Central Baptist Church

Paul has 20+ years of ministry experience in the areas of youth/ evangelism and 19 years of pastoring. Before he answered the call at Central Baptist, he pastored New Hope Baptist in Pell City, Al., and before that he was a director/evangelist at First Priority Ministries of Alabama for 3 years. He taught over 150 churches of various denominations to evangelize their schools with Gospel of Jesus Christ by forming First Priority Clubs in the local schools. His last 2 years at First Priority was spent primarily in the inner city of Birmingham.

Paul started ministering at age 18. He spent 3 summers working on the ministry staff for high school ages at Camp Sumatanga in Gallant, Al. He has also spent some time serving God at the Alabama Youth Correctional Facilities, in Chalkville, Al., the Alabama Youth Services Division, on a volunteer basis (at that time it was a boys and girls correctional facility). After His college years, Paul was a volunteer Sunday School teacher, part-time youth minister, and committee leader in his home church for 8 years. After marrying Laurie in 1988, He became a bi-vocational youth pastor/associate pastor for 8 years at Moody United Methodist.

Paul is a Leeds High School in ’78 graduate, and from Birmingham Southern College in ‘82 with a BA degree in Accounting. After answering the call to full-time ministry in ‘96, he left his secular job at BellSouth after 14 years of service. He enrolled at the New Orleans Baptist Seminary received his Masters of Divinity Degree in 2003. Bethel Baptist Church, in Moody, Al., licensed Paul on March 1st, 1998, and ordained him on December 27th, 1998.

Paul and Laurie have 3 children. Seth (son) graduated from the University of Mobile (’14), married his wife Katie. Seth is the Worship Pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga, and Katie is the Ladies High School Soccer coach at Sherwood Christian Academy. Seth and Katie have a son who is a toddler named Gray and an infant daughter named Lynnie. Anna (daughter) has graduated college from the University of Mobile (’17), and is pursuing teaching in elementary education in Odenville, Al. She also is pursuing a career in singing and song writing. Luke (son) is at the University of Alabama in Birmingham on a football scholarship, majored in kinesiology, and will now receive his doctorate degree of Physical Therapy in December of 2023. Paul and Laurie love their children and are very proud of how God is leading them in their communities!

Rev. Johnny Kilgore is originally from Winston Co., Alabama.  He holds a B.S. degree in Music Education from Jacksonville State University and a M.A. from the University of Alabama.

Johnny served 4 years in the United States Air Force, stationed at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, Mississippi.  He served as part-time Music Minister for Cottondale Baptist Church and Temple Baptist Church, both in Tuscaloosa, and First Baptist Church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi.  He served as full-time Minister of Music and Youth for the First Baptist Church of Wetumpka, Alabama.  He served as full-time Minister of Music and Associate Pastor for Ridgecrest Baptist Church in Birmingham/Trussville.  He retired from Ridgecrest Baptist Church in 2011 after 30 years of service.  

Johnny is married to Pat Colvin Kilgore from Albertville, Alabama.  They have two children: Daughter Lee Elizabeth Kilgore, a graphic designer and head of design for Artist Growth Company in Nashville; Son Dr. John McCoy Kilgore, professor of English at Florida State University. 

Johnny continues to serve as part-time Music Director for Central Baptist Church and has since 2013.

Kim Tillman is originally from Trussville, AL.  She holds a B.S. degree in Business Management from Samford University in Birmingham.

Kim worked full-time at O'Neal Steel, Inc. for over 30 years and held several different positions throughout her career, the majority serving in the Human Resources Management arena.  In 2016 she left O'Neal and went to work as a consultant for Alabama Power in Birmingham, writing policies and procedures for two years.  After serving as volunteer Treasurer at Central for about 10 years, Central Baptist Church called Kim to be the full-time Treasurer and Assistant to the Pastor in 2018.  Kim decided to hand off her duties as assistant to the Pastor and other administrative duties effective September 1, 2024 and will now serve as the Treasurer for the church.

Kim has been married to Cecil Tillman (self-employed Master Electrician) for 39 years and they have two children:  Son, Brad Tillman, his wife Lynn and children Ava Rae (8) and Noah (5) reside in Springville.  Brad serves this country full-time in the Air Force with the 117th Air Guard while Lynn works as a dental and administrative assistant at a dental office in Springville.   Daughter, Kacie Tillman lives in Colorado and works with an organization that secures sponsors for orphaned children all over the world. 

Kim loves her family, her church family and loves serving the Lord through Central Baptist!

Rose Langston is originally from Cullman, AL.  She has a B.S. degree in HR Management from Athens State University, Athens, AL.  

Rose worked as an Area Human Resources Manager handling hiring, training, benefits, compensation, payroll operations and safety.  She was also site manager of the Hanceville LP Corporation plant.  She started as a payroll/personnel clerk and was promoted to HR Management.

Rose married her husband, Jon Langston in 2002.  She left her career in 2003 after having their first and only child Hannah, and became a full-time stay at home mother.  She loved every second of it and never regretted that decision.  Hannah is now a sophomore at UAB working on a degree in Nursing.

Rose has had part-time positions at Eastminister Preschool, as a teacher and Reliable Tin Shop, as a secretary.  She has also filled in for Kim Tillman at Central several times over the past 3 years.  Central called Rose to become the new part-time Administrative Secretary as of April 1, 2023.  She is currently in that position.

Rose, Jon and Hannah have been members at Central Baptist Church for the past 15 years and love Central immensely.