Center for Christian Virtue Celebrates Life of Founder, Pastor Jerry Kirk

Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) Founder, Pastor Jerry Kirk, Passes Away at Age 94

 COLUMBUS – Center for Christian Virtue is celebrating the life and legacy of our founder, Pastor Jerry Kirk, following his passing into eternal glory on March 9 at the age of 94. Pastor Kirk founded Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) as Concerned Citizens for Community Values (CCCV) in 1983 at College Hill Presbyterian in Cincinnati.

Inspired by a Reverend Billy Graham sermon during a Crusade in Cincinnati in 1977, Pastor Kirk rallied pastors to form CCV to fight the expanding pornography industry in the area.

Through Jerry’s inspirational vision, Cincinnati eventually became the only major city in America without pornography shops.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reflected on his historic impact this week, noting how his leadership shaped the city and sparked a national movement. Read the full article here.

“The love of Jesus Christ overflowed from Pastor Jerry Kirk. A joyful warrior, Pastor Kirk inspired countless pastors and parents across Cincinnati to boldly stand for the safety of their communities and kids,” said Aaron Baer, President of Center for Christian Virtue. “While we mourn the loss of a giant in our movement and the founder of our mission, we celebrate that Pastor Kirk is hearing those sweet words from our heavenly Father, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’”

“Belief in Christ leads us to action, and Pastor Kirk’s life is a testimony to what God can do through the faithfulness of His followers,” Baer said.

Pastor Jerry Kirk

From Pastor Kirk’s obituary:

Jerry is survived by his wife, Patricia; sons Timothy (Sally) Kirk and Stephen (Amy) Kirk; daughters Kimberly (Scott) Hahn, Kari (Mark) Harrington, and Kristi (Rob) Holsclaw; 28 grandchildren plus 19 spouses; 66 great-grandchildren plus 1 spouse, with three great-grandchildren on the way. 

Jerry was a 1949 graduate of Queen Anne High School, where he was a basketball and tennis star. He then attended the University of Washington, where he distinguished himself as an orator, a basketball player, and captain of the tennis team. In addition, after a memorable retreat in Colorado with Young Life, Jerry committed his life to Christ and brought that desire to share the Lord to two different Young Life Clubs that he led in Seattle while attending the U.

Jerry was led to pursue his Masters of Divinity and Master of Arts in Theology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and later received honorary doctorates from Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas, and from Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania.

While in Pittsburgh, he started the first two Young Life Clubs east of the Mississippi. During seminary, Jerry met the love of his life, Patricia. They wed in 1956 in Pittsburgh, where he began to pastor at the Mt. Lebanon Presbyterian Church. He became a senior pastor at the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church in New Wilmington, PA, and later at College Hill Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, OH, for more than 20 years. During ministry, Jerry and Patty welcomed five children into their family.

Jerry then left the pastorate to found the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families, which became Pure Hope, the Religious Alliance Against Pornography, and Citizens for Community Values, to fight pornography and to uphold purity and chastity. 

In his later years, he developed the Prayer Covenant, a prayer of commitment shared with millions around the world, drawing people closer to Jesus by committing themselves to the Lord and to following Jesus together.

From that, Jerry established Jesus Covenant Prayer Partners, which were 8 groups of leaders from the ministry and the marketplace who bound their lives together to meet monthly via conference calls/Zoom calls to pray for each other and share the Word. He was still involved until February 2026.

Hope Church in Cincinnati will be streaming Pastor Kirk’s memorial service on Saturday, March 21, at 3:00 pm. You can watch the Live Stream here. 

Memorial contributions can be made by mail to The Prayer Covenant, P.O. Box 281, New Albany, OH 43054, or online using theprayercovenant.org/donate or by mail to Young Life Frontier Ranch, P.O. Box 2025, Buena Vista, CO 81211.