ABOUT PASTOR
BLESSED TO SERVE
in the city in which he was born, Reverend Dr. Charlie E. Dates is Chicago through and through. Raised on the southside of Chicago, he came of age having welcomed Christ into his life early. Heavily influenced by the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, W.E.B. Dubois, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Mary Mcloud - Bethune, Dr. Charlie’s orientation and early formation were significantly bent toward the theological reflection of Black people. This shaped his approach to preaching and his thoughts about the transformative role the Black church plays in bringing about the flourishing of a people.
The Reverend Dr. Charlie Edward Dates is a dynamic and visionary preacher, scholar, and civic leader. His ministry unites people longing for change across generational and racial divides through the clear and compelling proclamation of the Gospel.
Dr. Dates serves as the Senior Pastor of both Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago and the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago—a unique calling that places him at the helm of two of the most storied and influential Black churches in the nation. Under his leadership, both congregations are experiencing vibrant renewal—spiritually, structurally, and socially—as they strengthen their prophetic witness to the city and the world.
A fierce advocate for justice rooted in righteousness, Dr. Dates is the founder of several initiatives that reflect his vision for Gospel-centered change. He launched the Progressive Center for Counseling & Justice, a hub for trauma-informed care and systemic transformation; the Black Boy Literacy Campaign, a bold citywide movement to help 1,000 Black boys reach grade-level reading by age 10; and the Spend in the Black Commerce Corridor, which channels strategic investment into Black-owned businesses on Chicago’s South Side.
In the academy, Dr. Dates serves as Co-Chair of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Preaching Institute, where he mentors and equips preachers committed to biblical integrity and cultural awareness. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Wheaton College and an Affiliate Professor of Homiletics at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary.
A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dr. Dates earned both his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where his scholarship focused on the often-overlooked brilliance and burden of Black biblical preaching. He is a Burnham Fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago and formerly served as chaplain of the Chicago Bears, reflecting his ability to move gracefully between the church, the classroom, and the culture.
A trusted and prolific communicator, Dr. Dates speaks regularly at churches, conferences, and academic institutions across the country. His voice has been featured on platforms such as Christianity Today, Preaching Magazine, and RightNow Media, and he has contributed to the volumes Letters to a Birmingham Jail and Say It: Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition. His first full-length book, What Hath Justice to Do with Righteousness?, will be released by InterVarsity Press in Spring 2026.
Dr. Dates resides in Chicago with his wife and college sweetheart, Kirstie, and their two children, Charlie II and Claire.
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