Heaven is the abode of God. Although every Christian has likely considered this subject at one time or another, many of us, perhaps even the majority of us, may not have given it the in-depth and Biblically-based study it deserves. With the help of a new title published by BakerBooks and written by Chip Ingram with Lance Witt, however, we can dive into the fascinating, life-changing study of our future home with ease and excitement.

“The Real Heaven: What the Bible Actually Says” is written in an engaging and easy to read style, and divided into chapters of very manageable length. With plenty of headings and sub-headings, as well as short paragraphs, this book can easily be picked up and read for a few moments at any time. The best feature, however, is of course the content. Written in a conversational style, the material of the book is captivating. What does the Bible actually say about Heaven? How can an informed view of Heaven change how we live our lives today? And when we reach Heaven, what will our new home for all eternity be like? Naturally, Chip Ingram doesn’t claim to have all the answers or be the only authority on the subject of Heaven, but he does provide Biblically-sound viewpoints. Certainly this will enlighten readers, and also fill them with a new excitement for the home where all believers will one day live together with our Heavenly Father.

Anyone who picks up this book is bound to learn something, and to benefit in some way large or small. Having said this, I must also add that it is not perfect, and I did not agree with everything it stated as fact. Of course, in a book of this nature, that is probably inevitable – it is not the Bible and should therefore not be treated as infallible. Because the writing style is extremely conversational and easy to read, at times the simplicity also got on my nerves. Additionally, several blunt and unnecessary comments made this book a little less family-friendly than it could otherwise have been, and detracted from my enjoyment substantially. Overall however, these discrepancies aside, I DID enjoy this book, I DID learn a great deal from it, and it DID increase my knowledge and understanding about Heaven, the place we will one day call home. Undoubtedly, it was well-worth the read.

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”