April 2
Bible Reading: John 14:4-14
John 14:4-6, ’And you know the way to where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
I once led a caravan of vehicles from Astoria to Idaho on a trip to do some construction and repairs at a Bible camp for a missionary that we supported. Our group included about six families, plus a couple of teens. Near the end of day two of our travels, as we were approaching our destination, I realized I had neglected to get exact directions to the camp. The teen who was with us who’d been there before couldn’t remember where to turn. This was before the days of GPS and cell phones, but we had CB radios. From what I heard over the CB, the group was quickly running out of patience. As I recall, we stopped somewhere, out of desperation, and made a phone call and got it figured out. But it would have been better if I’d known exactly how to get where we were going.
Jesus had spoken to his disciples about the place where he was going. But Thomas’ response was that they didn’t know the way there. “How can we know the way?” he asked. Thomas’ question equates to asking for directions to heaven. How can we know the way to heaven? According to some estimates, there are about 4200 different religions in the world. That’s a lot of options! And don’t ask your GPS for directions to heaven, it doesn’t know!
I once had an elderly hospice patient who had rarely been to church, had never read the Bible, and had no idea of who God is. But God was using her desperate situation to get her attention! One of the first questions she asked of me was how is what you believe any different from all the other religions that are out there? Good question! My response to her was to speak of the glory of Jesus—as the eternal Son who came to die on a cross to rescue us from our sins and then rose from the dead! He is “the way, and the truth, and the life!” He has done everything necessary so that we can be forgiven and assured of a future home in heaven. But note this, and it is especially important in the pluralistic day in which we live—Jesus claimed exclusivity when it comes to the matter of salvation. And He did so in emphatic terms— “no one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)!” Ultimately, the answer to the question of needing directions to heaven is relatively simple—if you know Jesus, then you know the way! And when that time comes, “he will bring (you) safely into his heavenly kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:18)!
We don’t need to see the way if we’re following the One who is the Way.
THOU ART THE WAY, TO THEE ALONE
You are the way; thro’ you alone
can we the Father find;
in you, O Christ, has God revealed
his heart and will and mind.
You are the truth; your Word alone
true wisdom can impart;
you only can inform the mind
and purify the heart.
You are the life; the empty tomb
proclaims your conqu’ring arm,
and those who put their trust in you
nor death nor hell shall harm.
You are the way, the truth, the life;
grant us that way to know,
that truth to keep, that life to win,
whose joys eternal flow.
Author: looking2jesus13
Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces.
Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon.
Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries.
After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year.
Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley.
International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith.
Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully.
Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.
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