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. Feel free to watch our services online! . However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Who will pay for the SBCs abuse reforms over the long term? None of that is contingent upon Biblical Christianity (indeed, you say its not because of a sermon or book, meaning theology I assume). To correct us from repeating errors and to inspire and to encourage us to pursue Gods great promise. . I am on assignment to lead the church forward in Chicago. View Charlie Dates' profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Chicago Pastor James Meeks to Retire, Pass Baton to Rev. Charlie Dates Charlie Dates | moodyaudio.com Not because of a sermon I heard from a distance or book that I read. Welcome to the weekly podcast of Progressive Baptist Church with Pastor and Author, Dr. Charlie Dates. 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. . While continuing to lead Progressive Baptist, the 41-year-old pastor was named the successor to James Meeks at Salem Baptist Church, one of the citys biggest congregations. 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 dozens of majority-black churches are joining the SBC each year, so the numbers are still growingjust not as fast as they once were. @progressivechicago | @charliedates |. So Im not in a position to speak on that. Progressive Baptist Church Chicago - YouTube But as 2020 went on, I grew increasingly uneasy. He served three terms as an Illinois state senator, was chairman of the state board of education, and ran in Chicagos 2011 mayoral race. James Meeks next year as senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church one of Chicago's biggest megachurches. In 2006, he began serving as the primary . How has God moved and worked in ones life? 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. Rev. They would not. If you have legal questions, attorneys will be available to help you at the legal clinic. That history is enormous. 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. Get the most recent headlines and stories from Christianity Today delivered to your inbox daily. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. In a video posted Monday, Meeks called Dates the greatest preacher in our nation., The Bible says one man planteth and another man watereth, and God giveth the increase, he said in the video, with his wife Jamell Meeks, director of Salems womens ministries, at his side. 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 dont come out of thin air to either church; you can trace my lineage. Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. In his June 19 sermon, he told congregants hes retiring as of January 15, 2023, and the Rev. 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. 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. It seems to me that God has been up to this, directing this well before I could tell. You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. I respect the importance of Christian denominations, the accountability and resources they provide for the larger body. 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. Charlie Dates Archives - ERLC 11,909 were here. 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. 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. 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". He shared a vision of revival. Let us know how we can pray for you and your family. 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. The specter of racial animus and theological arrogance was giving way to a new era of Christian leadership, I suggested. 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. 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. 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. The SBCs power structure wants to maintain white dominance. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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?" I cant speak for them. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. . Hmm. Have you ever dreamed of owning a home, but don't know where to begin? 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. 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. Charlie Dates named successor to James Meeks at 10K-member Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. And I dont even go to Progressive, which is less than 15 minutes from my home (closer than my current church home). and Ph.D. at Trinity Evangelical Divinity . Warren announced his intention to retire last year after over 40 years of ministry and began the search for "the next-generation pastor.". 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. He announced Sunday hell preach his last sermon to the 10,000-member church on January 8, 2023. Preachers and teachers are there to instruct and shape us much like secular, academic teachers/professors. Charlie has also led Progressive in being a very put faith into action church here in the Chicago Black community. "We want to see our church be vibrant. He continued his education with a Master of Divinity and a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Rev. I have to lead through my leaders. Chicago megachurch pastor to retire, names successor | Church So he is going to pastor two large churches in addition to teaching at several colleges. 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 . Sign up for our newsletter: Salem Baptist is one of several megachurches whose pastors are passing the baton. 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. I completely understand your concern, Tricia. Its one thing to adore someone you dont have any personal relationship with. Ive learned there is an unwritten rule in the SBC: Dont criticize an entity head. 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. If, however, I fail to get the churches to see that our history serves our present and inspires our future, then Im in trouble. The mega church concept is already troublesome. In 2011, he became the youngest senior pastor at Chicagos Progressive Baptist Church. That is a concerning statement. 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. I adore Charlie Dates BECAUSE of how he and his wife PERSONALLY ministered to me when I needed it. Who thinks a half a pastor can shepherd a full church adequately? While I do not know much about Charlie Dates, it has becoming increasingly true that the higher you rise the harder you fall.. 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.