Did a Young Boy Really Meet Jesus in Heaven? These Are the Biggest Faith Stories of the Week

It's Easter Sunday, so what better way to start off this week's recap than with two stories about Colton Burpo, the 14-year-old who claims he once visited heaven and met Jesus during a near-death experience.

Image source: TriStar Pictures

Burpo recently came to TheBlaze's New York City newsroom to share his fascinating story, which is currently being told in the new feature film “Heaven is for Real."

In addition to responding to his critics, the teen described what Jesus looked like (we won't tease his description here, so you'll have to click).

Speaking of Easter, the Freedom From Religion Foundation — a church-state separatist group — is claiming an anti-Easter sign the group posted in the Wisconsin capital building was “violently mangled” and “mutilated” by a “fanatic” last Wednesday.

The sign reads “Nobody died for our sins. Jesus Christ is a myth.”

On a more positive note, here's the Easter and Passover message President Barack Obama delivered this weekend — and some stunning photos of Christians around the world as they celebrated Good Friday.

Switching gears, we recently interviewed Christian rapper, KB, who shared an important — and convicting — message for his fellow rappers and consumers alike, imploring them to take responsibility for what they create and consume.

He said that music has the power to impact peoples’ “worldviews,” so the 25-year-old charged that consumers need to pay attention to what they listen to and rap artists need to be fully honest about the ramifications for the negative themes in their music.

“If [fans] could see the other side of the story when these rappers are a lot more human than they seem to be … a lot of times they are wrestling a lot more than we are,” he told TheBlaze.

While on the subject of public figures sharing their faith, NBA star Blake Griffin recently surprised some observers with comments in a recent interview with Rolling Stone that seemingly support creationism.

When asked whether he was “Team Creationism or Team Evolution,” Griffin responded, “I was raised in a Christian household and went to a Christian high school, so I believe in creationism, for sure.” This led some to negative critiques leveled at the basketball star.

West Team's Blake Griffin, of the Los Angeles Clippers heads to the hoop during the NBA All Star basketball game, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

In other evolutionary news, "Science guy" Bill Nye and creationist Ken Ham are still going at it, exchanging tough words and slights in the wake of their widely publicized debate earlier this year.

And last weekend a gay priest in the Church of England violated official rules when he married his partner. But Canon Jeremy Pemberton, 58, a hospital chaplain, didn't seem to have any regrets despite the fact that he might be punished for the act.

"I love this man and I want to be married to him. That’s what I want. It is the same as anyone who wants to get married," he told the Daily Mail.

Then there was our coverage of last Tuesday’s blood moon (named for the reddish color that results when the Earth orbits between the sun and moon). It is the first in a series of four blood moons set to unfold between 2014-2015; each will fall on Jewish holidays.

The moon glows a red hue during a total lunar eclipse Tuesday, April 15, 2014, as seen from the Milwaukee area. Tuesday's eclipse is the first of four total lunar eclipses that will take place between 2014 to 2015. (AP Photo/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Mike De Sisti)

Considering ongoing conversation about the possible prophetic messages some believe these moons are sending, we posed this fascinating question: Does the current "tetrad" (series of four blood moons) mean that something earth shattering is about to happen?

And as you're sifting through your Bible trying to figure out what, if anything, Scripture says about these moons, consider reading our interview with the founder of the YouVersion app, which is bringing Bible reading and social media together like never before.

YouVersion is now integrating a social media component into the platform, allowing readers to discuss and analyze Scripture with their friends and family right inside the app.

Image source: YouVersion

Bobby Gruenewald — innovation pastor of LifeChurch.tv in Oklahoma and founder of YouVersion — told TheBlaze, “We believe that it will move people that might be more casual Bible app users [and] … pull them into being daily users of the app.”

And a Spanish town whose name for the past 1,000 years has meant in part “kill Jews” is at last considering renaming itself.

Don't forget to take a look at how much the Obamas gave to their local church last year. It may surprise you. And be sure to see the inspiring message Glenn Beck has for anyone struggling in life.

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