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. 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. But it would be foolish to assume its humanly possible to do this in and of myself. He was elected in March by an overwhelming majority, the largest vote received by any pastor in Progressive's rich history. Wow, I never knew this, did TRR ever do an expose of this incident? Its evangelism, its benevolence, its disciple-making have all been very Christo-centric and rooted in the Scriptures. 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. Its a sensitive time for both congregations, and I want to convey as they read this my love for both of them. To donate, click here. 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. 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. I dont know if Id recommend this to anybody. His wife Kirstie also followed up to pray with me and further encourage me. 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? Hi. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Neither is it a premeditated desire of mine. He graduated with a PhD in historical theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Charlie Dates is pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago. I had to tell my church I was wrong. "We want to see our church be vibrant. 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. We need a new vision. As I prayed about it, I got no inkling that it was time, just yet, to walk away from Progressive. 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. It's time for Salem to have younger leadership. 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. Two things. I respect the importance of Christian denominations, the accountability and resources they provide for the larger body. Pastor Charlie Dates is the Senior Pastor of The Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois. Show Progressive Baptist Church Podcast, Ep Great Expectations | Joshua 14:6-15 | Pastor Bryan Carter - Jul 26, 2022 CT interviewed him about the history of the two congregations and his call to lead Salem Baptist. Ive learned there is an unwritten rule in the SBC: Dont criticize an entity head. Again, amen to that. 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. He teaches preaching at Wheaton College and serves as an Affiliate Professor of the Baylor University George W. Truett Theological Seminary and as Affiliate . 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. "I sense God performing a work of His Spirit that connects Salem to churches that need revitalization. Do you have a birthday or anniversary next month? In addition, the 41-year-old also served under Meeks as primary preaching assistant, pastor of adult ministries, and director of church operations at Salem Baptist before becoming senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church in 2011. I just checked and you can still see the tweet for yourself, he refused to delete it. 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. Dates, 41, graduated from Salems now-shuttered Christian Academy. And while Progressive is a large congregation (around 1000 members), it doesnt come close to Salem (which has about 10,000). I also understand how a personal relationship strengthens that love; that is the importance of us having relationships in the body of Christ. What kind of repentance did he show and how has he made amends? Sign up now ! 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.. 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. 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 somehow God grants the capacity and that God grants the resources and support. I am on assignment to lead the church forward in Chicago. Dates teaches at several universities and seminaries, including Wheaton College, and is popular on the speaking circuit. That was the last straw for Dates, he wrote in a column for Religion News Service. Dateswho spoke at several national SBC events before and after deciding to affiliate with the denominationwrote that the statement was a final straw.. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Its no longer that waywe are very much in the community nowbut thats the way it was. 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. 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. SERVICE TIME 9:30 AM CST Watch Live "It's Alright to Cry"| Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago Watch on Latest Sermon 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. "Not only is he called, but he is qualified or educated. 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. No One Knows. To invite Dr. Its time for Salem to move forward, he told his congregants. 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. The church actually changed the face of that community, he says. It's time for us to bring in new families. Charlie Dates has been working as a Youngest Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church for 12 years. Rev. RELATED: Southern Baptist seminary presidents nix critical race theory. Progressive got insulated at one point. . I go where God leads me not Charlie Dates. Dates added that the transition will start in January 2023. Our PBC Teens are highly engaged in biblical teaching and discussion on how to navigate a Christian life amongst their peers. He is married to Kirstie Dates and is the proud father of their children, Charlie Edward Dates II & Claire Dates. So for me, what attracted me was God. 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. That history is enormous. It is good that you were ministered to personally by your pastor. September 3, 2021 at 1:54 p.m. EDT. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Dr. Charlie E. Dates currently serves as the Senior Pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, Illinois as well as Affiliate Professor of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and NFL Chaplain for the Chicago Bears. . Meeks recalls meeting Dates when Dates was in the 5th grade. No matter what age, PBC Kids offers fun, age-appropriate programming that help your children connect with God. 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. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. "It's Alright to Cry"| Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago by Pastor Charlie Dates. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. And if you think it feels good, warm and fuzzy to be confronted about your sin when youre in the middle of grief, you are VERY mistaken. They would not. Thats the old SBC. 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. 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. The resistance, especially from some of our elderly membership, was swift and sincere. 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. Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, IL. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 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. Both of them have produced some stalwart Christian leaders and teachers. In a video message to Progressive, Dates said the two churches will stay distinct, though hell pastor them both. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Calling him "the greatest young preacher in our nation today," Rev. Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. What is liberalism to the conservative Southern Baptists? When did the theological architects of American slavery develop the moral character to tell the church how it should discuss and discern racism? 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. And, yes, nothing good ever comes out of megachurches and rock-star pastors. Progressive Baptist Church. I ADORE Charlie Dates. and pro football. Rev. 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. What challenges do you anticipate with the dynamic of pastoring two congregations? 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. 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. It is going to take an academic mind and a saved 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. 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. 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. Yesterday, Charlie Dates, the Senior Pastor at Chicago's Progressive Baptist Church, gave a powerful biblical message addressing the recent killings of Auhmad Aubrey, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. And God has blessed us with our own son as the churchs next pastor. Christian Rocker Posts Stunning Response to Recent Apostasy of Christian Leaders, Chicago Radio Host & a Former Bodyguard Say James MacDonald Asked Them to Arrange Murders, James MacDonald Took Millions from Harvest & Now Demands Broadcast Ministry, Mancow Airs Shocking Comments By James MacDonald: My Response. Sarah Einselen is an award-winning writer and editor based in Texas. 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. How has God moved and worked in ones life? To invite Dr. Dr. 3658 SOUTH WENTWORTH AVENUE, CHICAGO, IL, 60609, 773-268-6048 | INFO@PROGRESSIVECHICAGO.ORG. . Hmm. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The mega church concept is already troublesome. 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. I dont need to be Einstein to understand that with all these jobs he is not truly doing any of them full time. We haveI thinka very Paul and Timothy kind of relationship. He's trained to fight the giants that we're dealing with today. I adore Charlie Dates BECAUSE of how he and his wife PERSONALLY ministered to me when I needed it. That was the old Southern Baptists, I promised them and others in our church. Meeks, 65, founded Salem in 1985 and grew it from 200 to 10,000 members. Something is lost when a pastor becomes distanced from 99% of his church. The Rev. Keep in touch with Julie and get updates in your inbox! Its the same approach that created President Donald Trump, that makes sure that no Republican leader will challenge him publicly. Pastoral leadership is a storied pillar in both of these churches. But the bones are good. 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. 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. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? It actually makes me think of Moses, who was advised on how to make leading the growing number of Israelites more manageable by placing them into groups and delegating. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. In the early discussion around the seminary presidents statement, which released last month, SBC president J. D. Greear recognized some of the issues with such emphasis on critical race theory (CRT) itself. 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. That Salem is a loving church ready to work. I think part of this is connected to what attracted me to Salem Baptist. You know, at one point, Progressive had the strongest and largest Christian discipleship ministry in the city. The beauty of this narrative is that the Lord, in his kindness and his grace, has taken pastors and churches to develop me. The hard reality of the seminary presidents statement is that Black people will never gain full equality in the Southern Baptist Convention. 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. I want to say it is an honor to even be considered, let alone asked, to succeed the Reverend James T. Meeks. 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. While I do not know much about Charlie Dates, it has becoming increasingly true that the higher you rise the harder you fall.. From 2016 to 2019, too, I preached on the campuses of four of the SBC seminaries and had been invited to another. Progressive was once, decades ago, the kind of leading force of churches on the South Side. They are ready to see their young adopt the very vestiges of hate that enslaved us in the name of Gods authoritative word. Im not saying that Im perfect, forever, for both churches. Both have spoken at Moodys annual Founders Week conferences. 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. If thats idolatry to youwe can disagree. His decision came two days after West made a similar argument in a Baptist Standard op-ed. How will your role there look different? Image courtesy of Baptist Press. Not because of a sermon I heard from a distance or book that I read.. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. "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.". Salem Baptist is one of several megachurches whose pastors are passing the baton. Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month. I returned to our Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago with a bit of sophomoric optimism. Charlie Dates Current Workplace. My relationship with him is dynamic. It does not store any personal data. But as 2020 went on, I grew increasingly uneasy. Sign up for our newsletter: Not able to make? I had to fight all of my flesh not to just walk away. If Charlie Dates indeed used a racial slur (just last year), that does call into fitness his ability to do any of the above. Your tax-deductible gift helps our journalists report the truth and hold Christian leaders and organizations accountable. They both, in that regard, have a history of absolutely incredible pastors. I will admit to knowing very little about Charlie Dates, but what Gus Chiggins posted is extremely concerning. Its kind of like a kid learning a language; when youre immersed in the language, no one has to tell you what words mean and what signals mean.. Welcome to the weekly podcast of Progressive Baptist Church with Pastor and Author, Dr. Charlie Dates. 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. Photo courtesy of Charlie Dates. James Meeks, founder and longtime senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church on the citys far South Side. 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 E. Dates was presented to the church in February 2011. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. 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. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church. 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. "Charlie is called, and I believe all ministry starts with a calling," Meeks said. I completely understand your concern, Tricia. They are good men who are sending a big message to the SBC, said Marshal Ausberry. Dates explained he saw rejecting CRT as part of a continuing heritage of dangerous conservatism.. 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. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". 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. Calling him "the greatest young preacher in our nation today," Rev. In all that, he can never be criticized within his ranks. 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. 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I have, by the grace of God, the DNA of both churches.. The other thing is, in terms of preaching, I plan on preaching two services on Sunday morning: one at Progressive and one at Salem. Its not making me feel good; warm and fuzzy. 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. Children are a gift from God. The recent departures caught the attention of Southern Baptist leaders who were disappointed to see them go, particularly fellow African Americans. 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. Who Will Pay for the SBCs Abuse Reforms Over the Long Term? Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. He has a bachelor of arts degree in speech communication and rhetoric from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; a master of divinity degree and a Ph.D. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois.
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