Is David Bowie In Heaven?

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor
Tuesday, January 12, 2016

A woman wearing Ziggy Stardust style make-up reacts as she visits a mural of David Bowie in Brixton, south London, January 11, 2016. David Bowie, a music legend who used daringly androgynous displays of sexuality and glittering costumes to frame legendary rock hits 'Ziggy Stardust' and 'Space Oddity', has died of cancer. — A woman wearing Ziggy Stardust style make-up reacts as she visits a mural of David Bowie in Brixton, south London, January 11, 2016. David Bowie, a music legend who used daringly androgynous displays of sexuality and glittering costumes to frame legendary rock hits "Ziggy Stardust" and "Space Oddity", has died of cancer. | (Photo: REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth)

Editor's Note: The following op-ed is exclusive to The Christian Post.

Rock icon David Bowie died of cancer just three days after the release of his final album, Blackstar, at the age of 69. It appears Bowie (real name David Jones) was on a lifelong search for truth and meaning in his life.

Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, California, shares the Gospel with a sold-out crowd of 19,000 for Harvest America at the American Airlines Center and Victory Park in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 5, 2014. — Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, California, shares the Gospel with a sold-out crowd of 19,000 for Harvest America at the American Airlines Center and Victory Park in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 5, 2014. | (Photo: rever Hoehne for Harvest Ministries)

According to The Christian Post, "Bowie told Ellen DeGeneres in a 2004 interview that he experimented with a number of religions including Christianity before finding his place as a singer. 'I was young, fancy free and Tibetan Buddhism appealed to me at that time. I thought, "There's salvation." It didn't really work. Then I went through Nietzsche, Satanism, Christianity . . . pottery, and ended up singing. It's been a long road,' he said."

In his search for meaning, Bowie admittedly tried pretty much everything this culture offered, but did not find the meaning he sought. He was filled with questions throughout his life.

In 2003, he told Beliefnet, "Questioning my spiritual life has always been germane to what I was writing. Always. It's because I'm not quite an atheist and it worries me. There's that little bit that holds on: Well, I'm almost an atheist. Give me a couple of months . . ."

But now that search is over and David Bowie has passed into eternity. But where is he exactly? In the lyrics to a song on Blackstar called "Lazarus," Bowie sings,

Look up here, I'm in heaven

I've got scars that can't be seen

I've got drama, can't be stolen

Everybody knows me now

Is David Bowie in heaven?

I certainly hope so.

But we all need to understand this simple truth: heaven is not the default destination of every person. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people. Jesus Christ made it very clear how people can be certain that they will spend eternity in this wonderful place called heaven.

He was speaking with His disciples, and He had just dropped the bombshell that He would soon be leaving them.

This caused great distress, and so Jesus said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in My Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am. And you know the way to where I am going" (John 14:1–4 NLT).

Famous British rock singer David Bowie performs at the Panathinaikos stadium in Athens during a rock festival, July 1. The two-day festival includes performances by Lou-Reed, Simply-Red, and Elvis-Costello. — Famous British rock singer David Bowie performs at the Panathinaikos stadium in Athens during a rock festival, July 1. The two-day festival includes performances by Lou-Reed, Simply-Red, and Elvis-Costello. | (Photo: Reuters)

The skeptical Thomas admitted he was clueless about what the Lord was talking about. So Jesus spelled it out for Thomas, and everybody else who wants to go to heaven someday.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6 NLT).

So, back to my question: is David Bowie in heaven?

That depends. If Bowie called out to Jesus to forgive him of his sins and put his trust in Christ, then he is.

To Beliefnet, Bowie said, "All clichés are true. The years really do speed by. Life really is as short as they tell you it is. And there really is a God — so do I buy that one? If all the other clichés are true . . . . Hell, don't pose me that one."

But it was posed to Bowie . . . and it is posed to everyone else.

David Bowie knows with certainty now that there is a God, as does every person who enters the afterlife.

The Bible says, "At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10–11 NLT).

Every knee shall bow:

Every rich person, and every poor person.

Every Republican, and every Democrat.

Every president and every prime minister.

Every movie star, and every rock star . . . including David Bowie.

Jesus loves David Bowie and He loves you and welcomes all into His presence. But we must believe and trust in Him because, as Bowie said, "The years really speed by."

Will you go to heaven when you die?

Have you put your trust in Jesus Christ?

This is what I will be talking about at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, for a nationwide event called Harvest America" on March 6 of this year. It will stream live around the world. To find out more, go to

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