Join us before worship service on Sunday, March 19th directly following service. But there are others who sit close to power within the SBC and who are silent against the racism that plagues their own congregations. He teaches preaching at Wheaton College and serves as an Affiliate Professor of the Baylor University George W. Truett Theological Seminary and as Affiliate . Warren announced his intention to retire last year after over 40 years of ministry and began the search for "the next-generation pastor.". Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? I returned to our Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago with a bit of sophomoric optimism. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. She loves the Word and words, is a binge reader and grammar nut, and is fanatic (as her family can attest) about Jeopardy! I completely understand your concern, Tricia. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Meeks and his wife say they don't want to stand in the next generation's way. Rev. 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. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. The 65-year-old has been a pastor for 42 years and said he feels like hes got 42 more years in me. But Meeks added hes learned from King Davids life when its time to come off the battlefield.. Not because of a sermon I heard from a distance or book that I read.. The resistance, especially from some of our elderly membership, was swift and sincere. 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 theory came up in a controversial resolution that passed at the SBCs 2019 annual meeting, when Greear was elected. I dont come out of thin air to either church; you can trace my lineage. . I left that conference feeling hopeful. CT interviewed him about the history of the two congregations and his call to lead Salem Baptist. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. In 1998, Meeks led a push to close 26 liquor stores in a 19-block radius near Salem. On one hand, the legacy has to continue. 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.. The hard reality of the seminary presidents statement is that Black people will never gain full equality in the Southern Baptist Convention. Its more than just Progressive and Salem. 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. 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. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. The two pastors brought up recognizing the reality of systemic racism alongside the truth and authority of Scripture. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Gleannings aggregates what others are reporting. When we make one man or woman our everything, bad things are bound to happen. It was the first time to my knowledge that white evangelicals had celebrated in concert the life, memory and work of the Rev. 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. Dateswho spoke at several national SBC events before and after deciding to affiliate with the denominationwrote that the statement was a final straw.. A religious liberty newsletter that is a must-read for people of faith. September 3, 2021 at 1:54 p.m. EDT. Could you describe your relationship with Meeks? Sure, there were more battles to be won before legitimate change would warm the hearts of African American churches like ours, but thats why our movement felt almost prophetic. The head of the SBCs National African American Fellowship, which had raised concerns about the critical race theory statement a week ago, said he was saddened by the announcements. He served three terms as an Illinois state senator, was chairman of the state board of education, and ran in Chicagos 2011 mayoral race. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. While I do not know much about Charlie Dates, it has becoming increasingly true that the higher you rise the harder you fall. Not able to make? Who thinks a half a pastor can shepherd a full church adequately? Wow, I never knew this, did TRR ever do an expose of this incident? 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. In a video message to Progressive, Dates said the two churches will stay distinct, though hell pastor them both. Do you know what I mean by ministering to me? I plan to lead through leaders. From 2016 to 2019, too, I preached on the campuses of four of the SBC seminaries and had been invited to another. 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. Charlie has 1 job listed on their profile. 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. Its been anchored in the community. He was elected in March by an overwhelming majority, the largest vote received by any pastor in Progressive's rich history. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 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. 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. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Hmm. Please click here to learn how. Im not sure I understand your point. That is absolutely a legitimate human need but I just dont see it as within the job description of a servant-leader of men in the Epistles. 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 . The SBCs power structure wants to maintain white dominance. 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. At the emergence of the pandemic, the SBC donated to our emergency effort to provide online food delivery services for Chicagoans with SNAP benefits. Dates to speak at your next event, please complete the Speaker Request form. Its no longer that waywe are very much in the community nowbut thats the way it was. Its evangelism, its benevolence, its disciple-making have all been very Christo-centric and rooted in the Scriptures. 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. Pastor Dates challenged me in how I was handling my grief, noted my verbal and body language pointed to some unrighteous anger and unforgiveness that I needed to confront in order to move forward in a Godly manner, gave me scriptures to pray and meditate on, and concluded by praying with me and having his wife Kirstie follow up with me. Charlie Dates Has Led Progressive Baptist To choose a successor Meeks says he and his wife, First Lady Jamell Meeks, prayed and fasted. 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.. 11,909 were here. To invite Dr. These have been disciple-making churches with an emphasis on Christian education. 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. How are you hoping to continue to cultivate that with both congregations? ), Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. Martin L. King Jr. On the eve of the 50th anniversary of his assassination, it was as if they had come to reckon with the ghosts of their past and the theological underpinnings that ignored his ministry. 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. I cant speak for them. 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. Children are a gift from God. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. They are to us what the Electoral College is to the United States: a body that no longer produces what it originally promised. We meet every second Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 9:00 am. Hi. 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. Its time for Salem to have younger leadership . Rev. 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. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. In all that, he can never be criticized within his ranks. The statement on critical race theory and intersectionality has soiled that good faith.. Charlie Edward Dates became the youngest Senior Pastor in Progressive's rich 95-year history. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. What I will say is that Progressive and Salem demonstrate the spectrum of Black churches in Chicago. 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. 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. He is married to Kirstie Dates and is the proud father of their children, Charlie Edward Dates II & Claire Dates. 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. Shes ready to work. 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. He told his trustees to uphold the slaveholder for whom his college is named. Dates explained he saw rejecting CRT as part of a continuing heritage of dangerous conservatism.. Do you have a birthday or anniversary next month? I think history, much like the end of Romans, is meant to teach us what God can do. A graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and adjunct at Baylor Universitys Truett Theological Seminary, West said he planned to withdraw from his current doctoral studies at Southwestern and will not associate with the SBC any longer. 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. What other things do you want to highlight to your current and future congregations and the readers of CT? 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. And I dont even go to Progressive, which is less than 15 minutes from my home (closer than my current church home). Again, amen to that. If you sense the malaise around Christian denominations, then you already yearn for a new vision and a new standard. Neither am I saying that hes the only significant influence in my life. Dates response to the controversy was that its not racist because its between black people. "We believe now that the time has come for us to step aside, for us to yield to new younger leadership," Meeks said. None of that is contingent upon Biblical Christianity (indeed, you say its not because of a sermon or book, meaning theology I assume). 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. 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. I dont need to be Einstein to understand that with all these jobs he is not truly doing any of them full time. So, I propose to you that we need a new organism, not led in full by white men; a Christian collective that makes room for the essentials of the faith and the diversity of the Church; a robust engine that finances the impoverished sides of the Church, speaks justice courageously to the government and cares gently for the oppressed, marginalized and women. 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. How will your role there look different? And thats part of the beauty I think of this story. Nationally known pastor Rev. I would caution ANYONE who makes ANYONE their everytying including a spouse or child. And while Progressive is a large congregation (around 1000 members), it doesnt come close to Salem (which has about 10,000). In his response, current SBC president Greear asked that fellow members of the denomination consider their concerns and suggested that there are things we can learn from worldly philosophies like critical race theory., Last week, prior to West and Datess announcements, Ausberry, who serves as SBC first vice president and head of the denominations National African American Fellowship, responded to the seminary presidents statement by saying that systemic racism exists and there are theories and constructs that help us to see and discover otherwise undetected, systemic racism in institutions and in ourselves., Especially for those of us who have experienced the brunt of systemic racism in our daily lives, our seminary presidents are good men and they had good intent, Ausberry said in an interview with Baptist Press, but the optics of six Anglo brothers meeting to discuss racism and other related issues without having ethnic representation in the room in 2020, at worst it looks like paternalism, at best insensitivity. To enjoy our website, you'll need to enable JavaScript in your web browser. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". He also told him hes still willfully acting like hes a slave because he rejects CRT. When I came back home to Southwestern, I even encouraged other ministers to do the same. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, under the leadership of Charlie E. Dates, is a. Something is lost when a pastor becomes distanced from 99% of his church. The specter of racial animus and theological arrogance was giving way to a new era of Christian leadership, I suggested. Ive learned there is an unwritten rule in the SBC: Dont criticize an entity head. 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. 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. I also understand how a personal relationship strengthens that love; that is the importance of us having relationships in the body of Christ. But dozens of majority-black churches are joining the SBC each year, so the numbers are still growingjust not as fast as they once were. Would a right-wing famous pastor like Voddie Baucham or Rob Jeffress be able to get away with using racial slurs??? Dr. Charlie Dates is widely invited to preach at churches, conferences and universities throughout the United States. Now we have 2 churches thinking only one particular man can lead them. Charlie Dates serves as the senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church and teaches at Moody Bible Institute as an adjunct professor. If I idolized him, dont you think Id have followed him to his church YEARS ago when I first me him? Both of them have produced some stalwart Christian leaders and teachers. The leaders of two majority-black megachurches in major cities announced this week that they will no longer affiliate with the Southern Baptist Convention. Pastor Charlie Dates speaks at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. 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. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. In 2011, he became the youngest senior pastor at Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church. Last month, in a joint statement and individual remarks, the six presidents of SBC seminaries called critical race theory unbiblical and instead emphasized the need to turn to Christian teachings alone, not secular ideas, to confront racism. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. We need new ideas. No. I will admit to knowing very little about Charlie Dates, but what Gus Chiggins posted is extremely concerning. 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. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! To donate, click here. This workshop will cover everything from home buying basics to the most important step, funding and loan process. Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, IL. They are ready to see their young adopt the very vestiges of hate that enslaved us in the name of Gods authoritative word. The congregation has grown into one of the largest black churches in the city. 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. Its time for a young generation to come forward with new challenges facing us.. I have to lead through my leaders. It's time for us to bring in young people. 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). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Neither is it a premeditated desire of mine. No matter what age, PBC Kids offers fun, age-appropriate programming that help your children connect with God. I go where God leads me not Charlie Dates. . 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. Legal Clinic The Social Justice Ministry is here to help through our Gospel Justice Center Legal Clinic. Dates graduated from Salem Baptists Christian school, which has since closed. They are selectively conservative. Mohler, to take one example, endorsed a philandering, racist president, thereby betraying his Black and brown Christian family. Dates preaches at the 2019 African American Preaching Conference. I had to fight all of my flesh not to just walk away. I dont know if Id recommend this to anybody. (Perhaps due to my rarely being on social media for my own sanity). I recognize this moment is big, and its watershed, but it is not about me. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. So Im not in a position to speak on that. I just checked and you can still see the tweet for yourself, he refused to delete it. No one knows. 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. He shared a vision of revival. Dr. Charlie Dates is widely invited to preach at churches, conferences and universities throughout the United States. Charlie E. Dates was presented to the church in February 2011. He announced Sunday hell preach his last sermon to the 10,000-member church on January 8, 2023. James Meeks next year as senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church one of Chicago's biggest megachurches. I didnt say Pastor Dates was the ONLY person who could minister to me; I dont have anyone in my life like htat. Rev. 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. "And God has blessed us with our own son who has agreed starting January 15th, 2023, to be the next pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago.". 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. Facebook/Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, Pastor Charlie Dates (R) and Rev. and pro football. Dates added that the transition will start in January 2023. 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. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. 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. 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.. (RNS) In 2018, something happened at the MLK50 Conference in Memphis, an event co-hosted by the Southern Baptist Conventions policy arm and The Gospel Coalition. 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. But it would be foolish to assume its humanly possible to do this in and of myself. Charlie Dates has been working as a Youngest Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church for 12 years. That Salem is a loving church ready to work. To a visitor entering the Northwest Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois, on a recent Sunday, the assembly might have sounded like, The Rev. Progressives buildings were built without a dime of debt at a time where Black people could not get a loan from a bank. 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. It took a while for it to reimagine and revitalize and become relevant again. 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. But the church left in 2020 after SBC leaders rejected critical race theory en masse. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago Pastor: Dr. Charlie E. Dates Website: www.progressivechicago.org Giving/Donations: https://progressivechicago.org/give IG: All rights reserved. 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. That somehow God grants the capacity and that God grants the resources and support. "It's Alright to Cry"| Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago by Pastor Charlie Dates. My response to the above is that that kind of filling of your personal needs, i.e. 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. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. None of our denominations, Black or white, are as relevant and biblically prophetic as our present age requires. Its not making me feel good; warm and fuzzy. But as 2020 went on, I grew increasingly uneasy. And, yes, nothing good ever comes out of megachurches and rock-star pastors. 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. Charlie earned an M.Div. We haveI thinka very Paul and Timothy kind of relationship. 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. We are partnering with The Chicago Partnership to present this opportunity to the South Side! The Social Justice Ministry is here to help through our Gospel Justice Center Legal Clinic. Weve already started the conversation that, at some point, the goal is to raise up leaders to do more work. Progressive Service Time 9:30am 3658 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago Coming Up. In his June 19 sermon, he told congregants hes retiring as of January 15, 2023, and the Rev. We meet every second Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 9:00 am. Pastor Charlie Dates speaks at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. 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. Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago and serves on the board of TCP. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. The average member was around before Charlie (hes been there ~10 years) and knows hes not the only one who can lead them. 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?