After Randy Kay says he experienced heaven and encountered Jesus face-to-face, death no longer looks the same.
Speaking with Sean Hannity during an episode of Hang Out with Sean Hannity, Kay opened up about how his near-death experience transformed not only what he believes about eternity, but how he lives his life now.
For Kay, the greatest part of heaven wasn’t its beauty. It was being with God.
“I think the greatest reward in heaven is closeness to God,” Kay told Hannity.
Kay said he believes that reality should motivate Christians to pursue intimacy with the Lord now, rather than simply waiting for eternity.
“The wonders, the beauty, all of the things we do as we dreamed about doing pale in comparison to being close to God,” he said.
That closeness also made returning to this life difficult.
Kay told Hannity that he and many other people he has interviewed following near-death experiences have experienced periods of sadness or even depression after returning. Earlier in the conversation, Kay became emotional, describing how deeply he still misses Christ’s face-to-face presence.
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“I miss Him, Sean,” Kay said. “I miss being with Him face to face in that way.”
Yet experiencing heaven did not make Kay immune to earthly struggles.
“I struggle even as a believer having been to heaven,” he admitted.
Kay said he still becomes frustrated with himself when he falls short and has dealt with people who question or reject his testimony. His experience, however, appears to have radically changed one particular thing: his fear of death.
Kay recalled getting caught in the middle of what he described as an Islamic parade in Washington, D.C., where tensions began to rise around him. When someone asked what he did, Kay said he identified himself as a Christian pastor and offered to take the stage and tell those gathered about “the God of love.”
He told Hannity that even as a crowd gathered around him and police were nearby, he wasn’t afraid.
“I don’t care. I’ll declare Him anywhere,” Kay said.
Kay also said he has received threats before, including in connection with a conference in San Diego. Still, his response remained the same.
“I don’t care.”
His boldness comes from a conviction that this life is not the end.
Kay also pointed Hannity toward what he believes is evidence that near-death testimonies deserve serious consideration. He described interviewing a man from South Africa who suffered an aortic medical emergency and later accurately recounted what medical personnel had been doing around him. Because Kay previously led clinical teams in operating rooms, he said he understood the significance of the man’s description.
“If you don’t believe in these, then I think you haven’t studied them, quite frankly,” Kay told Hannity.
For Kay, however, evidence of the afterlife ultimately points toward something greater than simply proving that heaven exists.
It points toward knowing the One who is there.
Kay’s message to Christians is therefore not to become consumed with escaping this world, but to draw closer to God while they are still here.
The greatest treasure awaiting Christians isn’t simply eternal life.
It’s eternal life in Jesus’ presence.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
