E.V. Hill | What Can Be Done? | 1978

1978 ROM Lecture at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School E.V. Hill's sermon, "What Can Be Done?", addresses the societal fears and problems of his time (1978), including crime, drug addiction, and general social decay (1:12-2:00, 6:22-7:42). He challenges the church to respond effectively to these issues. His central argument is that the primary action the church can take is to "preach the gospel" (4:00-4:11, 15:24-15:27, 33:50). He emphasizes the importance of an "unshakable belief that men can be saved" and "born again" (5:17-5:30, 33:21-34:00). Hill critiques evangelicals for being too conservative and "bound and in bondage" (18:27-18:40), urging them to "get loose" and actively engage in evangelism outside traditional church walls (17:57-18:25, 40:57-41:15). He illustrates his point with examples from his own church, Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, which implemented "Operation Everything" (18:50-19:54). This initiative involved diverse committees to reach various groups, including: Prostitutes: Reaching them by converting their pimps (21:30-22:04). Gang members: Bringing rival gang leaders together in church (22:41-23:00). Entertainers and movie stars: Hosting events where they shared testimonies and performed (24:09-24:50). "Spectacularism" committee: Hiring a plane to skywrite "Jesus is coming again" over a soccer tournament and distributing leaflets (25:03-25:48). Occultism, Blackism, and Jehovah's Witnesses committees: Developing strategies to counteract other beliefs, including training members to engage Jehovah's Witnesses who came to their doors (25:57-26:50). Hill also discusses the importance of follow-up for new converts, detailing Mount Zion's system of dividing new members into geographical "circles," an orientation Sunday school department, and a "fisherman" program where trained members mentor new ones (46:31-50:33). He concludes by asserting that the church must not be hindered by organizational structures or prejudices (44:20-44:28) and must prioritize "rescuing the perishing" with urgency, as if a physical fire were raging (44:35-45:21). The core message is that the conviction that "men can be born again" must drive radical and creative efforts to spread the gospel to "every creature" (45:28-45:47).