"It's time for Salem to move forward. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Dates, 41, is senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Churcha position hell keep, despite assuming the pastorate at Salem. What I will say is that Progressive and Salem demonstrate the spectrum of Black churches in Chicago. I plan to lead through leaders. These have been disciple-making churches with an emphasis on Christian education. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. No one knows. I recognize this moment is big, and its watershed, but it is not about me. That is a concerning statement. He also teaches at Wheaton College and has delivered chapel sermons at various institutions, including The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Both Meeks and Dates also have a connection to the Moody Bible Institute. If you have legal questions, attorneys will be available to help you at the legal clinic. Conservatism is, and has always been, the god of the SBC. I dont need to be Einstein to understand that with all these jobs he is not truly doing any of them full time. In just our brief 15 minute interaction, he really ministered to me as he correctly sensed I was going through a season of loss that was challenging my faith. Part of what Im learning and discerning about Gods direction for ones life is to pay close attention to the bend of ones spiritual biography. He was elected in March by an overwhelming majority, the largest vote received by any pastor in Progressive's rich history. "It's Alright to Cry"| Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago by Pastor Charlie Dates. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. What I do sense is that theres still work to be done and vision to accomplish at Progressive at the same time that I begin my assignment at Salem. Dr. Charlie E. Dates currently serves as the Senior Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois as well as Affiliate Professor of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and NFL Chaplain for the Chicago Bears. Both have spoken at Moodys annual Founders Week conferences. Charlie Dates Current Workplace. Meeks called Dates the greatest preacher in our nation. Rev. At the emergence of the pandemic, the SBC donated to our emergency effort to provide online food delivery services for Chicagoans with SNAP benefits. "I sense God performing a work of His Spirit that connects Salem to churches that need revitalization. I had the privilege of not only hearing him preach as a guest speaker at my church, but also meeting him after a singles event hosted by Progressive. Its time for Salem to move forward, he told his congregants. Chuck Smith himself, who started out as every kind of salt and light, found himself tempted by the limelight as he got bigger and bigger, and we saw more and more of his flaws as time went on. Susan Robinson is a 100-year-old Black woman and lifelong member of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, where I am senior . That philosophy has weakened whatever prophetic potential the SBC has. No. Im here to speak the truth in love to you to keep you from going down a path that may seem comforting to you now, but it will ensnare you.. He graduated with a PhD in historical theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Charlie Dates serves as the senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church and teaches at Moody Bible Institute as an adjunct professor. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. . I see the Pauline example in the Gospel of teachers/leaders being figures that we seek and respect for guidance and direction and boundaries, and not necessarily the same functions that friends and family (in or outside of the church) perform. What other things do you want to highlight to your current and future congregations and the readers of CT? I imagine they provide cover for the SBC leadership to further alienate Black and brown Christians who do not ascribe to their heritage of dangerous conservatism. And I think we can develop a platform, a pipeline to invite those who feel that burden of call to grow them and to release them to do that," he added. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. How do Salem Baptist and Progressive Baptist compare, and what makes you a fit for both congregations at this moment? Ill be here every Sunday and through the week as I normally am, Dates said. He's trained to fight the giants that we're dealing with today. CT interviewed him about the history of the two congregations and his call to lead Salem Baptist. Theres a danger when the person idolized has a position of power and authority, particularly in a religious sense. But there are others who sit close to power within the SBC and who are silent against the racism that plagues their own congregations. Just goes to show that even in this day and age, after all thats happened, megachurches still value butts in the seats and the almighty dollar over holding celebrity pastors accountable for their actions and character. To start, Dates will keep his current post as senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church, a 15-minute drive from the House of Hope arena where Salem Baptist meets. When did those who have yet to hire multiple Black or brown faculty at their seminaries assume ethical authority on the subject of systemic injustice? From your posts (especially the prior one to this), it almost seems like your biggest qualification for a pastor is whether he or she makes you feel good; warm and fuzzy. How has God moved and worked in ones life? We want to celebrate YOU. Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors, Mormonisms slow shift away from demonizing working mothers, Faith leaders urge Biden to sign executive order for reparations study by Juneteenth, For many congregations, wiping out medical debt has become a popular calling. If I can help these churches recognize Gods hand in their past as a kind of indication of God, of what God wants to do in the future, then I think I can hand it off to the next generation in good fashion. and pro football. Progressive Baptist Church. Meeks recalls meeting Dates when Dates was in the 5th grade. Warren announced his intention to retire last year after over 40 years of ministry and began the search for "the next-generation pastor.". 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In 2011, he became the youngest senior pastor at Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church. Dates added that the transition will start in January 2023. James Meeks announced Sunday that Pastor Charlie Dates of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago will succeed him as leader of the 10,000-member Salem Baptist Church of Chicago when he steps out of the role in January 2023. The backstage conversations at these gatherings promised a new era of advancement on race and theology. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. Atlanta pastor John Onwuchekwa left the SBC over the summer due to concerns over its approach to racial issues. It's to multiply in every generation and right now the church in Chicago needs fresh dynamic trained Gospel fire leaders. Charlie Dates has been working as a Youngest Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church for 12 years. Im still surprised Charlie Dates wasnt forced to step down after he publicly used a racial slur against Virgil Walker on social media last year. Meeks, 65, founded Salem in 1985 and grew it from 200 to 10,000 members. Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, IL. Meeks has been activeand sometimes controversialin the community. "We can multiply that in evangelism, in discipleship, in educating our kids in reducing violence, shutting down liquor stores and opening up new opportunities to help rescue families and that's the church being the church.". Galatians 5: 13-14 | Pastor David Swanson, Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago. Hi. But I do sense and feel that a lot of the progress that Ive been able to make in the pastorate is connected in some way to his tutelage, his leadership, and his spiritual fathering, so to speak. I have to lead through my leaders. and Ph.D. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity . Theres something about the formation of my mind and my theological heart that is directly shaped by and impacted by watching all of that, and working in all of that, as I came of age, he said. Its the same approach that created President Donald Trump, that makes sure that no Republican leader will challenge him publicly. Marin We need new ideas. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. In 2011, at age 30, he became the youngest Senior Pastor in Progressive's rich 99-year history. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. I left that conference feeling hopeful. Over the summer, Dates discussed with CT his frustration with the lack of diversity among SBCs recently appointed entity heads, all of whom are white men, and the inconsistent support for racial justice causes. Sign up now ! And the same for Salem, which might still have it. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Before his call to Progressive, he served as an apprentice pastor at New Zion Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois, and as a pastor at Salem Baptist Church in Chicago. The only outcome can be from their life experience, which really ignores the broader family of Southern Baptists.. None of our denominations, Black or white, are as relevant and biblically prophetic as our present age requires. Im not in the weeds at Progressive. Calling him "the greatest young preacher in our nation today," Rev. As one Conservative Baptist Network member said, they must constantly repent but can never actually be forgiven., A group of Southern Baptist pastors released a statement Friday voicing their opposition to any movement in the SBC that seeks to distract from racial reconciliation through the gospel and that denies the reality of systemic injustices.. It just isnt where God has me in this season of my life (yet). Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Also, while there are many people in the comment section who rightfully call him to repent over it, there are plenty of others, including names such as Lecrae and Kyle J Howard, who tweeted their approval of his use of the slur. Pastor Charlie Dates of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago lamented, "This is a very tiring conversation, not simply because of the events of recent weeks, but because this has been a 401-year . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. And Progressive only has one location. While I do not know much about Charlie Dates, it has becoming increasingly true that the higher you rise the harder you fall.. Pastor Charlie Dates speaks at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. Salem Baptist is one of several megachurches whose pastors are passing the baton. It is good that you were ministered to personally by your pastor. Speaking with CT, Dates drew parallels to Paul and Timothy, referencing Pauls instructions to the younger leader based on what he had witnessed firsthand in ministry. In op-eds announcing their decisions to leave, Charlie Dates of Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church and Ralph D. West of Houstons The Church Without Walls both criticized SBC seminary presidents declaration that critical race theory was incompatible with the denominations statement of faith. It is going to take an academic mind and a saved heart.". The pastor of Progressive at the time, his name was Reverend T. Brown, he was such a dynamic leader in the city that he was able to tell [former Chicago mayor] Richard J. Daley, No. And live to tell about it. - Charlie Dates, pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, a church aligned with the Progressive National Baptist Convention, a mostly Black denomination, and also with the Illinois Baptist State Association, which is an SBC affiliate. September 3, 2021 at 1:54 p.m. EDT. Just, wow. The leaders of two majority-black megachurches in major cities announced this week that they will no longer affiliate with the Southern Baptist Convention. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. If you have legal questions, attorneys will be available to help you at the legal clinic. But in this instance, youre actually bothered (I guess Uncle Ruckus is what crosses your line, but not sons of b*ches or a**holes) AND questioning Charlie Datess salvation? If I idolized him, dont you think Id have followed him to his church YEARS ago when I first me him? My acknowledgement of this is not a statement of submission, but an act of defiance. Our PBC Teens are highly engaged in biblical teaching and discussion on how to navigate a Christian life amongst their peers. After the retirement of its founder James Meeks, fellow South Side pastor Charlie Dates will become senior pastor of one of Chicagos biggest megachurches, Salem Baptist Church, returning to the ministry that shaped him as a kid and succeeding one of his greatest mentors in the faith. . How has he influenced you? Now we have 2 churches thinking only one particular man can lead them. Dates preaches at the 2019 African American Preaching Conference. To donate, becoming Progressives youngest-ever senior pastor, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Chicago Unity Service Brings Together Christians Across Ethnic Lines, Chicago Pastor James Meeks Bids Tearful Farewell After 38 Years at Salem Baptist, Tennessee Charity Walk to Fund Needed Wells Persists Despite Rainy Conditions, Eden Village Ministry Aims to End Homelessness Through Tiny Home Communities, Gateway Seminary to Fund Short-Term Mission Trips for All Students, Vineyard Pastor Resigns, Wont Cooperate With Probe Into Sons Alleged Misconduct, Why Businessman Peter Chung Matters for the Future of The Kings College. And how have you begun planning to deal with those challenges? It took a while for it to reimagine and revitalize and become relevant again. Dates new role will mean others will take on some of what Dates does now at Progressive, he said. In 2011, at age 30, Rev. How did they, who in 2020 still dont have a single Black denominational entity head, reject once and for all a theory that helps to frame the real race problems we face? Dates wrote in an op-ed Friday for the Religion News Service. Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month. Dates graduated from Salem Baptists Christian school, which has since closed. But the bones are good. Sign up for our newsletter: As for me and the Progressive Baptist Church, I keep hearing the words of Harriet Tubman: We out.. The hard reality of the seminary presidents statement is that Black people will never gain full equality in the Southern Baptist Convention. I also understand how a personal relationship strengthens that love; that is the importance of us having relationships in the body of Christ. I didnt say Pastor Dates was the ONLY person who could minister to me; I dont have anyone in my life like htat. Preachers and teachers are there to instruct and shape us much like secular, academic teachers/professors. I ADORE Charlie Dates. True authentic faith is going to be limited to a tiny remnant in the last days; the separation of wheat and tares is being done as we speak. When I came to Progressive, it took me a while to actually get my feet under me because of some of the history and nature of the church, and it required a lot of patience and long-suffering initially. He announced Sunday hell preach his last sermon to the 10,000-member church on January 8, 2023. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Children are a gift from God. What specifically attracted you about this role at Salem Baptist? Chicago needs the Black church to be her best and brightest self. I adore Charlie Dates BECAUSE of how he and his wife PERSONALLY ministered to me when I needed it. Its humorous, its rewarding, and its worth more than the price of gold or platinum. My approach at Salem will be similar once I have learned again the way of the land. They are selectively conservative. The resolution clarified the theory could be employed, but only subordinate to Scripture.. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT: Southern Baptist Convention Disfellowships Saddleback Church, Christian Conservationists Sue to Protect Ghana Forest, Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Beautiful Mystery of Gods Silence. How are you hoping to continue to cultivate that with both congregations? To choose a successor Meeks says he and his wife, First Lady Jamell Meeks, prayed and fasted. On one hand, Progressive is what I would call progressively traditional, and Salem is traditionally progressive. I think the distinction is that I can serve Salem well by loving her through the preaching ministry and pastoral care, and she will follow. . I am more of a vision-casting, preaching, pastoral care pastor. No One Knows. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I think these churches, with the history, the power, and relevance they have, can help shape a pipeline and platform for developing young people, young leaders, teachers, preachers, music ministry leaders, and nonprofit developers that Chicago needs these churches to develop across platforms. We want to walk with you and your family in every step of the way. Some in our ranks inappropriately use the label of CRT! to avoid legitimate questions or as a cudgel to dismiss any discussion of discrimination. Rev. Amen to thateven if the pastor in question is the Godliest guy on the planet to start with, which is seldom if ever the case. They both, in that regard, have a history of absolutely incredible pastors. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church I respect the importance of Christian denominations, the. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. She loves the Word and words, is a binge reader and grammar nut, and is fanatic (as her family can attest) about Jeopardy! Thats the good ol boys club. But it would be foolish to assume its humanly possible to do this in and of myself. COMMENTARY: Six white men shouldnt decide Southern Baptist position on race. This shaped his approach to preaching and his thoughts about the transformative role the Black church plays in bringing about the flourishing of a people.Dr. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. Datess 100-year-old congregation only began affiliating with the SBC last year, joining as a dual affiliate with the Progressive National Baptist Convention, a mainline, African American denomination. I believe now that the time has come for me to yield to a younger person.. Charlie served as an apprentice to Pastor K. Edward Copeland and started his formal, practical training at the New Zion Baptist Church of Rockford, Illinois. Dates also served on Salem's ministry team for a while before leaving in 2011 to serve as the leader of Progressive Baptist Church. But Pastor Dates said, I know you probably dont like me right now, I can tell from how youre reacting to what Im saying; but Im not here to get you to like me. Meeks, who plans to stay involved with Hope of House, Salems philanthropic organization, is one of the latest longtime U.S. church leaders to step down. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Gleannings aggregates what others are reporting. Charlie Dates preaching at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2017. It is the work of that church, but its also Reverend Meeks, the pastor of that church. Through his passion for learning, living, and teaching the Gospel, Dr. Charlie serves as an Affiliate Professor at Baylor University- George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Wheaton College. All rights reserved. We meet every second Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 9:00 am. With no repentance of any kind and such bald-faced pride in his sin, it bears questioning whether Dates ever had a regenerative, salvific transformation in his heart to begin with. Thats the old SBC. Book your appointment here. Progressives buildings were built without a dime of debt at a time where Black people could not get a loan from a bank. Comment below and let us know where you're watching fr. Dates's 100-year-old congregation only began affiliating with the SBC last year, joining as a dual affiliate with the Progressive National Baptist Convention, a mainline, African American. Every church that lives in the past is already anchoring itself in the graveyard of history. Both of them have produced some stalwart Christian leaders and teachers. The congregation has grown into one of the largest black churches in the city. Great! The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". ), Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. @progressivechicago | @charliedates |. I am on assignment to lead the church forward in Chicago. 11,909 were here. Come stop by the north lobby to have your picture and/or video taken on March 19th and the 26th directly following service, As our church family continues to grow, we want to welcome our new members home. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I also want to suggest that Chicago, and America, needs churches that are developing and reproducing young pastors, that we become more intentional about it. Here it was, I thought, further proof that the old SBC was fading. I dont idolize Pastor Dates, nor is he my everything. But the church left in 2020 after SBC leaders rejected critical race theory en masse. Charlie has 1 job listed on their profile. Cancel culture is wrong but shouldnt we have heard something about it at least? For the second time in two days, a prominent Black pastor has publicly quit the Southern Baptist Convention over its seminary presidents' campaign against Critical Race Theory. Brian I cant speak much about Salem Baptist Church (other than its known in the Black community here in Chicago due to its sheer size), but I do know Progressive. Shes ready to work. I think that there is a place in the body of Christ for large and small churches alike; I have been a member of both at various points in my walk with Christ, and can speak to the benefits and challenges of both. Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month. But some have grown frustrated with their position in a denomination that remains largely white (African Americans make up just 6 percent of Southern Baptists, according to Pew Research Center). Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago and serves on the board of TCP. I do know it is a debate in the Black community about using certain colorist or racially-charged terms against each other. That was the old Southern Baptists, I promised them and others in our church. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Logos of the six Southern Baptist Convention seminaries. It seems to me that God has been up to this, directing this well before I could tell. You know, at one point, Progressive had the strongest and largest Christian discipleship ministry in the city. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Charlie Dates Has Led Progressive Baptist To choose a successor Meeks says he and his wife, First Lady Jamell Meeks, prayed and fasted. Meeks and his wife, Jamell, founded the church in 1985. The recent departures caught the attention of Southern Baptist leaders who were disappointed to see them go, particularly fellow African Americans. But there is nothing wrong with loving those who I do have personal relationships with, and have really left an impact on my faith, family, and heart.. Their stand against racism rings hollow when in their next breath they reject theories that have been helpful in framing the problem of racism, he wrote, disappointed that the presidents would come together to speak out against it rather than turning their criticism toward other ills such a racism itself. As I am contemplating leaving my current evangelical church, Progressive is on my list of places Im considering and praying about for a new church home, and a lot of it is due to the Dates family. Some worry that a systemic view of racism, where a person is considered privileged or disadvantaged in society because of their race, conflicts with Christian beliefs about forgiveness or people holding equal value before God. I completely understand your concern, Tricia. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. I think history, much like the end of Romans, is meant to teach us what God can do. Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. Do you have a birthday or anniversary next month? Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Again, amen to that. Please click here to learn how. And, yes, nothing good ever comes out of megachurches and rock-star pastors. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Many cannot even define what CRT is, he tweeted. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service. He holds a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Ill become senior pastor of both the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago and remain that at Progressive.. James Meeks next year as senior pastor of Salem Baptist Churchone of Chicagos biggest megachurches. So we decided to cooperate and join our church to the SBC in what is known as a dual affiliation. I dont even know what sort of issue Dates had with whoever (again, Im rarely on social media), but even I can spot your bias here. On March 27-28, Dates will give a sermon and lecture at Samford University for the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies annual Dotson M. Nelson Lecture. To be clear, the SBC has some longstanding, credible Black pastors in its tribe, and I dont mean the kind who are tokens or assimilators. Meeks serves on the Moody Bible Institute Trustee Board, and Dates has worked as an adjunct professor there. Who thinks a half a pastor can shepherd a full church adequately? Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. Woke Wars infiltrate Christian colleges, prof under fire for racial justice unit, Southern Baptists oust Rick Warrens Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Professor Joeckel on why his contract, teachings on racial justice are under review, Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. Something is lost when a pastor becomes distanced from 99% of his church. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. But he added God is extending our platform and our reach to the point where Ill be able to provide pastoral leadership for both churches. So for me, what attracted me was God. Dates called him an Uncle Ruckus on twitter, which is a derogatory slur used to describe a black man that embraces the whiteness of society instead of resisting it. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. The beauty of this narrative is that the Lord, in his kindness and his grace, has taken pastors and churches to develop me. I was shocked, but not surprised, when Mohler endorsed President Trump and watched the two men on Reformation Day celebrate each other on Twitter. From 2016 to 2019, too, I preached on the campuses of four of the SBC seminaries and had been invited to another. Its been anchored in the community. In all that, he can never be criticized within his ranks. James Meeks, founder and longtime senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church on the citys far South Side. Meeks, who is now 65 and served three terms as a state senator, told his congregation that he will preach his final sermon on Jan. 8, 2023, just five days before the church's 38th anniversary. And while Progressive is a large congregation (around 1000 members), it doesnt come close to Salem (which has about 10,000). Weve already started the conversation that, at some point, the goal is to raise up leaders to do more work. To learn more about how you can begin or deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ, visit us at ProgressiveChicago.org . While continuing to lead Progressive Baptist, the 41-year-old pastor was named the successor to James Meeks at Salem Baptist Church, one of the citys biggest congregations.
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