On Stetson Hills Boulevard in northeast Colorado Springs, Vista Grande Baptist Church has built a ministry around a simple idea: the two Sunday morning services are identical, so an entire congregation can worship together no matter which hour they arrive. That commitment to multigenerational worship shapes nearly everything the church does, from its rotation of instrumentalists to its choirs that begin at age four and stretch through young professionals and adults. The congregation, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention through the Pikes Peak Baptist Association, describes itself as a Bible teaching church with a high view of Scripture, a high view of Jesus, and a deep investment in families.
What Visitors Will Find on Sunday Morning
Two Sunday worship services are held at 9:00 am and 10:45 am, and the 10:45 am service is also livestreamed. The two services are intentionally identical and prayerfully designed so that the whole congregation can worship together, rather than splitting into a traditional early service and a contemporary late service. A livestream of the 10:45 am gathering is available through the church's online platform, and recordings can be accessed through Facebook Live, an Apple TV channel, a Roku channel, and an Amazon Fire channel, in addition to the church's dedicated YouTube channel and the Living Joyfully in Christ podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Sunday School classes meet at 9:00 am for every age, from preschool through adults. Children's Sunday School uses a rotation through Bible stories, songs, and activities, and a 5th and 6th grade class studies the same passages the adults will hear in the sermon, so that families end the morning discussing the same Scripture.
The Pastoral Team
Joshua York serves as the church's pastor. He grew up in the church, came to faith at a young age, and pursued theological studies in college and seminary before entering ministry. He and his wife Lauren have been married since 2008 and have four children: Lincoln, Molly, Caroline, and Abraham. York is the primary preaching pastor and walks the congregation through extended series, most recently a long journey through the Sermon on the Mount and a study in 1 John.
Jay Hill has served as Music Pastor since January 2006. He plans, leads, and administers every facet of the worship ministry, including choirs for all ages, an orchestra, handbells, and drama teams. Hill holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from New Mexico State University and a Master of Music from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and previously served on staff at churches in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and McMinnville, Oregon. He and his wife Jerri have three grown children.
Jimmy Peck became the Children's Minister in May 2021, after more than twenty years at Focus on the Family. A long-time VGBC member, he and his wife Karin have served in nearly every area of children's ministry. He holds a Master of Theological Studies from the Rocky Mountain Campus of Gateway Seminary. He oversees Sunday School, Awana, Vacation Bible School, camps, retreats, Bible studies, and seasonal events for children and preteens.
Brandon Anderson is the Student Pastor, a Colorado Springs native who earned his undergraduate degree in History at Bob Jones University and is now working on a Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies at Denver Seminary. He and his wife Caroline married in 2018. Anderson oversees the Vista Student Network and is passionate about reaching middle and high school students during what he calls the pivotal years of becoming an adult.
Bill Cox is the Missions Pastor and Director of Pastoral Care. A member of Vista Grande since 1984, he originally served on staff as Minister of Music and Youth, then spent eighteen years on the mission field with the International Mission Board in East and Southeast Asia before returning to the church in 2023. He and his wife Cathy have two adult children and three granddaughters.
Music and Worship That Spans Generations
The music ministry rests on three commitments. First, Vista Grande works to find a way to worship together across the generations, which is why the two Sunday morning services are identical. Second, it raises up the next generation of church musicians through a children's choir program that emphasizes music and worship education over performance, plus middle school, high school, college-age, and young adult ensembles. Third, the ministry tries to give as many people as possible the chance to use their gifts.
The Celebration Adult Choir rehearses on Wednesday nights and leads worship in both Sunday services. Forgiven is the middle school choir, and Alive is the high school choir; both meet on Sunday afternoons and contribute to worship throughout the year. Alive's primary emphasis is a summer tour and ministry trip, with past destinations including Montana, Utah, South Dakota, Oregon, Oklahoma, and Killarney, Ireland. Redeemed is a smaller ensemble of primarily young professionals who rehearse on Sunday afternoons. Children's Choirs meet from 4:30 to 5:45 pm on Sunday afternoons for children ages four through sixth grade, with a $10 per child registration fee and a $25 family maximum.
The worship band includes pianists, acoustic, electric, and bass guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, violinists, and organists who rotate from week to week so everyone gets a turn. The orchestra contributes twice a month, on the second and fourth Sundays, and is split into two teams to give more players a place. Bells of Vista Grande is the handbell choir, which prepares throughout the year for the annual Southern Colorado Handbell Festival held each February.
Drama is also part of the music ministry. Two student drama teams, an extension of Forgiven for middle schoolers and Ten31 for high schoolers, rehearse on Sunday afternoons and perform an annual Spring Drama Dinner Theater. The Christmas Dessert Theatre, now in its nineteenth year, is the church's largest community outreach event after Vacation Bible School. For three performances, volunteers set up tables, bake cookies, and invite friends, family members, and co-workers to enjoy a dramatic and musical telling of the Christmas story over hot coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and homemade cookies. The fourth performance is reserved for the whole church family, with tables set aside.
Children: Engage, Encourage, Equip
The Children's Ministry describes its work in three words: engage, encourage, equip. The goal is to engage kids in a relationship with Jesus, help them understand why He came and the price He paid for their sins, encourage them to grow through consistent time in God's Word and prayer, and equip them to be servant leaders and disciple makers at church, at home, and at school.
Sunday School runs during the 9:00 am hour with separate preschool, elementary, and preteen classes. Children's Choir is offered for ages four through sixth grade on Sunday afternoons. Awana, the church's Wednesday evening program, has historically drawn hundreds of children; registration is run in the fall. Cubbies welcomes preschoolers ages four and five, with a parent-required-on-premises policy. Sparks serves kindergarten through second grade. T and T (Truth and Training) is for third through sixth graders. Trek and Journey continue the Awana program for middle and high school students who want to work toward the Citation Award, the highest Awana honor that includes college scholarship opportunities.
Vacation Bible School, summer camps, retreats, and various seasonal events round out the year. The church also offers a children's Christmas choir and a year-round Sunday morning experience designed to let kids encounter the same passages their parents are studying.
Vista Student Network
Middle school and high school students gather as the Vista Student Network, with Sunday School at 9:00 am and a Wednesday night program at 6:00 pm that includes worship and Bible study. Awana Trek and Journey meets at 6:30 pm for students who want to dig deeper into Scripture and pursue the Citation Award. Discipleship Now, an annual fall retreat held locally over a Friday-Sunday weekend, brings in outside speakers and small group leaders for corporate worship, in-depth small group time, and continuous fellowship. The 2026 Discipleship Now weekend is scheduled for October 30 through November 1.
Vista Kids Preschool
Vista Kids Preschool, a ministry of Vista Grande Baptist Church, was founded in 2014 to meet the need in the immediate area for a Christian preschool. The preschool affirms the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 in belief and practice and operates three classes: Ladybugs for three-year-olds, Caterpillars for pre-kindergarten 4, and Butterflies for pre-kindergarten 5. Tuition is divided into nine monthly payments. The 2-Day program on Tuesdays and Thursdays runs 8:45 to 11:45 am and costs $205 per month. The 3-Day program on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays is offered in two time blocks, 8:45 to 11:45 am and 12:30 to 3:30 pm, and costs $255 per month. There is an additional $50 activity fee per student. The preschool can be reached at 719-219-4419.
Men, Women, Seniors, and the Rest of the Family
The Men's Ministry builds on Colossians 1:28, aiming to present every man mature in Christ. Its small groups, a Bible study through Ecclesiastes led by Pastor York, and a Men's Forum on Sexual Purity are the main rhythms. The leadership team includes Clifton Carney, Mikeal Miles, TJ Walker, Mike Killinger, Bill Holbrook, Joseph Day, Tim Farrington, and Garrett Coukos.
The Women's Ministry gathers around the idea that the greatest title a woman can have is daughter of the King of Kings. Bible studies run during the school year, with events and fellowship sprinkled throughout. The ladies also collect food for Mercy's Gate and coins for crisis pregnancy centers.
Senior adults are described as the cornerstone of the church. The Senior Adult Ministry pairs seniors and youth as penpals, runs chair fitness sessions, hosts a Valentine's Day luncheon, a summer picnic, and a themed Christmas party, and grounds its work in Leviticus 19:32.
The Prayer Ministry is built around Ephesians 6:18 and the conviction that the church should be known as a house of prayer. Prayer requests can be submitted through the perforated card in the worship bulletin or by calling the church office at 719-598-2139. Requests are shared in Sunday School classes, e-mailed to the ministry staff and deacon body when urgent, and included in the Prayer Matters email. They remain on the prayer list for up to four weeks. The ladies' Mission Control Teas meet monthly to pray for missionaries and persecuted areas of the world.
Faith Riders and the Open Road
One of the more unusual ministries is Faith Riders, a motorcycle ministry that is passionate about sharing Christ through the riding community. The group participates in a long list of regional rides and rallies each year, including the Tejon Street Bike Fest in Colorado Springs, the Wish Ride for Make-a-Wish in Longmont, the Good News Motorcycle Benefit Ride, the Beartooth Rally in Red Lodge, Montana, the 5 in 1 Ride at Pikes Peak Harley Davidson, the Top o' the Rockies Rally in Paonia, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, the Four Corners Motorcycle Rally in Durango, the Constitution Week rally in Grand Lake, the High Country Toy Run, and the In Their Honor Veterans Day Parade in downtown Colorado Springs.
Missions: Local, State, and Global
Vista Grande supports both home and international missions. The church partners with the Pikes Peak Baptist Association, Colorado Baptists, the North American Mission Board, and the International Mission Board. Missionaries currently supported include Mark and Lona Webb, who serve with Grace Baptist Church in Killarney, Ireland; Kevin Green with Evangelism Explosion in Colorado Springs; Kent and Elizabeth Slack with Christian Challenge in Colorado Springs; Jonathan Ferre with Iglesia y Verdad in Colorado Springs; and Emily Skinner with Mission Training International in Colorado Springs. The church also supports work in restricted and hostile areas where government policy prevents Christians from obtaining Bibles or where believers face harassment or worse.
Three special offerings are promoted each year. The Annie Armstrong Easter Offering supports North American evangelism and church planting, with a recent goal of $35,000. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering supports international missions through the IMB, with a recent goal of $115,000. The Colorado Missions Offering, named in honor of Nicy Murphy for her tireless work in missionary support and education, has a recent goal of $14,000 and is collected over a single week each fall.
The annual Mexico mission trip sends a team of forty to fifty people, ranging from middle schoolers to senior adults, to Juarez over spring break. Working with Casas por Cristo, the team builds homes for families who cannot afford decent housing, hosts a children's Vacation Bible School with gospel presentations, runs an eye-glasses ministry, hands out Bibles, plays soccer, leads Bible studies, and more. Most recently, the team built three homes on the same street, hosted a VBS for over fifteen children and their families, and dedicated the homes on the final day.
Operation Christmas Child, the Samaritan's Purse shoebox ministry, is another big emphasis. The church serves as a drop-off and processing site during National Collection Week each November, with volunteers needed to staff the collection.
Wednesday Night at Vista Grande
Wednesday nights are a hub of the church's life. A Wednesday Night Dinner is served, with reservations required by Monday at noon. Wednesday Night Bible Study, currently a walk through Ecclesiastes, meets at 6:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall and is taught by Pastor York. The Celebration Choir rehearses, the orchestra rehearses, and the Awana program runs for children at the same time. Student Ministry gathers for worship and Bible study at 6:00 pm, and Awana Trek and Journey follows at 6:30 pm.
Tech and Worship Production
Behind every Sunday service is a tech crew of six that runs sound, lights, cameras, on-screen lyrics, and livestream. The crew ranges in age from eight to seventy-five and includes teachers, sound professionals, ex-military, and students. Training is provided, and the church is always looking for more volunteers. Roles include Camera Operators, Audio Techs, the Live Service Controller (who runs the in-house screen, Bible verses, song lyrics, and wing monitors), Light Operators, the Director, and the Producer.
What the Church Believes
Vista Grande Baptist Church affirms the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message as its confession of faith. The church teaches that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy, that there is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord, and that marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenant commitment for a lifetime. The full Statement of Faith, Constitution and Bylaws, and a Church Operations Manual are available in the Member Area.
Getting Connected
A Discover VGBC New Members Class is offered for those who want to learn more about membership, beliefs, and ministry opportunities. Serve With Us connects interested volunteers with a place to use their gifts, and the church app, available for Apple and Android devices and on Roku and Amazon Fire, lets members and guests listen to and watch sermons, give online, view bulletins, and take sermon notes. The church is also active on Facebook, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts, with a separate student ministry YouTube channel called VistaYute. Giving is available online through Tithe.ly, and the front office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and on Friday from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
Worship. Connect. Serve. Impact.
The four words that frame the church's life appear at the top of nearly every page: Worship, Connect, Serve, Impact. They are not a slogan so much as a description of the rhythm the church has chosen. Identical Sunday services bring generations together in the same hymns and the same sermon. Sunday School and choirs connect neighbors across age groups. A long list of small groups, Bible studies, choirs, and outreach ministries offers places to serve. And a global missions footprint, anchored in Ireland, restricted nations, Juarez, and the streets of Colorado Springs, extends the church's impact far beyond its campus on Stetson Hills Boulevard.