Eddie Long and his divorce
Megachurch leader Bishop Eddie Long announced Sunday he’s taking time off to focus on his family after his wife filed for divorce.
Long’s spokesman (Art Franklin) said the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church leader told his congregation during church services that he will continue to serve as senior pastor at the church in Lithonia just outside Atlanta. But Long said he needs a sabbatical.
Franklin declined to say how long the pastor’s sabbatical from the church would be. He said Long and his family “are asking for privacy and sensitivity to their family.”
The divorce filing comes more than a year after allegations last year that Long used his lavish lifestyle and position of spiritual authority to lure four young men into sexual relationships. Long settled the cases but has never admitted to any wrongdoing. Details of the settlement were not disclosed.
The scandal has tainted Long’s reputation as an influential spiritual leader who transformed his suburban Atlanta congregation of 150 into a following of 25.000 members and an international televangelist empire that included athletes, entertainers and politicians.
Long’s wife (Vanessa Long) filed a petition for divorce Thursday in DeKalb County Superior Court to end her 21-year marriage to the embattled minister. The church sent out a press release Friday morning saying Vanessa Long planned to withdraw her petition, but her attorney said later in the day that she had changed her mind.
Eddie Long.
The senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Bishop Eddie Long, announced to his congregation Sunday morning that he is taking time off to be with his family.
Long, who was accused last year of sexually abusing several men in Atlanta, built his 150-member congregation into a following of 25.000 people and a televangelist empire.
Rumors of his resignation began circulating early Sunday, but those rumors were quickly put to rest when a statement, by church spokesman Art Franklin, was released to the media.
It read: “Rumors that Bishop Eddie L. Long has stepped down as senior pastor of New Missionary Baptist Church are completely false. As Bishop Long stated in earlier comments – ‘Vanessa and I are working together in seeking God’s will in our current circumstances.’ As any loving and committed husband would do, Bishop Long will take some time to focus on his family but he will continue to be the senior pastor of New Birth.”
On Thursday, Vanessa Long filed for divorce from her husband of 21-years. By Friday Mrs. Long had reversed direction and had decided not to dissolve her marriage. However, Friday evening she recanted and moved forward with the divorce proceeding.
Vanessa Long’s attorney (Michael W. Tyler) released a statement saying in part: “Mrs. Long continues to hope that this matter may be resolved expeditiously, harmoniously and fairly; however, she has determined that dismissal of her divorce petition is not appropriate at this time.”
Last fall four young men accused Eddie Long of coercing them through trips and gifts into having sex. The minister, a vocal opponent of gay marriage, strongly denied the allegations. A civil suit on the matter was settled earlier this year.
Bishop Eddie Long (head of one of the nation’s largest mega churches) announced Sunday he will take “time off” from the pulpit to work on his family.
The announcement came three days after his wife Vanessa filed for divorce.
Although her husband’s church issued a statement Friday, attributed to Vanessa Long, saying she was withdrawing the divorce petition, her attorney said she was proceeding with it.
Last spring, Long, head of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, settled a lawsuit filed by four young men who accused him of pressuring them into sexual relationships while they were teenagers and members of the congregation.
He denied the allegations against him.
“I’m going to take a little time off to work with my family” – Long said Sunday to a packed house at the televised service.
“I do want you to know that this is, for me and my family, especially with me, one of the most difficult times and things I’ve had to face, and only because my strength, other than God, is in Miss Vanessa,” he said to huge applause.
“And I want you to rest assured that I love her and she loves me. … In all the things that I’ve ever had to deal with and being pastor, my rock has been to be able to come home to a virtuous woman who always had peace in my house” – he said.
“We’re going (to) work it out” – he said.
He insisted that the two of them are not fighting, and that they are not mad at each other.
Long said the situation is “not because of allegations” of sexual relationships last year and instead blamed the pressures of being a pastor’s wife.
“It’s been very difficult to her, some of the things that she’s had to endure” – he said.
The church issued a statement emphasizing that Long is not stepping down, and “will continue to be the senior pastor of New Birth.”