The Salem Baptist Church is a Baptist megachurch located at 752 E 114th Street in the Pullman neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The senior pastor is Charlie Dates.

History In 1985, James Meeks, pastor of Beth Eden Baptist Church in Chicago, shared the vision of founding a new church in a sermon. Monica Davey, AT THE CROSSROADS: A NEIGHBORHOOD, A CHURCH AND A PASTOR, chicagotribune.com, USA, April 6, 1999 Randall Herbert Balmer, Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition, Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 444 After a meeting with 205 members that same day, the church was founded. Monica Davey, AT THE CROSSROADS: A NEIGHBORHOOD, A CHURCH AND A PASTOR, chicagotribune.com, USA, April 6, 1999

The new congregation held its first services January 20, 1985 at 8201 South Jeffrey Boulevard and remained at this location for five-years. Monica Davey, AT THE CROSSROADS: A NEIGHBORHOOD, A CHURCH AND A PASTOR, chicagotribune.com, USA, April 6, 1999 Bob Smietana, MegaShepherd, christianitytoday.com, USA, February 1, 2004

In 2004, it had 17,000 members. Bob Smietana, MegaShepherd, christianitytoday.com, USA, February 1, 2004

On January 8, 2023, after 38 years of service Pastor Meeks retired, Charlie Dates succeeded him as senior pastor. Jeramie Bizzle, Rev. James Meeks, founder and senior pastor of Salem Baptist Church, retiring after 38 years of ministry, cbsnews.com, USA, January 9, 2023

In April 2023, GLAAD pointed out that Meeks had in fact made homophobic remarks at the church during his time as head pastor.

House of Hope

In 2005, it dedicated the House of Hope, a new building including a 10,000-seat auditorium. Manya A. Brachear, Meeks' mega-church ready for its debut, chicagotribune.com, USA, July 1, 2005 The venue has of usable space. Bill J. Leonard, Baptists in America, Columbia University Press, USA, 2005, p. 2

On March 6, 2026, the House of Hope provided a celebration of life service for Rev. Jesse Jackson.

See also List of the largest churches in the USA List of the largest evangelical churches List of the largest evangelical church auditoriums

References

External links Official website