Yeah thats in bad form. Meeks called Dates the greatest preacher in our nation. The resistance, especially from some of our elderly membership, was swift and sincere. 53 min; FEB 8, 2023 "Can't Turn . The two churches will remain separate, and he plans on preaching two sermons each Sunday. And Saddleback Church founder Rick Warren is retiring this September. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I can say Ive been called worse for going to white schools and belonging to white clubs, and Im kinda numb to it at my age. I adore Charlie Dates BECAUSE of how he and his wife PERSONALLY ministered to me when I needed it. I want to say it is an honor to even be considered, let alone asked, to succeed the Reverend James T. Meeks. 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Charlie Dates is pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago. Progressives buildings were built without a dime of debt at a time where Black people could not get a loan from a bank. I would caution ANYONE who makes ANYONE their everytying including a spouse or child. Feel free to watch our services online! Nationally known pastor Rev. I dont come out of thin air to either church; you can trace my lineage. But the bones are good. Calling him "the greatest young preacher in our nation today," Rev. It is good that you were ministered to personally by your pastor. The mega church concept is already troublesome. After the neighborhood went dry, Walmart opened a store. My relationship with him is dynamic. We want to see younger families come to our church and the last thing that we want is to stand in the way of that.". The two pastors brought up recognizing the reality of systemic racism alongside the truth and authority of Scripture. How will your role there look different? I was shocked, but not surprised, when Mohler endorsed President Trump and watched the two men on Reformation Day celebrate each other on Twitter. . 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. Could you describe your relationship with Meeks? 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. 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. Now we have 2 churches thinking only one particular man can lead them. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". "We want to see our church be vibrant. Im not sure I understand your point. He told his trustees to uphold the slaveholder for whom his college is named. He shared a vision of revival. If I idolized him, dont you think Id have followed him to his church YEARS ago when I first me him? Charlie Dates has been working as a Youngest Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church for 12 years. Photo courtesy of Progressive Baptist Church I respect the importance of Christian denominations, the. Gleannings aggregates what others are reporting. Both of them have produced some stalwart Christian leaders and teachers. I need to say that this is not an ambition of mine. In January 2023, Reverend Dates became the Senior Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. 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. If we in the SBC had shown as much sorrow for the painful legacy that sin has left as we show passion to decry CRT, we probably wouldnt be in this mess., Critical race theory isnt clearly defined, but generally refers to an approach to racism as systemic and embedded in society. Heavily influenced by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, W.E.B. That history is enormous. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? The SBCs power structure wants to maintain white dominance. "Charlie is called, and I believe all ministry starts with a calling," Meeks said. Photo courtesy of Charlie Dates. "Not only is he called, but he is qualified or educated. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Let us know how we can pray for you and your family. From 2016 to 2019, too, I preached on the campuses of four of the SBC seminaries and had been invited to another. It is the work of that church, but its also Reverend Meeks, the pastor of that church. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago Pastor: Dr. Charlie E. Dates Website: www.progressivechicago.org Giving/Donations: https://progressivechicago.org/give IG: 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. If, however, I fail to get the churches to see that our history serves our present and inspires our future, then Im in trouble. Thats the good ol boys club. Show Progressive Baptist Church Podcast, Ep Great Expectations | Joshua 14:6-15 | Pastor Bryan Carter - Jul 26, 2022 Pretty sure there were no consequences whatsoever for him over it. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The recent departures caught the attention of Southern Baptist leaders who were disappointed to see them go, particularly fellow African Americans. James Meeks, founder and longtime senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church on the citys far South Side. It's time for us to bring in young people. 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. I have to lead through my leaders. Return to homepage. You talked a bit about both churches significance to Chicago. 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. Rev. Sign up for our newsletter: 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.. 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. Opinion: What is Revivaland is it Happening at Asbury? Rev. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. The specter of racial animus and theological arrogance was giving way to a new era of Christian leadership, I suggested. You know, at one point, Progressive had the strongest and largest Christian discipleship ministry in the city. 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. I like my pastor; I dont love him. Charlie Dates Current Workplace. I completely understand your concern, Tricia. The average member was around before Charlie (hes been there ~10 years) and knows hes not the only one who can lead them. Learn more. And Progressive only has one location. We haveI thinka very Paul and Timothy kind of relationship. If I can help these churches recognize Gods hand in their past as a kind of indication of God, of what God wants to do in the future, then I think I can hand it off to the next generation in good fashion. I do pray Pastor Dates is not spread too thin and that he has the support needed to lead such a large flock effectively. 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. He continued his education with a Master of Divinity and a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. They are ready to send their young students to the very seminaries that are both vestiges of racial animus and also the places where these harmful attitudes are perpetuated. 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. I think thats a blessing, especially when I see a lot of superficial relationships between pastors and their flock. Im not in the weeds at Progressive. 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. Perhaps I need to know whats defined as a megachurch? 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.