Pastor Kent Maddox outlines plans for 'transformation community' after acquiring Clear View Baptist Church building

Kent Maddox, a founding pastor at Word of Life International Outreach, told the Clay mayor and council he and his wife recently acquired the Clear View Baptist Church building and plan to operate it as a "transformation community center" rather than as a conventional church building.

Maddox said the prior congregation merged with another local church and cooperated with the transition; he disputed an article on al.com that described the building as abandoned. "That was just nowhere near accurate," he said, adding that the previous congregation was "very gracious and very generous" during the handover.

Maddox described a mix of partners and uses for the facility: Grace Klein Community will occupy roughly 10,000 square feet as a meal hub and volunteer center; Dr. Wanda Fletcher will host a prayer-connect ministry; Dr. Joe Brock will provide counseling and inner-healing services; Jody and Sunny Troutwine will lead youth ministry programming. He said the facility would support a school of ministry that could include dormitories for students, with a focus on graduates of recovery programs as well as internationals and others seeking ministry or entrepreneurship training.

Timeline and operations: Maddox said Grace Klein Community’s grand opening is set for June 5; an Alabama cohort leaders meeting is scheduled June 13; a women’s conference is planned for Aug. 29; and a statewide All in Alabama gathering is planned Oct. 3. He said some space is already occupied by partners and that the Hispanic church that previously met at the site is being accommodated month-to-month.

Council members asked whether people to be housed would be currently using substances or would be graduates of recovery programs; Maddox replied the school would prioritize those who have completed recovery phases and any court-ordered assignments, though opportunities would also be open to others. On zoning, Maddox said he and his team would review existing zoning rules to determine whether changes are needed for residential or dormitory use.

Why it matters: The acquisition raises practical questions for the city about interim occupancy, potential residential housing in a formerly religious-use building, and whether zoning adjustments would be required.

What’s next: Council will review zoning requirements and the matter will proceed through normal permitting or agenda processes as needed; no zoning decision or vote was taken this evening.