BUSTING BOUNDARIES

July 16

Bible Reading: Acts 8:4-8

Acts 8:4-5, “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.”

Have you ever, like Jonah, resisted doing something God has told you to do?  In Jonah’s case, God worked despite Jonah’s reluctance to compel Jonah to obey.  A similar thing happened when God worked to scatter the church to new regions.

Jesus had commissioned His Apostles to bear witness of Him “to in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The problem was that the Jews in that day despised the Samaritans, so much so that they’d journey around Samaria rather than pass through it (John 4:9).  More disturbing even—on one occasion—Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus if He wanted them to “command fire to come down from heaven (on a village of the Samaritans) and consume them” because they refused to receive Jesus (Luke 9:54)!

It took the martyrdom of Stephen and a great persecution to move the people of God to do that which God had purposed to do.  They fled the city, but “those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). They’d been reluctant to go, but once scattered, they scattered the gospel message and found lots of folks who were eager to hear.  Don’t shrug off that person in your life who is difficult-to-get-along with. Maybe God has put you in their life so they might have the opportunity to hear the truth about Jesus.  God is good at breaking down boundaries that way (Revelation 5:9).

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”—Galatians 3:28

THERE’S A WIDENESS IN GOD’S MERCY
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,
like the wideness of the sea.
There’s a kindness in God’s justice,
which is more than liberty.

There is welcome for the sinner,
and more graces for the good.
There is mercy with the Savior,
there is healing in his blood.

But we make God’s love too narrow
by false limits of our own,
and we magnify its strictness
with a zeal God will not own.

For the love of God is broader
than the measures of the mind,
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind.

If our love were but more simple,
we should rest upon God’s word,
and our lives would be illumined
by the presence of our Lord.

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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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