That is a concerning statement. Pastor Charlie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and Rhetoric at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and both a Master of Divinity Degree and PhD at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School . Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? The average member was around before Charlie (hes been there ~10 years) and knows hes not the only one who can lead them. Would a right-wing famous pastor like Voddie Baucham or Rob Jeffress be able to get away with using racial slurs??? "I sense God performing a work of His Spirit that connects Salem to churches that need revitalization. Dubois, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Mary Mcloud - Bethune, Dr. Charlies orientation and early formation were significantly bent toward the theological reflection of Black people. Mohler, to take one example, endorsed a philandering, racist president, thereby betraying his Black and brown Christian family. We are not merging the two churches and Salem is not absorbing Progressive, Dates said. Salem has its own kind of DNA, Progressive her own . 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. I took President Adam Greenways invitation to return as a statement of good faith, that the seminary wanted to welcome me and many other Black ministers to contribute to its legacy, he wrote. Its time for a younger generation to assume leadership at one of Chicagos largest churches. 3658 SOUTH WENTWORTH AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL, 60609, 773-268-6048 | INFO@PROGRESSIVECHICAGO.ORG. Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago and serves on the board of TCP. Charlie Dates has been working as a Youngest Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church for 12 years. What other things do you want to highlight to your current and future congregations and the readers of CT? Dates to speak at your next event, please complete the Speaker Request form. What I will say is that Progressive and Salem demonstrate the spectrum of Black churches in Chicago. All rights reserved. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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.. To donate, click here. In 2011, he became the youngest senior pastor at Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church. SBC events and church planting have grown more diverse over the past decade as leaders made a concerted effort to feature and invest in non-Anglo pastors. Marin They are to us what the Electoral College is to the United States: a body that no longer produces what it originally promised. It was the first time to my knowledge that white evangelicals had celebrated in concert the life, memory and work of the Rev. Progressive is a church of five generations. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. 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. He was elected in March by an overwhelming majority, the largest vote received by any pastor in Progressive's rich history. Hmm. Preachers and teachers are there to instruct and shape us much like secular, academic teachers/professors. He's trained to fight the giants that we're dealing with today. Its been anchored in the community. and pro football. And while we are kind of watching this great falling away, we dont have to merely watch it. 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. But what is liberal in the history of American Christianity? When did the theological architects of American slavery develop the moral character to tell the church how it should discuss and discern racism? 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. Meeks serves on the Moody Bible Institute Trustee Board, and Dates has worked as an adjunct professor there. Another thing is I dont think this dual assignment is in perpetuity. Standing in the pulpit on Sunday at the House of, Feet splashed in puddles on a rainy Sunday afternoon as almost 1,000 people came together in Smyrna, a small town in Middle. 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. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Rev. On one hand, the legacy has to continue. Charlie has also led Progressive in being a very put faith into action church here in the Chicago Black community. Theres just no way you can pastor a church that big being involved in all of the details, right? I can say Ive been called worse for going to white schools and belonging to white clubs, and Im kinda numb to it at my age. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church I respect the importance of Christian denominations, the. Not because of a sermon I heard from a distance or book that I read. Gleannings aggregates what others are reporting. Dates preaches at the 2019 African American Preaching Conference. Thats the good ol boys club. We need a new vision. September 3, 2021 at 1:54 p.m. EDT. One of the benefits at Progressive is that the operations of the church and systems and structures of the church, the day-to-day operations, are free to move independent of me. Salem has not lost its relevance, Salem has not lost its edge, while maintaining a very high view of Scripture and its very Christo-centric approach to ministry. He continued his education with a Master of Divinity and a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Rev. To invite Dr. Hi. No. What challenges do you anticipate with the dynamic of pastoring two congregations? They are good men who are sending a big message to the SBC, said Marshal Ausberry. Dates also served on Salem's ministry team for a while before leaving in 2011 to serve as the leader of Progressive Baptist Church. Wow, I never knew this, did TRR ever do an expose of this incident? But you seem determined to dismiss or belittle it in some sort of attempt to insult the Dates and me. Our seminaries, many of them are in decline. The other thing is, in terms of preaching, I plan on preaching two services on Sunday morning: one at Progressive and one at Salem. Nationally known pastor Rev. Charlie Dates named successor to James Meeks at 10K-member Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. . That was the message Sunday from the Rev. In 2020, Dates, married with two children, was among a number of black Christian church leaders to cut ties with the Southern Baptist Convention over a statement from the denomination's Council of Seminary Presidents denouncing racism and critical race theory. I cant speak for them. . 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. She loves the Word and words, is a binge reader and grammar nut, and is fanatic (as her family can attest) about Jeopardy! Dates also is an affiliate professor at Baylor Universitys George W. Truett Theological Seminary in Texas and at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Illinois, according to his bio. Nationally known pastor Rev. Charlie Dates is the Senior Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, IL. ), Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. 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. The specter of racial animus and theological arrogance was giving way to a new era of Christian leadership, I suggested. 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. These have been disciple-making churches with an emphasis on Christian education. None of our denominations, Black or white, are as relevant and biblically prophetic as our present age requires. They are happy to have a Black chapel speaker, the occasional conservative Black professor whose classes are not taken seriously or a Black employee who never bucks against their notions of superiority. Our city and our nation need the black church to be her best and brightest self and now is the time for churches to be strong," he said. Blessed to serve in the city in which he was born, Reverend Dr. Charlie E. Dates is Chicago through and through. If you have legal questions, attorneys will be available to help you at the legal clinic. Charlie Dates is set to succeed Rev. View Charlie Dates' profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. The resistance, especially from some of our elderly membership, was swift and sincere. Dates response to the controversy was that its not racist because its between black people. As I prayed through it, Reverend Meeks and I wrestled with it, and he graciously affirmed my sense of discernment. Dates holds a Bachelor's Degree in Speech Communication & Rhetoric from the University of Illinois - Champaign, Urbana, where he met his wife, Kirstie, who not only changed his life, but also elevated his approach to living. Dates added that the transition will start in January 2023. No matter what age, PBC Kids offers fun, age-appropriate programming that help your children connect with God. Who will pay for the SBCs abuse reforms over the long term? and Ph.D. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity . A religious liberty newsletter that is a must-read for people of faith. EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Shamed, Excommunicated Mother for Refusing to Take Back Child Abuser, Days-long Revival Sweeping Asbury University in Kentucky, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthur Covered Up Pastors Sexual Abuse, Witnesses Say, EXCLUSIVE: John MacArthurs Church Supported Convicted Child Abuser & Pedophile, Records Show, Dante Bowe Posts, Then Removes, Apology for Behavior Causing Split with Maverick City Music, Matt Chandler Steps Aside After Admitting Inappropriate Online Relationship, John MacArthur Pulls Out of Ligonier Conference, Pastor Resigns From Houston Megachurch After Admitting Affair, Televangelist Creflo Dollar Renounces Past Teachings on Tithing, But Questions Persist. Im not in the weeds at Progressive. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. It's to multiply in every generation and right now the church in Chicago needs fresh dynamic trained Gospel fire leaders. Wests The Church Without Walls (originally Brookhollow Baptist Church) has ranked among the 100 biggest in the country and averages 9,000 people in weekly attendance, according to its site. I would rather not compare them, only because I wouldnt want to say the wrong thing and have someone read it and judge my intent. Two things. 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. From 2016 to 2019, too, I preached on the campuses of four of the SBC seminaries and had been invited to another. Both of them have produced some stalwart Christian leaders and teachers. You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. I adore Charlie Dates BECAUSE of how he and his wife PERSONALLY ministered to me when I needed it. 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. Religion News Service reported that Fred Luter, the only black SBC president, signed on in agreement. 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. 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. If we in the SBC had shown as much sorrow for the painful legacy that sin has left as we show passion to decry CRT, we probably wouldnt be in this mess., Critical race theory isnt clearly defined, but generally refers to an approach to racism as systemic and embedded in society. Dates, 41, is senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Churcha position hell keep, despite assuming the pastorate at Salem. 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. None of that is contingent upon Biblical Christianity (indeed, you say its not because of a sermon or book, meaning theology I assume). You sure seem ready to defend Trump and do the we dont know whats in his heart, only God knows if hes saved song and dance when it comes to explaining away Trumps lack of repentance or remorse for such language. He is a contributing author to the 2014 book Letters To A Birmingham Jail, and the 2019 book, Say It: Celebrating Expository Preaching in The African American Tradition. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. If you sense the malaise around Christian denominations, then you already yearn for a new vision and a new standard. 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. Thanks for the extra info here. Its humorous, its rewarding, and its worth more than the price of gold or platinum. 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. Rev. "There is a young man in our midst who is an exceptional preacher," Pastor Meeks told congregants Sunday, calling Charlie Dates both "called" and "qualified." Feel free to watch our services online! Charlie earned an M.Div. James Meeks faltered for just a moment at the end. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I had to tell my church I was wrong. Are there things at Progressive you will have to step away from? Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. Heavily influenced by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, W.E.B. When I came back home to Southwestern, I even encouraged other ministers to do the same. 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. Again, amen to that. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". 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. 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 holds a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. 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. With teary eyes, I just told them I hope that they accept my recommendation when that time comes. Who thinks a half a pastor can shepherd a full church adequately? We need new ideas. I like my pastor; I dont love him. His wife Kirstie also followed up to pray with me and further encourage me. After the neighborhood went dry, Walmart opened a store. Legal Clinic The Social Justice Ministry is here to help through our Gospel Justice Center Legal Clinic. You know, at one point, Progressive had the strongest and largest Christian discipleship ministry in the city. Here it was, I thought, further proof that the old SBC was fading. Salem Baptist is one of several megachurches whose pastors are passing the baton. I plan to lead through leaders. Cancel culture is wrong but shouldnt we have heard something about it at least? Were living in a time where so many young people are walking away from the church and where church attendance numbers are in the dumps. Dates to speak at your next event, please complete the Speaker Request form. Its a sensitive time for both congregations, and I want to convey as they read this my love for both of them. Its one thing to adore someone you dont have any personal relationship with. Pastoral leadership is a storied pillar in both of these churches. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. These churches are a gift. Perspective by Charlie Dates. It does not store any personal data. Im not saying that Im perfect, forever, for both churches. Not able to make? 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. COMMENTARY: Six white men shouldnt decide Southern Baptist position on race. In January 2023, Reverend Dates became the Senior Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, under the leadership of Charlie E. Dates, is a. Galatians 5: 13-14 | Pastor David Swanson, Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago. Progressive Baptist Church. And while Progressive is a large congregation (around 1000 members), it doesnt come close to Salem (which has about 10,000). I dont see anything wrong with loving those who Christ calls us to love, which includes our brothers and sisters in Christ (that includes pastors). Charlie Dates Returns to the Chicago Church that Shaped Him While continuing to lead Progressive Baptist, the 41-year-old pastor was named the successor to James Meeks at Salem Baptist. He teaches preaching at Wheaton College and serves as an Affiliate Professor of the Baylor University George W. Truett Theological Seminary and as Affiliate Professor of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Charlie Dates of the Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, one of the pastors who have already severed ties, said the November statement was "the last straw." "When did the theological architects of American slavery develop the moral character to tell the church how it should discuss and discern racism?" What is liberalism to the conservative Southern Baptists? 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. Weve got to be able to have our 12 stones from our Chicago Jordan River, with a keen eye on the hills and mountains of Jericho and the other cities in Canaan. In 2011, Reverend Dates became the youngest Senior Pastor to serve the historic Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, which saw exponential growth under his leadership. Return to homepage. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". I have, by the grace of God, the DNA of both churches.. 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. We want to celebrate YOU. Its important to highlight that this is not conventional. Butand this is no secretfor years it stayed in the vein of its history. The statementposted on the anniversary of the 13th amendment abolishing slaverycalled for collective repentance and criticized those who would downplay SBCs racial history or label others as critical race theorists for acknowledging systemic injustices. Perhaps I need to know whats defined as a megachurch? Its one thing to adore someone you dont have any personal relationship with. I was shocked, but not surprised, when Mohler endorsed President Trump and watched the two men on Reformation Day celebrate each other on Twitter. Facebook/Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, Pastor Charlie Dates (R) and Rev. I completely understand your concern, Tricia. 11,909 were here. "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.". Have you ever dreamed of owning a home, but don't know where to begin? I think history, much like the end of Romans, is meant to teach us what God can do. Warren announced his intention to retire last year after over 40 years of ministry and began the search for "the next-generation pastor.". There is a young man in our midst who is an exceptional preacher, Pastor Meeks told congregants Sunday, calling Charlie Dates both called and qualified., He came out of our church, says Meeks, and its time for young people to step up and be given a chance.. Sign up for our newsletter: Perhaps you are taking on a worldly definition of love? 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. The mega church concept is already troublesome. 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. As a highly sought-after speaker, he is widely invited to preach at churches and speak at retreats, conferences, and universities throughout the United States and abroad. That was the old Southern Baptists, I promised them and others in our church. . The mega church concept is already troublesome. In his June 19 sermon, he told congregants hes retiring as of January 15, 2023, and the Rev. My relationship with him is dynamic. Thats their choice. The young pastor said he had to convince his members that joining the denomination for the sake of mission partnerships would be a good move. 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. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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. Charlie is the senior pastor a Chicago's Progressive Baptist Church. That would just be weird. So he is going to pastor two large churches in addition to teaching at several colleges. Rev. 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. This isnt something that I read or something that I watched; this is a ministry that I participated in and had a front row seat to as a kid, said Dates, who grew up at Salem and attended its former school, Salem Christian Academy. He also told him hes still willfully acting like hes a slave because he rejects CRT. But the church left in 2020 after SBC leaders rejected critical race theory en masse.

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