Two pastors of separate denomination churches in Manchester joined forces against drugs and violence in 2004. That decision has helped change the way the rest of the nation now looks at Clay County.

"We'll have people that say, now tell us the truth, do you all really get along," said Rev. Doug Abner, Community Church Pastor.

Abner, a Pentecostal pastor and Ken Bolin, a Baptist minister, may not see eye to eye on biblical theory.

"The pentecostal church was across the railroad tracks and my dad used to say, now son I don't want to see you on that side of the tracks," Bolin said.

There's one thing they both live to do and that's to drive evil out of their community and fill it up with love. So the first step they took was to cross the railroad tracks and stand together.

"These old barriers are down now they're coming down and it's a good thing," Bolin said.

In 2004, they were joined by 60 other churches to march against drugs.

"We've chosen here in Manchester to be a headquarters for victory. Victory over addiction, victory over hopelessness, victory over violence," Bolin said.

That choice didn't come without heavy opposition. Threatening phone calls were common. Since then, these men say they've witnessed the power of prayer in a community seemingly cursed by drugs, violence and public corruption for the last 150 years. They're finally finding some hope.

"This last election we had was a fairly clean election. Probably the first one we've had in many, many days," Abner said.

"This is a god thing, what's happened here in three and a half years," Bolin said.

During that time, at least four public officials pleaded guilty to federal drug charges and these pastors say drug addicts are seeking sobriety in Christ more than ever.

"The government, the school system, all of those folks are beginning to trust us and we're beginning to trust them," Abner said.

After national Christian networks broadcast several different stories about Manchester's success, Abner and Bolin now often travel together to surrounding states where communities have been inspired by the big changes in this small Eastern Kentucky town formerly better known to some as "Gun-Chester". The first act of the new mayor and city council was to rename Manchester to the "City of Hope". From here, they're hoping for even better things in Manchester.

"We're believing now for economic changes and it takes guts to make a change," Abner said.

The winners of the 2007 East Kentucky Leadership Tony Turner Award are Doug Abner and Ken Bolin.

The East Kentucky Leadership Conference is underway and will continue Friday in Pikeville. Seats are still available. For more information call 606-432-9174.