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. Meeks and his wife say they don't want to stand in the next generation's way. 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. It just isnt where God has me in this season of my life (yet). 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. 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. Do you have a birthday or anniversary next month? Progressive got insulated at one point. Thats not always the case when you assume a pastorate. 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.. My relationship with him is dynamic. I am more of a vision-casting, preaching, pastoral care pastor. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. And thats part of the beauty I think of this story. Its no longer that waywe are very much in the community nowbut thats the way it was. He also told him hes still willfully acting like hes a slave because he rejects CRT. Blessed to serve in the city in which he was born, Reverend Dr. Charlie E. Dates is Chicago through and through. Meeks, a former state senator, founded Salem Baptist 38 years ago. Meeks, 65, founded Salem in 1985 and grew it from 200 to 10,000 members. 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. Progressive Baptist Church. 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. If I idolized him, dont you think Id have followed him to his church YEARS ago when I first me him? As for me and the Progressive Baptist Church, I keep hearing the words of Harriet Tubman: We out.. That somehow God grants the capacity and that God grants the resources and support. It was the first time to my knowledge that white evangelicals had celebrated in concert the life, memory and work of the Rev. For questions or to reach his office, please email booking@progressivechicago.org. 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. But Pastor Dates said, I know you probably dont like me right now, I can tell from how youre reacting to what Im saying; but Im not here to get you to like me. Join us before worship service on Sunday, March 19th directly following service. As I prayed about it, I got no inkling that it was time, just yet, to walk away from Progressive. (Perhaps due to my rarely being on social media for my own sanity). What other things do you want to highlight to your current and future congregations and the readers of CT? He also teaches at Wheaton College and has delivered chapel sermons at various institutions, including The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. As a highly sought-after speaker, he is widely invited to preach at churches and speak at retreats, conferences, and universities throughout the United States and abroad. 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 . 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? Progressive is a church of five generations. Every church that lives in the past is already anchoring itself in the graveyard of history. The head of the SBCs National African American Fellowship, which had raised concerns about the critical race theory statement a week ago, said he was saddened by the announcements. Pastoral leadership is a storied pillar in both of these churches. To donate, click here. @progressivechicago | @charliedates |. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. Something is lost when a pastor becomes distanced from 99% of his church. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help our journalists continue to report the truth and restore the church? 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?. James Meeks announced Sunday that Pastor Charlie Dates of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago will succeed him as leader of the 10,000-member Salem Baptist Church of Chicago when he steps out of the role in January 2023. 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 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. 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. They are to us what the Electoral College is to the United States: a body that no longer produces what it originally promised. 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. Atlanta pastor John Onwuchekwa left the SBC over the summer due to concerns over its approach to racial issues. 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. Charlie Dates is the senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church in Chicago. The Rev. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Calling him "the greatest young preacher in our nation today," Rev. The 65-year-old has been a pastor for 42 years and said he feels like hes got 42 more years in me. But Meeks added hes learned from King Davids life when its time to come off the battlefield.. 1 is my itinerant ministry will take a reduction, and I will be present locally a lot more, which Im looking forward to. Dr. Charlie Dates became the youngest senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago in 2011 at age 30. Dr. Charlie Dates became the youngest senior pastor at Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago in 2011 at age 30 and in January 2023, he became the senior pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. But what a blessing to the members of both congregations. In 2011, at age 30, Rev. 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. Charlie is the senior pastor a Chicago's Progressive Baptist Church. So he is going to pastor two large churches in addition to teaching at several colleges. "It's time for Salem to move forward. The pastor of Progressive at the time, his name was Reverend T. Brown, he was such a dynamic leader in the city that he was able to tell [former Chicago mayor] Richard J. Daley, No. And live to tell about it. While I do not know much about Charlie Dates, it has becoming increasingly true that the higher you rise the harder you fall.. We haveI thinka very Paul and Timothy kind of relationship. When did the theological architects of American slavery develop the moral character to tell the church how it should discuss and discern racism? He was also on staff at Salem Baptist for five years as Meeks preaching assistant before becoming Progressives youngest-ever senior pastor at age 30. 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. But some have grown frustrated with their position in a denomination that remains largely white (African Americans make up just 6 percent of Southern Baptists, according to Pew Research Center). We need a new vision. But there are others who sit close to power within the SBC and who are silent against the racism that plagues their own congregations. The leaders of two majority-black megachurches in major cities announced this week that they will no longer affiliate with the Southern Baptist Convention. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Meeks' retirement comes at a time when many longtime church leaders have been transitioning out of leadership as they contend with dwindling attendance and other ministry upheavals laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sign up for our newsletter: That would just be weird. "Charlie is called, and I believe all ministry starts with a calling," Meeks said. Get new articles and breaking news delivered to your inbox. Charlie Dates named successor to James Meeks at 10K-member Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. 53 min; FEB 8, 2023 "Can't Turn . @progressivechicago | @charliedates |. Our seminaries, many of them are in decline. What lessons or advice has he already passed along about leading Salem Baptist? Charlie served as an apprentice to Pastor K. Edward Copeland and started his formal, practical training at the New Zion Baptist Church of Rockford, Illinois. 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 . Conservatism is, and has always been, the god of the SBC. My response to the above is that that kind of filling of your personal needs, i.e. He announced in June that he will give his last sermon on January 8, 2023. I do know it is a debate in the Black community about using certain colorist or racially-charged terms against each other. 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. 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. Dates, 41, is a graduate of Salem's now-closed Salem Christian Academy. When I came back home to Southwestern, I even encouraged other ministers to do the same. Senior Pastor at Progressive Baptist Church - Chicago .