PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - The message on the sign for Canaan Baptist Church reads "With Jesus, hope". That's a message members of this church are holding close today.

"It hurts. It really hurts, but God will guide us in the right way," said Brenda McKinney.

McKinney has been a member of the Canaan Baptist Church for only a month or so, but she said in that short time, it's become an important place for her.

"I'm almost 40 years old, never been saved. I got saved two Sundays ago. Ever since I've come here, I've felt like I've been at home," said McKinney.

Firefighters say a fire started in the sanctuary around 9:00 Thursday morning. Four departments responded and by the time they got the flames out about an hour later, the building was destroyed.

"No good time's a good time for a fire, but for a church and sanctuary people call refuge, it's a hard hit," said Dabney Fire Department assistant chief Rick Haynes.

Arson investigators from the Kentucky State Police along with a deputy state fire marshal have been sifting through what's left of the church for most of the day trying to find out how this fire started. Officials don't believe there's anything criminal about the fire. Church members said they'd make it through this disaster.

"We're strong. We're going to be even stronger than we was before," said McKinney.

The pastor said he wasn't sure where they'd have services in the future, but he said they will have a service on Sunday. No one was injured in the fire.