BEC Lecturer

REVEREND DR. CHARLIE E. DATES

Dr. Dates holds a Bachelors Degree in Speech Communication & Rhetoric from the University of Illinois – Champaign, Urbana, where he met his wife, Kirstie, who not only changed his life, but also elevated his approach to living. He continued his education with a Master of Divinity and a PhD in Historical Theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL

In 2011, Reverend Dates became the youngest Senior Pastor to serve the historic Progressive Baptist Church of Chicago, which saw exponential growth under his leadership. 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. 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. He is a contributing author to Letters To A Birmingham Jail and Say It: Celebrating Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition, and is currently working on his first single-authored book about Christianity and Social Justice.

In January 2023, Reverend Dates became the Senior Pastor of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago. He is married to Kirstie Dates and is the proud father of their children, Charlie Edward Dates II & Claire Dates.

K. Edward Copeland serves as the pastor of New Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Rockford, Illinois. He is also an independent consultant for the Bureau of Justice and Michigan State University’s College of Criminal Justice and a member of the working group for the DOJ National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice. He attended the University of Illinois (BA), Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv), and University of California, Berkeley (JD) and is also a former criminal defense attorney. He has authored Riding in the Second Chariot and is a contributing author to Entrusted with the Gospel. He and his wife, Starla, have three children.

Rev. B. J. Tatum, a native of Marshall, Texas, began his ministry at age five and was ordained at twelve. Before moving to Urbana in 1971, he held a managerial position at Motorola, Inc. As the Founding and Senior Pastor of Canaan Baptist Church, he established numerous evangelism and discipleship ministries, profoundly impacting the Champaign-Urbana community.

He launched the Soul Winning Action Team (SWAT) in 1980, which has visited over 35,000 homes, leading more than 1,500 people to faith. In 1988, he introduced PACE, a discipleship ministry supporting struggling Christians. Rev. Tatum also founded Canaan Academy in 1996, a private school recognized for academic excellence, and led the construction of its new facility in 1999.

As CEO of Canaan Credit Union and President of Canaan Development Foundation, he has championed economic empowerment. His substance abuse ministry inspired SAFE House, a court-recognized recovery program. He also initiated mentorship programs for men, women, and youth.

Rev. Tatum served as an Auxiliary Chaplain at Chanute Air Force Base and gained international recognition as a guest evangelist for U.S. Armed Forces in Crete, Greece. He and his wife, Barbara, have three children and three grandsons.