Veritas Church Urbana, 104 Towne Centre Drive, Urbana, IA (2026)

06/03/2026

We’re spending Summer 2026 in the Minor Prophets, beginning this Sunday, and we’d love for you to join us! These often-overlooked books of Scripture confront sin and idolatry head-on, yet consistently lead us to hope in God’s promise of restoration through the coming Messiah.

06/01/2026

Yesterday morning, we concluded Romans 8 together by reflecting on verses 31–39 and savoring the promise of untouchable confidence and security in the gospel. It’s not hard to see that we are all searching for confidence in life, yet we often look for it in the wrong places. Even in our relationship with God, our confidence can feel threatened. In these nine verses, we saw two clear threats to our confidence in our relationship with God: condemnation and separation.

First, we often feel accused and condemned. When this happens, we are prone to become defensive or try to prove ourselves. But our confidence does not rest in us — it never was meant to. God is for us! Through Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ongoing intercession, our relationship with God is forever secured. Any accusation or condemnation brought against us has been fully covered by Christ.

Yet having a secure relationship with God also means recognizing that nothing can separate us from Him. No suffering, hardship, or spiritual power can keep us from God’s inseparable love. In fact, suffering for faithfulness has always been part of the experience of the people God loves. Though it may appear that we are losing in the here and now, the reality is that, in Christ, we are truly winning by a landslide.

In light of these precious promises, may we be a people who stop climbing the mountains of earthly confidence and instead stand firmly on the finished work of Christ. And may our confidence in Jesus’ inseparable love serve as a tried-and-tested safety harness, giving us the freedom to take bold risks for His name. This is the only reasonable response to the confidence we have in Him, and our aim is to see more and more people gladly give Jesus the worship He deserves. By God’s grace, for God’s glory!

05/26/2026

On Sunday, we looked at Romans 8:26–30 and sought to answer the “why?” behind suffering. If we’re honest, this is a question we’ve all wrestled with before. While our understanding is limited, that doesn’t mean there aren’t truths we can know with confidence. As we examined these five verses, we saw three things we can know in the face of weakness and suffering.

First, we have a Helper in prayer. When we find ourselves in circumstances where we know we need to pray but don’t know what to say, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. He takes our real circumstances and raw emotions and presents a perfect prayer before the Father. This does not mean we avoid prayer or pretend to have the right words. Rather, we simply come to God as we are, praying with confidence that He hears our broken and humble prayers.

Second, we are being conformed to Christ. God is working every circumstance in the life of a believer for good — to make us more like Jesus. After all, the greatest good God could ever do for us is to shape us into the likeness of His Son, chipping away what does not belong and forming us into all He created us to be.

Finally, we have a God who is forever faithful. From eternity past to eternity future, God is faithful to His promises. He always finishes what He starts, and we can speak of our future glorification with such certainty that Scripture describes it as already accomplished.

May we be a people who look up to God in prayer, look back on His faithfulness, and look ahead with confident trust in His purposes. As a result, may we become a church that not only weathers the storms of life but also considers it a great joy when we experience various trials. By God’s grace. For God’s glory!

05/19/2026

This past Sunday, we looked at Romans 8:16–25 as we continued our conversation on suffering. Everyone suffers — there is no question about that. But what does it look like to suffer as a Christian? As followers of Jesus, we are people who both expect suffering and are called to endure it. With that in mind, we asked the question: “How can we endure?”

As we walked through the text, we observed the “already, but not yet” reality of being with Christ. While much of the passage points us forward to eternity, we first considered the present reality of suffering with Christ. Because Jesus is a man of sorrows and our sympathetic High Priest, we can experience His life, comfort, and power when our wounds meet the wounds of our Savior. Being with Christ today is our power source in suffering.

At the same time, being with Christ forever is our hope through suffering. One day, when we experience the fullness of the glory of heaven, we will look back on the sufferings of this life — no matter how painful or deep — and see them as momentary and light. The groaning we experience now — both in creation and within ourselves — is described as labor pains, reminding us that present pain carries the promise of a joyful end.

We long for a new heaven and new earth where all things are made new: Lilacs always in bloom. Beaches and waters untouched by pollution. Peace without interruption. The enjoyment of every good gift without the threat of sin or idolatry. Above all, we long for perfect, pure, and unhindered enjoyment of God, where Christ Himself is our joy, peace, purpose, belonging, and rest.

May we be a church marked by trusting in Christ, suffering with Christ, and longing for Christ. As we observe and feel the groaning of this present world, may we live with such hope that others ask us for the reason behind it. And may we joyfully respond with the promise of being with Christ — by God’s grace and for God’s glory.

05/11/2026

Yesterday morning, we continued our journey through Romans 8 by looking at verses 12–17. In these six verses, we saw three essential ingredients for gospel transformation. If the gospel has not changed us to the degree we desire, perhaps we have missed a key ingredient along the way — each one empowered by the Spirit.

First, we are given an imperative to obey: kill our sin. In a world that is anti-God, we must remember that we owe the flesh nothing. Just as owning a pet hippo is sure to end in death, the same can be said of pet sins. We must be killing sin, and we do so through the power of the Spirit as we keep God’s Word.

Second, we are given an identity to cherish: children of God. After all, who we are shapes what we do. We must not live like slaves, who obey out of fear and view God as a harsh master. We are sons and daughters, welcomed into God’s family and freed to obey out of faith and love. As children of God, we enjoy both closeness with our Father and confidence in our adoption.

Lastly, we are given an implication to accept: suffering with Christ. Like sweating during a good workout, suffering is a natural part of following Jesus. If we avoid suffering, we avoid one of God’s primary means of growing us as Christians. It is not merely a necessary evil; God uses it to transform us and prepare us for glory.

As we lean into the invitation to experience true life in Christ by His Spirit, we will become a family that suffers together and is sanctified together. What a sweet explosion of gospel transformation that will be — by God’s grace and for God’s glory!

05/04/2026

How sweet it was to be together yesterday morning, hearing from God’s Word as we looked at Romans 8:2–11. While many Christians understand they are forgiven, it’s not hard to see that many still don’t feel free. Though they know there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ, they often wrestle with a lack of transformation. As we walked through these verses, we considered gospel transformation — both how it happens and what it looks like.

First, we saw that transformation is God’s work. The law could never make us holy or defeat sin and death. But what the law could not do, God did. He accomplished this through the person and work of Jesus. Jesus lived the sinless life we never could, and through His death and resurrection became a sin offering acceptable to God. Believing the simple gospel is the beginning of true transformation.

Second, we saw that transformation is accomplished by God’s Spirit. All who truly believe in Jesus Christ are given the Holy Spirit and, therefore, the power to obey. In fact, the very Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. Though our bodies are subject to death because of sin, we are continually being renewed inwardly by the Spirit at work within us.

Lastly, we saw that transformation is expressed in minds set on God. Everyone minds something — revealed in what we think about, prioritize, and long for. We must honestly examine whether our mindset is of the flesh or of the Spirit. Is our focus on ourselves? Are our priorities temporary? Is our thinking aligned with the world? Or is our focus on God, our priorities eternal, and our thinking aligned with His Kingdom?

In a world that constantly presses us toward “human concern” thinking, we must be willing to heed the Spirit’s voice, allowing the words of Scripture to regularly renew our minds. And as we let the word of Christ dwell richly among us, the result will be a church marked by people who are not only free from condemnation, but also free to follow God through ongoing transformation. By God’s grace, for God’s glory!

04/27/2026

It was a gift to gather yesterday morning as we walked through Romans 7:7–8:1 and responded in praise. This passage speaks to anyone who has ever wrestled with the question, “Am I good enough?” As we seek to honor God, it doesn’t take long to recognize how easily our confidence can waver. Though the gospel has the power to save us, we still see the presence of sin in our lives. And in this text, we saw two approaches to Christian confidence that will always fall short.

First, Christian confidence cannot be found in pretending, because the law brings condemnation. In verses 7–13, we saw that we cannot minimize God’s commands or treat them as though they can be satisfied through mere external behavior modification. When we truly understand God’s call for us to be holy as He is holy, we come face-to-face with the depth of our own sin.

Second, Christian confidence cannot be found in performing, because our efforts can't overcome condemnation. In verses 14–24, Paul describes his ongoing struggle with sin, even while knowing his true identity in Christ. Though sin is no longer his master, his sinful nature has not yet been fully removed. He uses the word “I” twenty-three times in this short section, ultimately arriving at one conclusion: in his own strength, he is wretched. His problem was not a lack of knowledge or desire, but a lack of power to obey.

This set up the glorious conclusion of the passage in 7:25–8:1: Christian confidence must be found in Christ alone. When Paul stopped looking inward and looked upward, he understood the gift of grace in Jesus. Because Christ bore our condemnation on the cross some 2,000 years ago, all who trust in Him can live in the reality of this truth: there is now no condemnation. Present tense. Condemnation fully removed. We stand accepted before God.

May we be a church that lives in the freedom of this passage — confessing our sins, thanking God for Jesus, and asking for the Spirit’s power to change us. There is no need to pretend or perform. As we lay those approaches aside, we will see Christ more clearly, enjoy Him more deeply, and follow Him more faithfully. By God’s grace, for God’s glory.

04/20/2026

Yesterday morning, it was a joy to gather in worship and hear from God’s Word as we continued our series in Romans. Looking at Romans 6:15–7:6, we considered what real freedom truly looks like. Contrary to our American instincts, real freedom is not found in unlimited autonomy. To be under grace is not to be set free from slavery altogether, but to be given a new master. In other words, Christian freedom looks like joyful slavery to God.

In this passage, Paul makes it clear that there is no such thing as a truly free person. We are all slaves to something — either to sin, which leads to shame and death, or to righteousness, which leads to sanctification and life. This raises an important question: who are we actually serving? We can often tell who we belong to by who we obey. As we examine our loyalty, we should ask who we listen to most. As we examine our love, we should ask what truly has our heart’s affection.

But how do grace and slavery fit together? When we consider these two paths, the contrast between sin and righteousness is clear. Like children with loving parents, we recognize that it is a grace to be spared from the consequences of doing whatever we want, whenever we want, however we want. It is for our good to be disciplined, led, and instructed in what leads to our flourishing. Real freedom and eternal life are found in joyful submission to God, who is a kind, gracious, wise, and generous Master.

As we came to the end of the passage, we were reminded that the only way we can live under grace as obedient servants of God is through death. Because of the finished work of Christ and our union with Him, we no longer offer ourselves to God as slaves through works of the law, but through the work of the Holy Spirit within us. What a gift it is to have the presence and power of the Spirit at work in us, guiding us along paths of righteousness.

May we be a church that gladly submits to the gracious lordship of Jesus Christ. As we consider our time, money, thoughts, and actions, may we humbly examine our lives and offer ourselves to God as His servants. And may we rejoice in the promise that one day our Lord will say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into your master’s joy.”

04/13/2026

Yesterday evening, we had the joy of celebrating new life in Christ as two individuals stepped into the waters of baptism, publicly declaring what the Lord has done in their hearts through faith! We also continued in our study of Romans, looking together at Romans 6:1–14 and wrestling with an important question about God’s grace: What is it meant to produce in our lives, and how do we know if we’ve truly understood it?

At the end of Romans 5, Paul speaks of grace increasing all the more, so much so that he anticipates an objection: Does this mean we can continue in sin? His answer is clear — absolutely not! Grace does not permit ongoing sin; it produces deep transformation. As Paul explains, grace changes us in two directions. First, God’s grace makes us dead to sin. Apart from His grace, we are enslaved to self — curved inward, bent away from God. But in Christ, our old self has been crucified. We are no longer dead in our sins, but dead to them. Sin no longer reigns over our hearts or controls our hands. Second, God’s grace makes us alive to God. Through Christ, we experience a kind of spiritual metamorphosis. We are now free to walk in newness of life — no longer centered on ourselves, but moved by the love of Jesus and living for God’s glory.”

All of this is possible by grace through faith. To be “in Christ” means that what is true of Him becomes true of us. As baptism so beautifully illustrates: we are counted dead to sin because Christ died, and alive to God because Christ has been raised. So may we take seriously Paul’s call to “consider” these realities, embracing them as true in our daily lives. God’s grace has not merely cleaned us up; it has made us new. And may we commit to live in the freedom of that new life by putting sin to death and pursuing God with joy. What might God do in our personal lives, our families, and our communities in the weeks, months, and years ahead as we seek to glorify Him in all things?

04/12/2026

Reminder: No morning services tomorrow —we’ll gather instead for one evening service at 5:00pm. We look forward to worshipping with you!

Veritas Church Urbana

06/03/2026

06/01/2026

05/26/2026

05/19/2026

05/11/2026

05/04/2026

04/27/2026

04/20/2026

04/13/2026

04/12/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category