VBF Youth

Middle school and high school are where faith gets real. This is your place to belong, find friends who actually get it, and build a faith that's yours — not just your parents'.

A Faith Worth Owning

These years are when you stop borrowing a faith and start building your own. That's exactly what happens here — real friendships, honest questions, live worship, and leaders who actually show up for you week after week. You won't just attend. You'll belong.

Built for Where You Are

Sixth grade and twelfth grade are completely different worlds, so you get a space built for exactly where you are right now — middle school or high school, each with its own rhythm, its own leaders, and its own way in.

Middle School

6th–8th grade

If you're in middle school, you've got your own space.
High energy, real fun, and a place to actually belong and grow closer to Jesus. 

High School

9th–12th grade

If you're in high school, you worship in the main service on Sundays twice a month and get your own night every Wednesday — built for deeper faith, leadership, and friendships that outlast graduation.

Monthly Events

All Students

Every month, we create opportunities to build friendships and make memories through events designed just for students. From game nights and beach trips to camps and special outings, there's always something to look forward to. 

What We Do

You've got a place every Sunday and every Wednesday. Wednesday night is the heartbeat — games, live worship, a message that actually meets you where you are, and small groups where it gets real.

Community

Find Your People

Whether you're new, or you've been here for years, there's a place for you. Build real friendships, connect with leaders who care, and discover a community that encourages you to follow Jesus together. 

Worship

Encounter God

Our youth services are packed with energy, games, live worship, bible teaching, and small groups designed to help you know God personally and grow in your faith alongisde others. 

Grow

Grow in Your Faith

Faith isn't meant to stay the same. Through practical messages, small groups, serving, opportunities, camps, and events, we'll help you take your next steps in living more like Jesus.

A Team You Can Trust

Who pours into your kids is very important to us. The adults in the room are background-checked, trained, and here because they genuinely care and are invested in the next generation. 

Check-In and Safety

You check in at your area's check-in space, so leaders always know who's on campus. The adults with you are background-checked and trained, every single time.

Leaders Who Show Up

The adults here don't just supervise you — they invest in you. They learn your name, walk with you through real life, and point you toward Jesus week after week.

Student-led Ministry

A lot of what happens here is run by students — worship, tech, leading your peers. You're not just showing up; you're invited to help build it.

Find Your People

Faith grows fastest with real friends. Beyond the weekly gatherings, you can go deeper through Bible studies and student small groups built to turn people you kind of know into the kind of friends who actually walk with you.
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Ready for a Next Step?

Showing up is just the start. When you're ready to go further, there are real ways to make your faith your own and own your place here.

Get Baptized 

When you're ready to declare your faith publicly, baptism is one of the most powerful steps you'll ever take. You can do it any weekend — there's nothing to plan.
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Serve and Lead

There's a place for everyone to serve. Whether you're a student or an adult, join us in creating a welcoming environment where the next generation can know and follow Jesus. 
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Key Moments Throughout the Year

The moments you'll remember most happen off-campus. Throughout the year there are trips, camps, and events built to push your faith forward and bond you to your people.
Hume Lake Summer Camp
The high point of the year. In middle school you head to Meadow Ranch; in high school, Ponderosa — a powerful week away at Hume Lake, with fundraising help so if you want to go, you can.
Family Serve Projects
Family-friendly serve days throughout the year where your whole household can make a difference in Bakersfield together.
Serve Week
You get your own service projects during Serve Week — middle school and high school each have hands-on ways to bless Bakersfield together.
Graduation Send-Off
When you graduate, you're celebrated — a special send-off marking your next chapter and the faith you're carrying into it.
And More...
These are just a few of the highlights — there's even more throughout the year, from monthly events to seasonal trips. Keep an eye on the calendar below and you'll always see what's coming up next.

Questions? Let's Talk.

Wondering about your first night, which grade goes where, summer camp, or how to get plugged in? Have your parents send a note — or send it yourself — and a real person from the youth team will reach out personally.
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