As for me, I will always be grateful. Raised on the southside of Chicago, he came of age having welcomed Christ into his life early. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. It is going to take an academic mind and a saved heart.". On one hand, the legacy has to continue. 2023 ChurchLeaders.com, All rights reserved. Im not in the weeds at Progressive. 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. 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. The resolution clarified the theory could be employed, but only subordinate to Scripture.. Charlie Dates is pastor of the Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago. 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If tons and tons of people love them and how they make them feel thats pretty much a sign that they are doing the *opposite* of the Great Commission. The Social Justice Ministry is here to help through our Gospel Justice Center Legal Clinic. It does not store any personal data. Warren announced his intention to retire last year after over 40 years of ministry and began the search for "the next-generation pastor.". No. Rev. We need new ideas. Its more than just Progressive and Salem. The Rev. 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. Toward that end, the site requires that people use their full name when commenting. Thats the old SBC. Great! 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. 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. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Charlie Dates Returns to the Chicago Church that Shaped Him While continuing to lead Progressive Baptist, the 41-year-old pastor was named the successor to James Meeks at Salem Baptist. But the church left in 2020 after SBC leaders rejected critical race theory en masse. Not because of a sermon I heard from a distance or book that I read. . Last month, Dates joined the Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast to talk about the need for solid Christian preaching during tough times. Thats their choice. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Religion News Service. At the emergence of the pandemic, the SBC donated to our emergency effort to provide online food delivery services for Chicagoans with SNAP benefits. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. As I prayed through it, Reverend Meeks and I wrestled with it, and he graciously affirmed my sense of discernment. After the retirement of its founder James Meeks, fellow South Side pastor Charlie Dates will become senior pastor of one of Chicagos biggest megachurches, Salem Baptist Church, returning to the ministry that shaped him as a kid and succeeding one of his greatest mentors in the faith. How did they, who in 2020 still dont have a single Black denominational entity head, reject once and for all a theory that helps to frame the real race problems we face? Dates wrote in an op-ed Friday for the Religion News Service. 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. Many cannot even define what CRT is, he tweeted. You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. Give a gift of $30 or more to The Roys Report this month, and you will receive a copy of "Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse" by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys. What is liberalism to the conservative Southern Baptists? Its one thing to adore someone you dont have any personal relationship with. I was shocked, but not surprised, when Mohler endorsed President Trump and watched the two men on Reformation Day celebrate each other on Twitter. Charlie Dates and Ralph D. West spoke out in response to a controversial statement released by seminary presidents. Pastor Charlie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication and Rhetoric at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and both a Master of Divinity Degree and PhD at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School . Dates to speak at your next event, please complete the Speaker Request form. Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago | Chicago IL James Meeks faltered for just a moment at the end. You see many people who are guilty of holding onto positions too long, he says. . 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. Dates added that the transition will start in January 2023. We need new ideas. These churches are a gift. Im not sure I understand your point. Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are preferred. 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. We need new opportunities. Dates to speak at your next event, please complete the Speaker Request form. 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. "It's Alright to Cry"| Pastor Charlie Dates | Progressive Chicago by Pastor Charlie Dates. 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. To donate, click here. And I think we can develop a platform, a pipeline to invite those who feel that burden of call to grow them and to release them to do that," he added. 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. He teaches preaching at Wheaton College and serves as an Affiliate Professor of the Baylor University George W. Truett Theological Seminary and as Affiliate . 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 have to lead through my leaders. We want to celebrate YOU. 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. Who thinks a half a pastor can shepherd a full church adequately?. The hard reality of the seminary presidents statement is that Black people will never gain full equality in the Southern Baptist Convention. 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. And Progressive only has one location. And thats part of the beauty I think of this story. Charlie Dates Current Workplace. If you have legal questions, attorneys will be available to help you at the legal clinic. If we could look at the current moment and seize the opportunity to develop young people that God has laid his hand upon, then I think the best days of the church, in this critical culture, are in front of us. Susan Robinson is a 100-year-old Black woman and lifelong member of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago, where I am senior . 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. The Roys Report seeks to foster thoughtful and respectful dialogue. Respect and admire if they are capable, yes. 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. What specifically attracted you about this role at Salem Baptist? 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. I would caution ANYONE who makes ANYONE their everytying including a spouse or child. 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. 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. To start, Dates will keep his current post as senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church, a 15-minute drive from the House of Hope arena where Salem Baptist meets. He graduated with a PhD in historical theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.