90 Minutes in Heaven

I died on January 18, 1989.

I was the father of three children.

The husband of a wonderful wife.

A man with a great future.

I was 38 years old.

You coming?

Oh honey, you know.

It's not gonna stop me from asking.

I would feel so terrible having six new students

start with a substitute teacher.

I still can't even convince my wife to have a...

A lovely weekend with her husband.

We can sleep in, order room service...

Room service?

There probably isn't room service, but...

Okay, then, we could, pick up some hamburgers

and some strawberry milkshakes.

Ooh...

You're getting me. I'm listening.

Get all cozy. Put on some Love Me Tender.

Love me tender.

Love me true.

Hi, Dad.

Aw...

I think we're in the Jailhouse Rock now.

How you doing? Did you sleep well?

Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah?

I think you're heavier. Um, yeah.

Did you grow again? Um, no.

Rain check?

IOU.

Where's your brother at, huh?

I don't know.

You don't know? No.

I gotcha.

Good morning. How you doing? Good.

Yeah?

All right, guys, there's not a lot of time.

Nicole, no dogs eating at the table, please.

Thank you, darling.

All right, guys, there's not a lot of time.

Eat your food real quick, please.

Mom, I would love a cup of coffee.

Now, you know, Daddy's gonna be away for a couple of days, so...

In January of 1989,

I attended a church conference in the Trinity Pines suburb of Houston,

where the focus was on the growth of the Union Baptist Church association.

I went because I was seriously considering starting a new church.

We know that God is calling to us.

To tell others about heaven and how to go there.

The gospel begins right here, right where we are.

And it travels.

It travels to every neighborhood.

Every continent.

And the prize...

Mmm.

The prize that we shall receive

is heaven.

Amen?

Amen.

Amen.

Little did I know that some of the people listening that day

would be there to help me later on.

You know you did something Baptist preachers almost never do.

Oh yeah, what's that?

You finished early.

Well, good morning, J.V.

it seems like I have to walk to talk to you.

If you walk the walk.

I have to keep the ticker on track since my heart attack.

How's that going, by the way?

A whole lot better, thank you.

Oh, good.

Rumor has it that you're thinking about starting a new church?

Well, you've started so many successful churches.

It's a roller-coaster ride, beginning a new church.

Three steps forward, two steps back.

It's challenging. Worthwhile, but challenging.

I believe it's time for me to start a new congregation.

I would urge you to be certain

that this is what God really wants you to do.

And that your family's on board with the idea.

Sometimes what inspires you

isn't what you end up doing.

It's about finding your purpose.

Thank you.

That's it.

That's what it's all about. Finding your purpose.

And remember it's not about you.

I appreciate that. Thank you, J.V.

It's 10100.

On the dime.

How are you, darling?

Grading papers. How's it going?

Good, good.

No matter where you are in the world

you always manage to call me at 10:00 every evening.

Is it tradition or love?

Love of tradition.

Very nice.

So, I had a good chat with J.V. Thomas about opening a new church.

He was very encouraging.

I'd say there's a great chance that I can actually start something this year.

That's exciting. We're behind you loo%.

I think I'm gonna have to wrestle the twins to bed.

I don't know.

That might be the sound of Nicole growing up.

Oh, my. She'll be a teenager soon enough.

Well, she is ordering coffee now.

That's right.

Well, my love, it's bedtime for all of us.

All right, darling.

Have a good night,

and I miss you and I'll look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

I love you.

I love you.

Night, night.

Good night.

I remember that only three weeks earlier...

I'd received a traffic ticket for not wearing a seatbelt.

Until I received that ticket, I'd not usually worn my seatbelt,

but after that, well, I changed my ways.

That small act would be a crucial decision.

I believe in a great God.

I believe in Jesus, the son of God.

I believe in the Holy Spirit.

I believe in baptism.

I believe in communion.

I believe in a great God.

He's dead.

Don, hi.

Ooh, Donnie, you're so beautiful.

Can you hear me?

State law decreed that a coroner had to pronounce me dead,

before my body could be removed from the wreck.

There was no need for speed because I was dead.

I got no pulse.

We got no pulse at all. All right?

Does anyone want to call this thing?

Yeah. I got it.

Hey, we need to clean this mess up

so we can get this bridge open.

Yeah, I got 12:15 now.

According to the report, the collision occurred at 11:45 a.m.

Well, it's 1:00 p.m.

Hey, what's going on up there?

A truck crashed into a car and another car over there.

Multiple cars got hit.

Officer, Dick Onerecker. I'm a minister.

Is there anybody here I can pray for?

Yeah, the people in those two cars over there.

They're shaken, but they're fine.

You can talk to them if you'd like.

What about the car up there? The one with the tarp over it?

The man in the red Ford is deceased.

I'd like to pray for him.

Well, like I said, he's dead.

I know it sounds crazy, but I have to pray for him.

You know, if that's what you want to do, go ahead,

but I gotta tell you it's an awful sight.

He's dead, and it's a real mess under that tarp.

There's blood and glass everywhere, and the body's all mangled.

I gotta warn you, you do what you want,

but you've never seen anybody this bad.

Try being a medic in Vietnam.

I only know God told me to pray for you.

He died instantly, there's no pulse.

God, I pray...

Yeah, that's what they said when I got here.

That his sins are forgiven.

We did everything we could, but the impact probably killed him.

And that he's with you, God.

We need to get the jaws of life ready

for when the coroner gets here.

Okay-

I pray. God

that he knew you.

As father and as friend.

What a friend we have in Jesus.

AH our sins and griefs to bear.

All because we do not carry.

Everything to God...

..to God in prayer.

Oh, praise God, he's singing!

He's alive! He...

He's alive! He's... He's alive!

The man... The dead man is singing in there!

Really?

You just set a world record for exiting a wrecked car.

Listen to me, he's alive! The dead man...

Look, sir...

I know a dead guy when I see him. That man is dead.

Listen, he's alive. He was singing.

We know our business, okay?

Yeah.

He's dead.

Listen, look, look, look.

I'm gonna lay down on this bridge.

You're gonna have to run over me if you don't go check on him.

Just do me a favor. Just check on his pulse.