By KATHY MCBEE

Kiwanis Club of Danville

Jason Kilby, Lead Pastor of Centerpoint Church, spoke to Kiwanis Club of Danville on Thursday, July 25. An alumnus of Boyle County High School, Jason graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in commercial aviation. He served as a commercial pilot for a time and really enjoyed it, but felt a calling to do more.

Having been involved in EKU Baptist Student Union, Jason went on to become campus pastor and led an initiative to talk with people in the streets, businesses, etc., to assess the needs for the ministry. After graduating from Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, Jason began his pastorate career at Stanford Baptist Church.

In the course of ministering throughout the Danville area, Jason saw many things that troubled him and frustrated him concerning “my town” (ala Montgomery-Gentry), and it occurred to him that there needed to be a more intentional effort to reach out to the broken right where they are.

He was led to Bible passage of Habakkuk 1:5, with the God’s answer to the prophet: “Look at the nations and watch and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.”

This verse, and the church’s mission statement, were presented to him by a stranger who, without knowing that Jason was led earlier to that passage – nor what the mission statement was – confirmed to Jason what God had told him.

Along with eight others of like mind and faith, Jason formed Centerpoint and services were held in private homes until space at the Loft on Main above Chase bank became available. Services were held there for the last five plus years. However, the church has now relocated to the warehouse of the former Main Street Furniture building, located on the corner of Main and Second streets in downtown Danville.

Plans and renovations are under way to convert the back half of the building into an auditorium, not just for worship on Sundays, but for the community to use for other events as well. As church members continue to dream, one of the opportunities they hope to create is space for a special needs Kidzville unit, which is the church’s Sunday worship environment for kids.

The church currently has space for Christian counseling to take place and it is their goal to provide more space for that purpose. It is also the vision of church leaders to create and design a teen center on Main Street. This center will be used every day as a platform to build relationships, foster and explore creative thinking, and encourage healthy life choices for every teen.

Jason concluded the program by saying, “We have big plans, but we also serve a God whose love never fails. That’s why we have called this move and what we are doing “love built this,” as this is not just a church relocating, this is something so much more.” “It is love building something that can change a culture.”

For more information about Kiwanis Club of Danville, email denise.henderson@utgins.com.