Junior Hill, popular evangelist who oversaw 1,800 revivals, dies at 87
Junior Hill, a popular evangelist and Southern Baptist Convention figure who reportedly oversaw around 1,800 revival events over the course of his preaching career, has died at age 87.
Hill, who served as a full-time evangelist for more than 50 years, passed away at his home in Hartselle, Alabama, on Wednesday, according to Baptist Press.
Gerald Wolfe, a distinguished Christian musician, took to Facebook to give condolences, referring to Hill as “one of the most captivating preachers I’ve ever heard.”
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“I always looked forward to being in services with Junior. … He was a genuine, kind-hearted, lover of souls. You couldn’t help but love him. … I certainly did,” posted Wolfe.
“As sad as it is that he’s no longer with us, it’s exciting to think about what he must be experiencing at this very moment, in the presence of The Lord. Rest well, Bro. Junior. We’ll see you soon.”
Sammy Gilbreath, retired director of the office of evangelism for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, called Hill “one of the greatest harvesters in the country today.”
“There are untold numbers in the Kingdom today due to his personal soul-winning, his encouraging message for others to be faithful sharing their faith and his harvest of souls due to his anointed preaching,” said Gilbreath, as quoted by The Alabama Baptist.
Born William Junior Hill on July 5, 1936, as the youngest of five children, Hill felt the call to be an evangelist at age 19, and became a full-time evangelical preacher in 1967.
Hill earned a bachelor’s degree from Samford University, a master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, an honorary doctorate from Liberty University, and received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Covington Seminary of Georgia.
Over the course of more than a half-century of evangelism work, Hill is credited with having preached as many as 1,800 revival events, as well as speaking at conferences, state conventions and seminaries.
In 1989, Hill was elected the first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention at the denomination's Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also wrote several books, including an autobiography titled They Call Him Junior.
At the Alabama Baptist Pastors Conference in 2021, for his decades of evangelism work, Hill received the inaugural Fred Wolfe Lifetime Pastoral Ministry Award.
“I feel very inadequate for any kind of recognition like that,” said Hill at the 2021 conference. “I’m just a backwoods preacher; I don’t know much, but I love Jesus.”
Hill leaves behind his wife of 66 years, Carole, two children, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. His funeral is scheduled to take place on Jan. 9 at Westmeade Baptist Church in Decatur, Alabama.
