Who is bishop eddie long

Long has been senior pastor at New Birth Missionary Baptist since The church operated television and international ministries, and built satellite churches in several cities, including Miami, Denver, and Charlotte, North Carolina.

In , the church hosted then-President George W. Bush during the funeral of Coretta Scott King, the widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He told the church he had received a revelation from God telling him a deacon board was an "ungodly governmental structure.

Unquestioning submission to authority became a recurrent theme in his preaching and books. In "Gladiator," Long warned parishioners not to get overly familiar with a pastor who is "God's anointed" because "their insurrection kills their blessing.

Why do people accept such autocratic leadership in a church? Part of it is fear, a woman whose church imploded after a scandal once told me. They can't separate the good they received from the man himself, so they feel it would be a betrayal to turn on him now. But I think there's something else going on besides fear, particularly when this type of autocratic leader emerges in the black church. When I grew up in a black Baptist church in Baltimore, my congregation was poor but the pastor drove a Rolls Royce with a water fountain inside.

I still remember how my aunt would talk with such pride about our pastor's car. In the black community, the pastor was often the only person who didn't depend on white folks' goodwill for their livelihood. He made his money through the support of his parishioners. Most parishioners felt poor and powerless, so they wanted to live vicariously through their pastor. They wanted that pastor to live large, have a huge ego, occupy the biggest house.

I still remember "Rev. Ike," a flamboyant black pastor who used to rule the pages of Jet magazine. He thrilled many poor blacks with his ostentatious lifestyle and declarations like "My garage runneth over. Yet a leader can exploit that type of need. Even when that leader is tarnished by one revelation after another, if he remains defiant in public and displays a little "I'm not perfect" humility, a congregation will stick with him to the bitter end.

And nobody will be able to persuade them to leave that church. I remember talking to a woman at New Birth who claimed there was nothing to the lawsuits by the four young men who claimed Long pressured them into sex. Maybe she was right. I then asked her if she would be willing to let her teenage son go on a field trip with Long. She looked at me in horror. Last I heard, she's still a member of New Birth.

He was God's scarred leader. Which brings us back to the encounter I had in the gym with Long years ago. Whenever someone learns that I've written about Long, they ask me about his sexual orientation.

Many assure me they already have an opinion. That's what I encountered years ago when I went to the gym with Long. The woman who approached me wanted to share her conclusions on Long's sexual proclivities. I don't know if Long was gay or how he died. Those kinds of questions, though, ignore another important point about Long and sex: The way he talked about homosexuality was destructive, whether or not he was closeted.

The Rev. Bernice King confers with Long at her mother's funeral. Lots of pastors preach homosexuality is a sin. Yet they and their churches still find a way to treat with respect those struggling with their sexual orientation. Like many churches, New Birth once offered ministries to "deliver" gay and lesbian people from their "sin.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate groups, called Long "one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement. The center quoted from an early sermon Long gave entitled "Back to the Future. According to the center, Long said gays and lesbians who don't change will go to hell -- and that those who say they were born that way are calling God a liar.

In the same book, he wrote that "men can look attractive when they're dirty. God made women to be lovely, gentle, clean and beautiful on the inside and outside. They are to be strong in character. He did more than use harmful words against gays and lesbians. He invoked the legacy of black America's most revered leader to deny their equality.

One of the most notorious controversies Long faced came in , when he led a march in Atlanta calling for a constitutional ban against gay marriage. He carried a torch lit at the gravesite of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Bernice King. Long was a former concert promoter who knew how to make Sunday morning worship entertaining. The march was widely denounced by those who knew King, like Rep. John Lewis and the Rev.

Joseph Lowery. They pointed out that one of King's closest aides was Bayard Rustin, an openly gay organizer who King refused to abandon when people pressured him to do so.

Consider how many people Long could have helped had he moderated the language he used against gays, says Shayne Lee, a sociologist at the University of Houston and author of "Holy Mavericks: Evangelical Innovators and the Spiritual Marketplace. Long was not always insensitive in the pulpit. He could be tender toward outsiders and achingly vulnerable. I remember watching him tell his congregation he thought about taking his life after he had experienced so much public condemnation.

He once told me he thought of himself as "God's scarred leader," a man who knew rejection by his father and had been through divorce and career failure. Yet it would be another failure on our part if we ignored the scars that Long inflicted on others.

He wasn't unique, and neither was New Birth. The religious landscape in America is filled with megachurches, prosperity theology and pastors who continually remind their cowed congregations to "touch not God's anointed.

He was still born. Bishop also sent Reverend Gaither to the hospital when my son was born. Bishop never left us, he continued to pray for me and my family. For weeks he continued to come by, call and minister to us.

We went on to have another son, two years later. And so did Bishop and Elder Vanessa. Our children played ball together at Newbirth for years. Thank you Elder Vanessa for sharing him with the Newbirth family. We will forever love and cherish his legacy. I want to thank you and your family again for being a father, big brother and confidant.

You will never be forgotten. Cynthia A. Tookes member since Thanks so much for sharing that story! My condolences in the transition of Bishop Long. Thank you Elder Vanessa Long for sharing your husband, our Bishop with the world. He will be missed but his legacy will live on!!!

Stay in prayer and be strong in the Lord. Peace and blessings to you and the family. Thank you so much for speaking into my life on several occasions. I will never forget the wave of glory that hit me at the alter and you spoke directly to me.

You have been a beacon of light to so many people and we will miss you so much. Hard to fine a international leader who is so humble, approachable and certainly lovable. I am ever the more thankful for the voice and gift that projected through one of the greatest Spiritual Fathers in the my journey. Rest in peace Bishop Eddie Long……you suffered in silence…like a proud trooper…helping who you could …misunderstood…. I am praying for the family. Smith, I am praying for.

I love my New Birth Family. Will be greatly missed here on earth! I am thankful that God chose me to soak up all that you poured out! I appreciate and love you and your family! May God continue to show Himself strong! I thank and priase God for creating, raising, and using Bishop Long as a trailblazer for the Kingdom of God in this age of uncertainty. He remained a constant source to remind us that no matter what happened or is happening in this world or in our lives, that we should never lose faith if we serve The Almighty God.

Thank you Lord God for the life and work of Eddie L. Long, we know he is with you and at peace. Bishop Eddie Long was my very first pastor in knowing of how to be used by God and having faith at all times. The holy spirit fell so heavy on the house that without a word being said God was ever present. Our prayers are always with all of you and know that we love and will always be here for you all. We loved Bishop; but,God loved him most. Let us cherish the memories. Celebrate Life! God bless your life Bishop Long I will miss you so much!!!

My Bishop, thank you for teaching me so much about our God and life and how to love unconditionally and so much more. Thank you Long family for sharing your husband , father and grandfather with the new birth family. It does matter that you were born. Kirstin Allen and Family. I truly thank God for his life of teachings, him preaching the Word of God as well as his up lifting encouragements- He will be missed.

I pray that God will continue to uphold and strengthen both the family and church family. We loved Bishop Eddie L. Let us Cherish the Memories. Bishop was a great spiritual father to us all, loving father I love him so much and I learned so much about love from my Bishop and New Birth. My prayer are with the first lady Long and family. My Bishop is in a better place. Thank you Lord for Bishop Eddie Long and the strength you gave him while fighting with such nasty disease.

For I am a person who is going through with a love one with the same disease.. I thank you Lord for giving Bishop strength and courage to get up and preach during his last days, thank you Long family for allowing God to use Bishop to bless other. Although I know Bishop body was weak but his spirit was very strong. It was great to see you Bishop clapping your hands and jumping around during one of the services.

I thank God for you sir and your family. Keep preaching the way you have always done in each one of Newbirth family and members. I love you sir. Thank you Bishop for being my spiritual father. Through it all I stayed by your side since I love my First family and will keep you all in prayer.

My heart is soooo heavy but thankful for your now at rest. To be absent here on Earth is to be present with the Lord. Rest on thy good and faithful servant. Job well done! God bless the Long and the New Birth family. I always wanted to come hear Bishop peach, never got the chance. But would always watch him on T.

But in his honor i will one day visit his church. May God bless you Bishop. God bless the legacy of Bishop Long! Praying his family and church family will be comforted by the Holy Spirit as they grieve, and God will allow the leacy and anointing to continue to flow through them for many generations to come.

Sorry for your loss,Bishop Long was a dynamic speaker,I always enjoyed hearing him speak. May God continue to bless you. Although my heart is overwhealmed, I am rejoicing that my family and I had the destinct pleasure of meeting such a loving, powerfu, kind, caring anointed man of God in the person of Bishop Eddie Long. Each time we came to New Birth from Florida we were showered with love and kindness by Bishop and his staff.

I am a firm believer that that ttpe of love cannot be shown in a pretensious manner and it was evident that it was authentic and genuine. Our prayers are with the beautiful Elder Vanessa Long and her precious four children as well as the entire New Birth family. He was my spritual dad transform me into the man I am today for that I am forever grateful. Praying for the family and the flock.

May God continue to show His Sovereignty and sooth your Sorrow. From the San Francisco Bay…. I remember many times, looking at him on TBN and many other religious programs. My prayers go out to the church and his family. I know this will be a private ceremony. May God strengthen you all in the days ahead. We have lost a great man of God who stood through storms with strength and grace and enabled others to do the same. Bishop I can not thank you enough for all you done for me and my family, Although you have gone you will never be forgotten, Your legacy lives in millions of people all over the world.

I look forward to seeing you again! Remember I still owe you lunch! My heart is heavy for the lost of my Bishop, my spiritual father, my teacher. My deepest condolences to the entire Long Family. My prayers are sent to you. This man was truly a man of God. His way of preaching always kept you listening to his sermons and wanting to come back for more. You can rest peacefully now in Heaven. We are going to miss you dearly. What an awesome man of God! Your legacy and words will forever live in me.

Bless be the man that came in the name of the lord, Bishop I love you! I will truly miss Bishop Long. My family was blessed with his ministering of the word. He has made a huge impact in our lives. Well done thou good and faithful servant. God Bless! The Chriss family. Hello Saints of God! I wish to extend my deepest and most heartfelt condolences to the family, my family.

My name is Ginger Louisa Griffin. I am sending up prayers and crying out to God, holding on to the four horns of the altar, that God give Elect Lady Vanessa Long strength and joy, knowing this: that she truly served and loved her husband, the church, and that God is pleased with her and loves her dearly. Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal. Thank you Bishop Long for your dedication and vision to uplift the Kingdom of God.

Thank you for Samson Gym, thank you for the many books you wrote to speak life into many. Thank you for all your dedication to others beyond the walls of New Birth. Thank you for speaking life into me on many occasions. Thank you for equipping me to stand and survive during economic down falls of this world. I could go on and on for all the things you taught me. Thank you! I will miss you but your spirit will forever rest in my heart. It mattered that you lived.

What a great man of God. Peace and many Blessings to the family of Bishop Eddie Long. I was at Bishop Ellis church in Cleveland. Ohio, when Bishop Long preached for Bishop Ellis while he was out sick. Ot was a reat surman. I am honored and blessed to have sat under this ministry for 21 years!!! I miss my Spiritual father but I have peace!!! Amazed by His Grace Always!!!!! Those of us who were truly blessed by the life and ministry of Bishop Long during his tenure as Senior Pastor of his first Church, Cedar Springs Baptist Church, in Cedartown Georgia are with heavy hearts.

With the Spirit of empathy we mourn. He changed the atmosphere. I remember riding with him to speaking engagements and conversing, he was light years beyond everyone else. Mind you this was in Rest in paradise my covenant Brother. I will continue to stand with you until we meet at Jesus feet. Clay Horton drclayhorton gmail.

Me the pastor of South Metropolitan Baptist church and our entire church family will continue praying for the family and church family of Bishop Eddie Long.

Our prayers are with you. May the peace of God and the comfort of the Holy Spirit be upon you. Sorry for your loss. Thank u sooo much newbirth family. The one and only. L long. For blessing me. Our hearts are with you, his immediate family, and the entire Body of Christ under the tutelage of Bishop Eddie L.

He spoke eloquently of David and his leadership, honoring Bishop T. I have been on the Prayer call since the first day!! Now I am forever grateful for how he touch my life as a testament to the faithfulness and awesome power of God! God loves you and so do I. Rest in Peace. My whole family was blessed by Bishop.

My daughter was his Spiritual grand- daughter; who joined Rev. Landers Church because of his connection to Eddie Long. Thank God he can finally rest in perfect peace! I first came to New Birth in when I moved to Atlanta. I left in and returned in I have never been a member of any other church while in Atlanta and only visited another once to see a friend installed as a minister. So for 15 years, I have sat under your ministry! You taught me well and I will always love you, Bishop Long!

Thank you so, so much for everything! I will miss you deeply. May the Lord Bless an Keep you all. Bishop Long has accomplished a lot for God during his earthly stay.

May God send Peace to you all! Thank you my father my spiritual covering my leader Bishop Long i am so blessed that God gave you to us for the time you were here. I know if I continue to live by your teaching I will make it to my Lord and Savior. I love you Bishop my prayers go out to mrs. Long and the family also my New Birth Church.

Praying God will bring comfort and peace to his family and congregation. May God continue to bless and keep you. Great Man of God! He poured into so many people the love, the passion, the teachings, the inspiration, the grace and the commitment of a Christ filled life to so many people he will be missed. I personally thank him for pouring into my life and developing me as a Pastor and Man of God.

Thank you Bishop Long for I love you!!!! Pastor Raymond Hairston. How can I say thanks for the things you have done for me, my niece, Milissa and her son, Marquez? Thank you First Lady Vanessa, for truly you are a woman walking ahead of us on this path…We Stand Strong because of the two of you and we shall make you proud! You have WON the Victory! His warrior spirit was undeniable! If there was one person and ministry my young daughter at the time followed it was Bishop and New Birth!

How we will miss him! To GOD be the glory! He will be forever missed… This was one of them unexpected hits that I still feel…. Long, may his soul find solace with our dear God!!! My family would like to give our condolences to his wife, children and his new birth congregation. We were deeply saddened by Bishop Eddie Long death. I thank God for his teachings and morning prayer team which prayef and impacted our family!!!

My sincerest condolences to the family and members of Bishop Long…. I will truly miss this Man of God! I watched him on television for years! To First Lady Long, His children and others members of his family and to his church Family my prayers are with you all!

I believe as He took his final breath God said to him come on home my son your work here is finished! Enjoy Heaven Bishop until the Saints who remain here get there! Rest in peace Sir…Thank you for making a deposit in the earth that will continue to bless generations to come.

I was absolutely saddened to hear of Bishop passing. I especially remember his silly moments. He always stated that if he was not a pastor he would be a comedian. You always knew when he had something silly or funny to say because he always laugh to himself before he tell us the joke. May the outpouring of love you received serve as a reminder to you and your family of how much he was loved by all who knew him. Forever thankful to Bishop long for introducing me to Christ. Greatful to you and the New Birth Family.

Long, a giant of a man, who taught and showed the love of God through his teachings and preaching. HE spoke life to us, through his Fathering, hugs, encouragement and Pastoring.

We will continue to run in what he transferred to us through his examples of ministry. Sleep well Daddy! My condolences to his family and church family my pray for all is that God Wil comfort and strengthen you lead and guide you..

And I became a member in Under the leadership of Bishop Long, it has been the most important and fulfilling chapter, in both the victories and in the storms of adversity to have been a part of the New Birth family and community. I am so sorry for your lost and my condolences goes to both sides of the family I really enjoyed listening and looking at him on TV and again I am so sorry for your lost be bless and may God be with be with you all. Rest well Bishop. I remember our first encounter working in NewBirth media ministry.

You challenged us to always give our best. Prayers to the family and members of New Birth. And I know God is pleased. The Israelites wonder in the wilderness for forty years and they complain about Mose not being an good leader ,all. God Blessings in divine love sandra. We are praying for your family at this time of lose, my dad was a Bishop and he pass 3years ago it was hard but we are stronger, and better take one day at a time.

God bless. Bishop Long would wreck the house and get us to change for the better. RiP Bishop and thanks for all the tools. I will never forget!!! Bishop Long was my tv pastor. I was incarcerated for 13 years 3 months, and through out my time I battled with depression and suicide.

It was through one of his many massages that I finally realized that I had purpose in me, and a reason to live! Thank you Bishop for never wavering in your faith and love for Gods people! You played a huge role in my life and never knew me! Love you Bishop and praying for your family and New Birth family! A great Man of substance, loyalty, dedication, vision, compassion, and most of all love.

He poured into me while I served there this will always be my church, this is where I met Jesus! I will attend the service on Wednesday 25 January I live you all!!!!!

Well done! Great Man of substance. Bishop Long poured into this world the gift of life and has given of himself now back to God. Once again Well done!!! As a member of New Birth, I learned and experienced so much. My experience with Bishop Long and New Birth began just when I was entering Bible college and the beginning stages of my divorce.

I prayed and asked God what church should I attend because at that time my trust in anyone was low. I will never forget in the middle of the night, God spoke the word agape. I was just learning the word of God for myself and I did not know what agape meant. My respect for Bishop will never go away and more so my love for him. A date I will never forget. Rest in Peace, Bishop Eddie Long. Bless them with peace and saturate them with Your love, forever and ever, In Jesus name, Amen!

Two great Ministers of God who had a dream. Rest In Peace good and faithful servants. May your legacy continue to reap a harvest from the north, the south, the east and the west. In Jesus name ,Amen.. I have enjoyed the prophetic voice of Bishop long over the course of many years. As a babe in Christ, growing up getting fed and encouraged by Bishop. I am sad to be without such a great man of God. Bishop delt with a lot of mess a lot of mud throwing and many changes as he proclaimed the gospel.

He witnessed to countless people and prophesied to the nations. And he has through the word of God healed broken hearts bound up the wounded, speaking life to dead situations. I should know ,i was one of them. I am now Evangelist Carolyn Williams. I am one of many who have been blessed by his sermons. God bless you all.

Bishop , You will never die, you just changed into a new garment. You will always live in Elder Long, and every one of your children and grandchildren. We stand with them to finish the vision. We love you Bishop, Elder Long we adore you, Edward take the microphone and lift your voice. It is in you just remember Joel Osteen. You can do it, you were annoited to do the job.

I am so deeply sorry for your loss, may our Lord comfort you all in this time of your bereavement. P my pastor, Bishop! In I joined Newbirth thought the guidance of my grandfather in a dream.

Since I been a member God has used you to read my video. Each Sunday I received a Devine word from God through you! I will never forget it. I felted the power of God healed me. The next day I had to go do my biopsy and go back and see the doctor one week later. I been healed every since. Bishop is truly a man of God. He spoke healing not just over me but over my whole family. As I join in to continue to live out the legecy you left for us.

My heart hurts because I will not hear your voice physically, but your voice will ever shine through the legacy of the mission God gave you for us your children.

It has truly been a honor to have sit under your minister. When IGod send me there he told me he knew I know how to dance and pray him, but he wanted me to get the word that will keep me going. Guess what that what I have received. Job well done Bishop Eddie Long. I will miss you dearly, but I know you are in a better place.

Plus if you had the opportunity to come back as much as you loved your church. You would not trade the peace you have received over in Paradise. Rest on Bishop see you one day!! I along with my family will truly miss Bishop Long! If you were not a member of New Birth under his awesome leadership, you will never understand the members pain right now! Bishop delivered everything he had to give us from God, sometimes to the point of exhaustion!

Bishop loved us and never distanced himself from us. I can remember when he would jump off the pulpit and come into the aisle to preach the word of God. I enjoyed listening to his soul stirring messages over the years. I know that his legacy will be one of endurance and strength for many years to come. On behalf of Rev. Daniel B. Annie McKizzie and the entire New Creation Baptist Church family, we would like to send our condolences on the loss of your pastor.

My heart is broken into pieces…. Bishop Eddie Long was a confirming voice in my life. There is truly a huge void in my heart and life. I cry day and night. I miss our Pastor so much.

My prayers go out to first lady Long and Eric, Edward, and his youngest kids. New birth all we have is one another. I love you all. I recently liked your paged late last year whe You posted a prophetic word on the facebook page. I admit I liked your preachings and how You worshipped God.

I have been following You on You tube. I wish I knew You earlier. Your death has hurt me so much but Iknow You are resting in your mansion in heaven. I cried last night not only because of Your death but because of the battles You fought and never gave up on God. Its sad when people judge others harshly and believe romours on social media.

Rest in peace. I was saddened to hear the passing of now Apostle-Bishop Eddie Long. I enjoy the person Bishop long was and his Legacy will continue. Even through the attacks he went through. He kept his Faith and trust in Jesus Christ. We need more Black men to be mentores for our Black race, our young boys and young adult men need training in how to carry themselves in this world and society.

Will miss you, Stay strong in the faith Elder Vanessa Long. God will guide you all the way. Thank you for your compassion and love. Thank you for being a willing vessel… transparent. The seeds God entrusted to you were sown well. Thank you. May the blessings that rested upon you overtake your family and comfort us all.

My youngest daughter was 12 years old, when we relocated to Georgia. We both grew and became life-long members of New Birth starting in July Our prayers go out to your beautiful wife First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, your children, grandchildren and your entire extended family as well as your New Birth Family across the USA and around the world. They have been a great blessing to us. Well done Bishop Long there is a bright crown awaiting. On January 15, Bishop Long picked up his lay-a-way!