What you believe shapes how you live—for better or for worse. That’s one of the reasons why we offer so many classes on Sundays, do our monthly discipleship gatherings, and teach from the Bible every Sunday morning. We want to be a church full of people who are shaped by the truths of Scripture and not the lies of this world. And we want this to be true of all people in our church, not just the adults. We desire to see the kids of our church learning truths that will shape them—not only now but into adulthood.
That’s why we developed what we call Simple Truths for the kids ministry at Veritas. These truths are short, memorable statements to help kids know the truth, remember the truth, and apply the truth. Each month we focus on one of our Simple Truths, and every week of that month we focus on a different aspect of that Simple Truth.
Along with teaching these Simple Truths, we share a Bible verse that correlates with the truth and challenge kids to memorize it. We want every kid to know the truth and the Scripture that the truth comes from. In sharing these truths with you, I pray they help:
- Give you language to use at home that is familiar to what the kids are hearing on a weekly basis in our kids ministry. We don’t want to just teach your kids on Sundays; we want to partner with you by giving you shared language to use throughout the week at home.
- Encourage your own heart. These truths are simple, yes. But they are also foundational. I hope that as you read through these truths and the verses we pull, these truths from your heart will be encouraged, and you’ll have simple language to use as you remind your own soul of these foundational truths.
- Give you language to use as you pray for the kids in our church. Whether or not you have kids in Veritas Kids right now, we are a church family. And part of being a church family is praying for one another. I’d encourage you to take time as often as you remember—once a week, once a day, or somewhere in between—to pray for the kids of our church: that they would hear these truths, believe these truths, and ultimately have lives shaped by the Truth.
As you read the following truths, their descriptions, and the verses that accompany them, may you be reminded of the foundational truths we find in Scripture. And, realistically, these truths are just as much for you as they are for your kids so we hope you will be encouraged by them, repeat them often to your own kids, and pray that the kids of our church would be shaped by them into adulthood.
God is the Prize
There is nothing better than being with God. Knowing God and being with God is the best thing in heaven and on earth.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25-26)
Sin Separates
Sin goes against God’s good design and separates us from Him.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (Romans 3:23)
Jesus Saves
The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus provide a way for us to be saved from our sin and in right relationship with God.
"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
God’s Word is True
God has given us the Bible to know Him, love Him, and obey Him. The Bible is true, trustworthy, and useful.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” (2 Timothy 3:16)
God is in Charge of Everything
There is nothing that happens in heaven or on earth that God does not have control over. He means all things for His glory and the good of His people.
“Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases” (Psalm 115:3).
“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Ephesians 1:11).
“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,” (Acts 17:26)
The Spirit is our Helper
Followers of Jesus have the Holy Spirit to guide us in all truth. He helps us know, love, and obey Jesus.
"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (John 16:13-15).
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words" (Romans 8:26).
Life is Worship
All of life is all about God, therefore all of life is to be lived as an act of worship to God. We desire to have our lives transformed into the image of God and to live in a way that declares who God is.
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1-2).
"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17).
The Church is God’s Family
The Church is made up of God’s people who are adopted into His family by the blood of Jesus. Together, we belong to God, care for one another, and live as His family on earth.
"So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).
“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:15-17).