He opposed the legalization of gay marriage,called for a boycott over funding disparities at Chicago Public Schools, and once served as spiritual adviser to disgraced R&B singer R. Kelly. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. 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. But we can actually press into the current culture and lead our young people and train them to lead a revolution for the kingdom and the glory of God. 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. Black Church Figures You Should Know: Dr. Charlie Dates 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. We haveI thinka very Paul and Timothy kind of relationship. "It's time for Salem to move forward. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT: After Chaos and Crisis, Beth Moore Still Finds Refuge in the Church, Christian Conservationists Sue to Protect Ghana Forest, I Was the Proverbial, Drug-Fueled Rock and Roller, Everything Everywhere All at Once and the Beautiful Mystery of Gods Silence. Dates, 41, is senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Churcha position hell keep, despite assuming the pastorate at Salem. 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. Rev. And I have loved various pastors like family; some have ministered to my family for DECADES, and have baptized, married, counseled, and even eulogized GENERATIONS of my family. Butand this is no secretfor years it stayed in the vein of its history. 99% of these megachurch icons and celebrities were nowhere near as righteous as Smith to start with, and only continue to deteriorate from that starting point, with time and fame. And Im not sure how bringing up holy men of other faiths comes into it I was at a Christian event seeking Biblically-rooted ministry, and thats what Pastor Dates and his wife provided. Dateswho spoke at several national SBC events before and after deciding to affiliate with the denominationwrote that the statement was a final straw.. I returned to our Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago with a bit of sophomoric optimism. No one knows. "The Kingdom work is never to stop with one generation. 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. When did the theological architects of American slavery develop the moral character to tell the church how it should discuss and discern racism? We are partnering with The Chicago Partnership to present this opportunity to the South Side! 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. After 11 years at Progressive and watching more than 1,000 people join that church in that time, its fair to say that I carry the DNA of both churches. James Meeks, founder and longtime senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church on the citys far South Side. That would just be weird. Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, IL. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I dont know anything about Pastor Dates using a slur I havent heard anything about it, nor do I know anything about the context, response, or outcomes. Both of them have produced some stalwart Christian leaders and teachers. I think part of this is connected to what attracted me to Salem Baptist. 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. 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. 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. 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. Now we have 2 churches thinking only one particular man can lead them. Chicago Pastor James Meeks to Retire, Pass Baton to Rev. Charlie Dates I am more of a vision-casting, preaching, pastoral care pastor. Im working to discern Gods direction as it relates to timing of when to conclude. What I benefit from is far greater than just a tip from him here or there; its more of a model of a life lived. 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. 'More Than Just Talk:' Black Southern Baptist Pastors Urge Racial Unity There is no such thing as the Old Southern Baptists.. CT interviewed him about the history of the two congregations and his call to lead Salem Baptist. In 1998, Meeks led a push to close 26 liquor stores in a 19-block radius near Salem. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Its been anchored in the community. Im just saying that at the juncture were in and being a son of the soil of Chicago and a son of Salem, and now having pastored Progressive, I just think I have a unique understanding and relational dynamic with both churches. 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Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago | Chicago IL Ill tell you: abolition, the womens suffrage movement, the civil rights movement, a Black U.S. president who was initially against partial-birth abortion, non-white male faculty at their seminaries and now a theory that uncovers our nations de jure and de facto segregation. Sign up for our newsletter: If you have legal questions, attorneys will be available to help you at the legal clinic. . 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. 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. Raised on the southside of Chicago, he came of age having welcomed Christ into his life early. Who thinks a half a pastor can shepherd a full church adequately? When I came back home to Southwestern, I even encouraged other ministers to do the same. . 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. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. Let us know how we can pray for you and your family. His wife Kirstie also followed up to pray with me and further encourage me. 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. Services Progressive Baptist Church Charlie Dates - Senior Pastor - Progressive Baptist Church - LinkedIn Everybody loves our old, respected leaders but I want to set an example that its okay to give the next generation an opportunity, Meeks adds. @progressivechicago | @charliedates |. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. Feel free to watch our services online! 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.. That is exactly what I am objecting to though the fact that there is no way he can minister to 11,000 people in the way that he ministered to you. I would think its a good thing that I can speak from personal experience with the Dates, instead of some sort of I read his book fan club adoration. Meeks has led the African American congregation, now at nearly 10,000 members, since its founding in 1985. 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. . "Not only is he called, but he is qualified or educated. 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. This workshop will cover everything from home buying basics to the most important step, funding and loan process. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. He also told him hes still willfully acting like hes a slave because he rejects CRT. No matter what age, PBC Kids offers fun, age-appropriate programming that help your children connect with God. Its time for a younger generation to assume leadership at one of Chicagos largest churches. But you seem determined to dismiss or belittle it in some sort of attempt to insult the Dates and me. - 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. Marin Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church - Chicago . 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. And, yes, nothing good ever comes out of megachurches and rock-star pastors. There is a HUGE problem with adoring a pastorany pastor, even a truly great one. Progressive Baptist Church Chicago - YouTube 'We out': Charlie Dates on why his church is leaving the SBC over His decision came two days after West made a similar argument in a Baptist Standard op-ed. Two things. When Albert Mohler, the president of the Southern Baptist Seminary, said the only politically moral option for Christians was the Republican Party, I asked other SBC leaders, good Christian men, to challenge him. Brian Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month. To invite Dr. SERVICE TIME 9:30 AM CST Watch Live "It's Alright to Cry"| Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago Watch on Latest Sermon I left that conference feeling hopeful. 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 . None of that is contingent upon Biblical Christianity (indeed, you say its not because of a sermon or book, meaning theology I assume). 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.. Who thinks a half a pastor can shepherd a full church adequately?. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. We want to see our church grow. So Im not in a position to speak on that. Dates new role will mean others will take on some of what Dates does now at Progressive, he said. 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. Biblical and Religious Studies Host Chicago Pastor for 2023 Dotson M Its humorous, its rewarding, and its worth more than the price of gold or platinum. Logos of the six Southern Baptist Convention seminaries. He hijacked the affirmation meeting of the Baptist Faith & Message, turning it into a conservative resurgence revival. Neither is it a premeditated desire of mine. Children are a gift from God. 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. Charlie Dates - Youngest.. - Progressive Baptist Church | ZoomInfo PODCAST - I Can't Breathe | Charlie Dates - The Center for Pastor My response to the above is that that kind of filling of your personal needs, i.e. 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. The theory came up in a controversial resolution that passed at the SBCs 2019 annual meeting, when Greear was elected. If we could look at the current moment and seize the opportunity to develop young people that God has laid his hand upon, then I think the best days of the church, in this critical culture, are in front of us. "We believe now that the time has come for us to step aside, for us to yield to new younger leadership," Meeks said. Dr. Charlie Dates became the youngest senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago in 2011 at age 30 and in January 2023, he became the senior pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. We need new ideas. Another prominent Black Baptist pastor publicly quits the SBC 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. 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. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, under the leadership of Charlie E. Dates, is a. Around the country, people run into me and tell me, Oh I got baptized at that church, or Oh, I remember Sunday school at that church. Its legend and its lore is huge. You talked a bit about both churches significance to Chicago. To choose a successor Meeks says he and his wife, First Lady Jamell Meeks, prayed and fasted. But what is liberal in the history of American Christianity? James Meeks next year as senior pastor of Salem Baptist Churchone of Chicagos biggest megachurches. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Perhaps I need to know whats defined as a megachurch? The backstage conversations at these gatherings promised a new era of advancement on race and theology. If thats idolatry to youwe can disagree. He shared a vision of revival. Dates explained he saw rejecting CRT as part of a continuing heritage of dangerous conservatism.. These churches are a gift. Our Team THE CHICAGO PARTNERSHIP All rights reserved. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. 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. Thanks for the extra info here. While I do not know much about Charlie Dates, it has becoming increasingly true that the higher you rise the harder you fall.. Dates response to the controversy was that its not racist because its between black people. "Charlie is called, and I believe all ministry starts with a calling," Meeks said. In a video message to Progressive, Dates said the two churches will stay distinct, though hell pastor them both. 11,909 were here. Dates to speak at your next event, please complete the Speaker Request form. Thats the old SBC. The average member was around before Charlie (hes been there ~10 years) and knows hes not the only one who can lead them. If tons and tons of people love them and how they make them feel thats pretty much a sign that they are doing the *opposite* of the Great Commission. Not because of a sermon I heard from a distance or book that I read.. They would not. Charlie E. Dates is the senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church and Progressive Baptist Church, two of the oldest and largest historically Black churches in Chicago, Illinois. I think history, much like the end of Romans, is meant to teach us what God can do. Pretty sure there were no consequences whatsoever for him over it. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Do you know what I mean by ministering to me? In January 2023, Reverend Dates became the Senior Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. Sis Sharon Lillard Homegoing Service on Vimeo And I dont even go to Progressive, which is less than 15 minutes from my home (closer than my current church home). Do you have a birthday or anniversary next month? I ADORE Charlie Dates. Sign up now ! We were already working with the SBC on a training program at our church, and almost all of the Illinois Baptist State and SBC national leaders I had met seemed aware that their forefathers fell woefully short of any standard of biblical justice. 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Adoring sounds like its crossed the line into idolatrysomething a lot of these guys at bare minimum do nothing to discourage, and a few outright seek. My approach at Salem will be similar once I have learned again the way of the land. COMMENTARY: Six white men shouldnt decide Southern Baptist position on race. That history is enormous. 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 . What is liberalism to the conservative Southern Baptists? 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.. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. It was the first time to my knowledge that white evangelicals had celebrated in concert the life, memory and work of the Rev.