Veritas Magazine
It's Hip To Be Square™
Get To Know: Tim Laehn, 24
By Brianne Sanchez, Des Moines Juice
February 03, 2010
JUICE-- What I do: About a year ago, some friends and I launched a nonprofit online Christian magazine for Des Moines, veritasmag.com. The mission of Veritas is to journal the pursuit of truth through a Christ-centered perspective. It challenges young adults to participate in the dialogue of finding meaning in their lives.
Background: I grew up in Allison, a small town in rural Iowa. After high school, I attended Drake University, where I studied magazine journalism and graphic design.
The vision for Veritas started with two people who are very close to me: Matt Crummy and Sara Bouska. They shared their ideas with me, and a couple years later, the three of us founded Veritas after enlisting the help of others. Without their hard work, dedication and passion for the Lord, Veritas wouldn't be possible. Whenever you take on a new challenge, it's really helpful to share the responsibilities with reliable people who are on board with your mission.
Notable achievements: My most notable achievements are my relationships with the people in my life. I have a great family and wonderful friends. I co-lead a Bible study through The Downtown Church in the East Village.
How I give back: Most of my volunteer activities are done through The Downtown Church. Last summer, for example, I was part of a downtown events outreach group, which managed recycling for the 80/35 Music Festival, helped with the Des Moines Arts Festival and served food at the Dam to Dam race.
To be taken seriously as a young professional: Have a vision for your life and to be confident in that vision. At the same time, I believe it's important to show kindness and humility to others and not walk around like we've got everything figured out. We all still have a lot to learn in life, and we probably always will.
My leadership philosophy: I believe we lead by example. The pattern of our lives - how we spend our time, what we value, our work ethic, how we treat people - is a testimony to how we lead. I also believe in plurality of leadership. I think it's best to surround yourself with trustworthy men and women who will hold you accountable and help you grow.
In five years, I see myself: I believe I'll still be in Des Moines in five years, probably still doing something writing- or design-related. I would really like to see Veritas expand into a print publication that will continue to have a growing place in the conversation and an impact on the city. Ultimately, we want to share the message of Jesus Christ with Des Moines through stories of changed lives. We also want to connect young adults with local churches and let people know about events. We hope to continue expanding our base of writers, designers and marketing people in order to provide more opportunities to the growing number of young adults in Des Moines.
Local Online Christian Magazine Launched
By Jannay Towne, WHO TV
November 21, 2008
WHO TV-- The bar scene may be a cool place to be on the weekends, but this particular group of 20-somethings doesn't drink. That doesn't mean they aren't cool, and they want others to know it's hip to be square.
"A lot of 20-somethings are disenfranchised with the church and are really distancing themselves once they go to school, go to college," says Matt Crummy. According to a study by the Barna Research Group, only one of ten people in their 20's go to church. Crummy and friends, Sara "Bo" Bouska and Tim Laehn decided they would share their love of God with others who might be too embarrassed to do the same. Their goal is to create a new scene in Des Moines.
This fall, their vision went virtual. Veritas is an online Christian magazine written by and for 20-somethings. It's a local magazine, with a spiritual focus. This week, readers will find articles on everything from God's influence on the Drake football field to how to host your first Thanksigiving. "We really want to be a tool to help local churches to reach 20-somethings. But we're also talked about how we don't want to replace the church," says Laehn.
Since September, Veritas has had more than 3,000 visitors. The creators eventually want to print a magazine, but it isn't in the budget right now. You can check out the magazine online at www.veritasmag.com.
Truth is, online magazine proves it's hip to be square
By Mike Kilen, Des Moines Register
September 21, 2008
Des Moines Register-- Sitting in a coffee shop recently, looking the part of hip but promoting square, the three Des Moines professionals are convinced there is a hunger for meaning among the roughly 120,000 people in the Des Moines area that are between the ages of 20 and 34.
"They call this generation me," said Bouska, 25, the magazine's managing editor. "When you are so focused on ourselves, we're bound to be depressed. In my life, I'm happiest when I'm serving somebody. I was at a wedding last weekend and was one of two sober people there. So we cleaned up afterward. I'm not complaining. But you could see that when you're drunk it's all about you.
"If you have a relationship with Christ, you're thinking of people outside yourself. You're not looking at yourself and how you are not perfect."
The magazine features earnest essays on the meaning in life and its challenges, such as the isolation in suburbia and the folly of war, as well as inspirational profiles of area people who follow their faith, such as Eddie Davis. The magazine also wants to connect young adults to churches and list community events of the good-clean-fun variety.
All three are transplants - Bouska from the Twin Cities, Crummy from Grand Forks, N.D., and Laehn from the little town of Allison, Ia. - who came to Des Moines to attend Drake University. They immediately learned of the challenges of finding connection and entertainment without playing beer pong.
"What do you do if you're not getting wasted every weekend?" Crummy said. "We're not in a fight against the night scene. The point of the magazine is to look beyond that and enjoy connecting with people."
This generation, they are convinced, isn't exactly the happiest on record.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result," said Crummy, the magazine's executive director and art director. "I expect that if I go to the bar, then I'll be happy. Statistically and experientially, that's not the case. We are a generation that takes the most Prozac and other medications."
Des Moines has plenty to offer, they said, with concerts, charity events and volunteer activities that spawn a personal satisfaction a beer buzz can't touch.
The three got together in the summer of 2006 to brainstorm the idea. They had met in college magazine classes and church groups and realized they had a huge network of talented writers, designers and marketers among them.
Last year, they put together a prototype but, knowing it would operate on a shoestring budget, reluctantly rejected the idea of a paper product. Going online was cheaper. The nonprofit hopes to solicit donations and sell advertising on the site.
They try to update the site daily while all work full-time jobs. Crummy, 25, works as a designer for a Web company in Urbandale. Laehn, 22, is a writer at Meredith Corp. Bouska works in college ministry. The passion keeps them up late at night.
"Part of our mission is telling the story of Christ, the love of Christ, through ordinary people who are living their lives of the Lord," said Laehn, editorial director. "By doing that, it raises awareness and hopefully leads to following these examples."
They have fielded questions on the Bible's take on homosexuality and sat bedside with a hospitalized mother at the end of her rope who was fighting a custody battle for her children.
They have heard from many who said their lives are worth writing about.
"People are willing to open up on the Internet," Crummy said. "We'd rather have real conversation. Instead of the Internet life, we want dialogue in real life."
Laehn said: "We want to be an encouragement. There are a lot of broken people going through difficult times."
Ultimately, they hope to get young adults back into church.
In church, they hope, they'll find veritas, which is Latin for truth.
Interview With Executive Director Matt Crummy
By Molly Nelson, KCCI News, Des Moines, Iowa
September 6, 2008
