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. View Charlie Dates' profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Ive seen healthy and unhealthy churches of all sizes. We need new ideas. 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. 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. . In all that, he can never be criticized within his ranks. That is a concerning statement. "We believe now that the time has come for us to step aside, for us to yield to new younger leadership," Meeks said. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. How do Salem Baptist and Progressive Baptist compare, and what makes you a fit for both congregations at this moment? 3658 SOUTH WENTWORTH AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL, 60609, 773-268-6048 | INFO@PROGRESSIVECHICAGO.ORG. What other things do you want to highlight to your current and future congregations and the readers of CT? 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. All the old leaders stay in place and dont open up and make room for new leadership. Children are a gift from God. 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. Stephanie Martin, a freelance writer and editor in Denver, has spent her entire 30-year journalism career in Christian publishing. My acknowledgement of this is not a statement of submission, but an act of defiance. Brian 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. The only outcome can be from their life experience, which really ignores the broader family of Southern Baptists.. 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. Meeks called Dates the greatest preacher in our nation. Meeks and his wife, Jamell, founded the church in 1985. How are you hoping to continue to cultivate that with both congregations? Return to homepage. In his June 19 sermon, he told congregants hes retiring as of January 15, 2023, and the Rev. On one hand, the legacy has to continue. 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. Respect and admire if they are capable, yes. Dates response to the controversy was that its not racist because its between black people. Theres just no way you can pastor a church that big being involved in all of the details, right? 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 respect the importance of Christian denominations, the accountability and resources they provide for the larger body. Mohler, to take one example, endorsed a philandering, racist president, thereby betraying his Black and brown Christian family. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Cancel culture is wrong but shouldnt we have heard something about it at least? The recent departures caught the attention of Southern Baptist leaders who were disappointed to see them go, particularly fellow African Americans. He announced Sunday he'll preach his last sermon to the 10,000-member church on January 8, 2023. The other thing is, in terms of preaching, I plan on preaching two services on Sunday morning: one at Progressive and one at Salem. 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.. I think part of this is connected to what attracted me to Salem Baptist. They are good men who are sending a big message to the SBC, said Marshal Ausberry. 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. We want to see our church grow. Learn more. and pro football. What I will say is that Progressive and Salem demonstrate the spectrum of Black churches in Chicago. 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. 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. Comment below and let us know where you're watching fr. You talked a bit about both churches significance to Chicago. 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. 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. My relationship with him is dynamic. It is going to take an academic mind and a saved heart.". "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.". But what is liberal in the history of American Christianity? 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. To invite Dr. The resolution clarified the theory could be employed, but only subordinate to Scripture.. The SBCs power structure wants to maintain white dominance. The statement on critical race theory and intersectionality has soiled that good faith.. Progressive Service Time 9:30am 3658 S Wentworth Ave, Chicago Coming Up. And the same for Salem, which might still have it. 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. He holds a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Preachers and teachers are there to instruct and shape us much like secular, academic teachers/professors. @progressivechicago | @charliedates |. Charlie Dates serves as the senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church and teaches at Moody Bible Institute as an adjunct professor. 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. Its time for a younger generation to assume leadership at one of Chicagos largest churches. You know, at one point, Progressive had the strongest and largest Christian discipleship ministry in the city. . It's time for us to bring in young people. Hi. 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 meet every second Saturday, March 11, 2023 at 9:00 am. (Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is the senior pastor at Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church. I was shocked, but not surprised, when Mohler endorsed President Trump and watched the two men on Reformation Day celebrate each other on Twitter. Who will pay for the SBCs abuse reforms over the long term? The Rev. Ill be here every Sunday and through the week as I normally am, Dates said. 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. If Charlie Dates indeed used a racial slur (just last year), that does call into fitness his ability to do any of the above. Im working to discern Gods direction as it relates to timing of when to conclude. Great! Chicago has rich Black churches throughout the South and West sides, in particular. He shared a vision of revival. The leaders of two majority-black megachurches in major cities announced this week that they will no longer affiliate with the Southern Baptist Convention. I like my pastor; I dont love him. 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. 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. 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. Weve already started the conversation that, at some point, the goal is to raise up leaders to do more work. Gleannings aggregates what others are reporting. 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. I do know it is a debate in the Black community about using certain colorist or racially-charged terms against each other. No one knows. Dateswho spoke at several national SBC events before and after deciding to affiliate with the denominationwrote that the statement was a final straw.. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, under the leadership of Charlie E. Dates, is a. I just checked and you can still see the tweet for yourself, he refused to delete it. It's time for Salem to have younger leadership. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. I completely understand your concern, Tricia. We are partnering with The Chicago Partnership to present this opportunity to the South Side! Dates new role will mean others will take on some of what Dates does now at Progressive, he said. Marin 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. This workshop will cover everything from home buying basics to the most important step, funding and loan process. He announced Sunday hell preach his last sermon to the 10,000-member church on January 8, 2023. Neither is it a premeditated desire of mine. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Dr. Charlie Dates is widely invited to preach at churches, conferences and universities throughout the United States. 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. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But it would be foolish to assume its humanly possible to do this in and of myself. Sign up now ! I think thats a blessing, especially when I see a lot of superficial relationships between pastors and their flock. Salem Baptist is one of several megachurches whose pastors are passing the baton. It just isnt where God has me in this season of my life (yet). My response to the above is that that kind of filling of your personal needs, i.e. And if you have a testimony of the amazing things God is doing in your life through our ministry, please email it to info@progressivechicago.org. It was the first time to my knowledge that white evangelicals had celebrated in concert the life, memory and work of the Rev. 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. We see this is the third article this month youve found worth reading. 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. If I idolized him, dont you think Id have followed him to his church YEARS ago when I first me him? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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?" James Meeks next year as senior pastor of Salem Baptist Churchone of Chicagos biggest megachurches. As CT reported in August, there werent signs of a trend of majority-black churches leaving in the most recent denomination report from 2018, though the rates of growth year-over-year had slowed after shooting up in the early 2000s. 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.. But there are others who sit close to power within the SBC and who are silent against the racism that plagues their own congregations. His decision came two days after West made a similar argument in a Baptist Standard op-ed. 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. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. When I came back home to Southwestern, I even encouraged other ministers to do the same. Rev. . Dates, 41, is a graduate of Salem's now-closed Salem Christian Academy. I had to fight all of my flesh not to just walk away. His wife Kirstie also followed up to pray with me and further encourage me. 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. He is a contributing author to Letters To A Birmingham Jail and Say It: Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition, and is currently working on his first single-authored book on Christianity and Social Justice. To them, a belief in a high view of Scripture must mean an adaptation of Republican politics and, with it, the dismissal of critical race theory and intersectionality because of a fear of liberalism. That said, our church has just as high a view (if not higher) of Scripture as any SBC church, but theirs is an inconsistent epistemology. He continued his education with a Master of Divinity and a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. No. 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. He also teaches at Wheaton College and has delivered chapel sermons at various institutions, including The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Butand this is no secretfor years it stayed in the vein of its history. 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. Progressive was once, decades ago, the kind of leading force of churches on the South Side. 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. Charlie Dates is pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago. Meeks recalls meeting Dates when Dates was in the 5th grade. 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. I am more of a vision-casting, preaching, pastoral care pastor. 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. They would not. 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. Logos of the six Southern Baptist Convention seminaries. 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. "It's Alright to Cry"| Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago by Pastor Charlie Dates. 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. Thats the old SBC. He was elected in March by an overwhelming majority, the largest vote received by any pastor in Progressive's rich history. 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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. The average member was around before Charlie (hes been there ~10 years) and knows hes not the only one who can lead them. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". 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. I dont need to be Einstein to understand that with all these jobs he is not truly doing any of them full time. I cant speak for them. Feel free to watch our services online! They both, in that regard, have a history of absolutely incredible pastors. What kind of repentance did he show and how has he made amends? Pastor Charlie Dates is the Senior Pastor of The Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. 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. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago Pastor: Dr. Charlie E. Dates Website: www.progressivechicago.org Giving/Donations: https://progressivechicago.org/give IG: It does not store any personal data. CT interviewed him about the history of the two congregations and his call to lead Salem Baptist. 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. Im not sure I understand your point. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Just, wow. No matter what age, PBC Kids offers fun, age-appropriate programming that help your children connect with God. In 2006, he began serving as the primary . Photo courtesy of Charlie Dates. Here it was, I thought, further proof that the old SBC was fading. ), Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. To donate, click here. That was the last straw for Dates, he wrote in a column for Religion News Service. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. In January 2023, Reverend Dates became the Senior Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. Since then, conservative groups have been more vocal about what they see as an embrace of critical race theory and secular thinking by seminaries and denominational leaders, with the newly formed Conservative Baptist Network being among the most vocal opponents. The beauty of this narrative is that the Lord, in his kindness and his grace, has taken pastors and churches to develop me. Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, IL. Not able to make? If you sense the malaise around Christian denominations, then you already yearn for a new vision and a new standard. I dont come out of thin air to either church; you can trace my lineage. I think history, much like the end of Romans, is meant to teach us what God can do. Not because of a sermon I heard from a distance or book that I read. Charlie has also led Progressive in being a very put faith into action church here in the Chicago Black community. 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. I believe now that the time has come for me to yield to a younger person.. Brian 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. "We want to see our church be vibrant. If thats idolatry to youwe can disagree. Its been anchored in the community. As for me, I will always be grateful. 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. Services Progressive Baptist Church SUNDAYS AT PROGRESSIVE We'd love for you to join us at our Sunday Services! Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. Heavily influenced by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, W.E.B. To invite Dr. 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. Meeks has been activeand sometimes controversialin the community. 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. James Meeks, founder and longtime senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church on the citys far South Side. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? Rev. (Perhaps due to my rarely being on social media for my own sanity). Meeks serves on the Moody Bible Institute Trustee Board, and Dates has worked as an adjunct professor there. How will your role there look different? 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. 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? 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. As I prayed through it, Reverend Meeks and I wrestled with it, and he graciously affirmed my sense of discernment. He's trained to fight the giants that we're dealing with today. Dates, 41, graduated from Salems now-shuttered Christian Academy. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. I want to be clear though, Im not saying Im the only Timothy he has, in the same way that Paul had others. The resistance, especially from some of our elderly membership, was swift and sincere. Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. Are there things at Progressive you will have to step away from? Ive learned there is an unwritten rule in the SBC: Dont criticize an entity head. Its no longer that waywe are very much in the community nowbut thats the way it was. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. "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.". He told his trustees to uphold the slaveholder for whom his college is named. Conservatism is, and has always been, the god of the SBC. Neither am I saying that hes the only significant influence in my life. 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. September 3, 2021 at 1:54 p.m. EDT. Rev. Image courtesy of Baptist Press. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. 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 are hosting our New Member Orientation known as 'Connection Institute.' I understand both sides, but havent thought about it enough to have a strong opinion, probably because I dont use those terms. They are selectively conservative. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church - Chicago . fellowship and personal friendship, could have been met by a holy man of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or any other world religionor by a secular counselor or self-help advocate. Would a right-wing famous pastor like Voddie Baucham or Rob Jeffress be able to get away with using racial slurs??? You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. Religion News Service reported that Fred Luter, the only black SBC president, signed on in agreement. "The Kingdom work is never to stop with one generation. 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. From 2016 to 2019, too, I preached on the campuses of four of the SBC seminaries and had been invited to another. We need new opportunities. None of that is contingent upon Biblical Christianity (indeed, you say its not because of a sermon or book, meaning theology I assume). Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month. In accepting the role, Dates said he sees Salem Baptist Church of Chicago as a global church. Something is lost when a pastor becomes distanced from 99% of his church. You see many people who are guilty of holding onto positions too long, he says. Progressive is a church of five generations. Could you describe your relationship with Meeks? 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. A religious liberty newsletter that is a must-read for people of faith. . "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." Im not in the weeds at Progressive. 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. They do not understand themselves to be beneficiaries of a system that marginalizes people of color.". Dates teaches at several universities and seminaries, including Wheaton College, and is popular on the speaking circuit. We want to celebrate YOU. That is a concerning statement. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Hmm. Its one thing to adore someone you dont have any personal relationship with. What is liberalism to the conservative Southern Baptists? Charlie earned an M.Div. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". . The SBC experienced a 43 percent jump in majority-black churches between 1998 and 2002, compared to 11 percent over the most recent four years. On Dec. 1, all six of the SBC seminary presidents without one Black president or counter opinion among them told the world that a high view of Scripture necessarily required a corresponding and total rejection of critical race theory and intersectionality. On one hand, Progressive is what I would call progressively traditional, and Salem is traditionally progressive. I am on assignment to lead the church forward in Chicago.