind of felt like I picked up a book on rehabilitation after a severe accident. There were parts that were interesting, and I did take some powerful messages from it here and there, but for the most part it was just repetitive and kind of dragged on.

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Wilma rated it:

09/14/07

Read in September, 2007

This book has received wonderful reviews but I had to force myself to finish it. Normally I love stories about near death experiences but I found this story poorly written and very repetitive. The author is a Southern Baptist minister and it appears that the music played in heaven is Christian. So if you're of another faith . . . forget it! Oops, sorry.

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lisa rated it:

09/04/07

bookshelves: christian

Read in August, 2007

recommends it for: everyone

I read this book a couple of weeks ago when I was going through a really rough time and it is just absolutely amazing. This is such a moving story of one pastor's journey from a tragic car accident to his recovery and how he has touched people's life sense. It is beautifully written and I think it is a good read for everyone.

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Shelley rated it:

07/06/08

I enjoyed his message about the power of prayer, and how little choices can change your life. The only thing I couldn't quite buy into was the whole pearl"escent" gates, but I do believe we will have a great reunion with those we love who have gone before. I'm glad he had the courage to write this book.

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Margie rated it:

06/29/07

Read in June, 2007

recommends it for: anyone dealing w/ illness, christians

It was an interesting book, written from the words of an ordinary person. I liked that it wasn't about how easy his life is but how hard it was and still is for him to wake up every day. I hope that maybe someone who has lost a loved one or friend will find comfort in his glimpse of "heaven"

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Krystyn rated it:

08/05/07

Read in March, 2006

recommends it for: Those interested in Spiritual books

An interesting read. If this book is indeed true (as people are skeptical about these situations), then it provides VAST comfort about dying and going to Heaven. I read this in 3-4 days, which is truly a personal record. I never finish books that quickly. I could not put this one down.

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Ruthanne rated it:

(review of isbn 0739457853)

06/08/08

His description of Heaven is amazing! I also learned alot reading thru his struggles with recovery after returning to his body. It was/is neat to hear how he is now sharing his experience to help more people, Believers and non-Believers alike.

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Megan rated it:

08/11/07

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in January, 2007

I really loved this book. If you arent into spirituality or believe in that sort of thing then I dont recommend this book. It is true story written by a minister who is involved in a serious car accident and takes a life changing journey to heaven.

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Danielle rated it:

11/24/08

Read in November, 2008

recommended to Danielle by: Shelia Robben

I wasn't totally disappointed in this book. I was fascinated by the idea of this man going to the other side. I believe in his journey, and I love the idea of his book, but I thought he could have done a better job describing things. There was a lot of "I can't describe it"s and "I can't put it into words"s. I'm sure there's someone out there who has been able to describe it better and put it into as best words possible.

The good news about this book - you can read it ...more

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Mallory rated it:

09/10/07

bookshelves: currently-reading

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: EVERYONE!

I just got into the book and IT IS AMAZING! i totally recomended it to everyone in the world. after reading only a few pages you will have a great outlook on life and be willing to give everything over to God

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Sarah rated it:

04/02/07

bookshelves: favorites

Read in January, 2007

recommends it for: Those Dealing With Grief

A family member gave me this book on Christmas morning, a few hours later my Aunt was admitted into the hospital with two brain aneurysms. I picked up the book, and read through in about 4 hours.

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Karyn added it

09/29/08

A minister who was seriously injured, "died" and worked his way back to health and faith. I'd never want to o through all he did, but was grateful that he shared his struggle and lessons.

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Beth rated it:

11/22/08

A man was declared dead at the scene of an accident but a minister stopped and laid his hand on his shoulder and started to pray for him. He started singing a hym and Don (the injured man) began to sing along with him. The EMTs raced back and got him out of the car and he got him to the hospital. The book explains the torture Don went through to get back to his life.

They always say that God doesn't give us more than we can handle and that we all have a purpose. I believe this guy's purpose ...more

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