Gospel Today’s Explosive Cover Story regarding Bishop Eddie Long
November 8, 2010 by Admin
Filed under Church, Leaders, Ministry Today, News
Is GOSPEL TODAY “Sugar-Coatingâ€? Is the Word of God “not enough?â€
By Dr. Teresa Hairston
Recently, readers of Gospel Today Magazine got the new November/December issue in their mailboxes. One reader wrote back to the publisher:
“I got my latest issue of Gospel Today; with [Bishop] Eddie Long on the cover. I read the article and said to myself hmmmm seem like some sugar coating going on. Turned back to the 1st page and saw where the Bishop of his Church in NC is on your Board of Directors, I looked down and also saw that Eddie Long is on your Board of Advisors, I said all of that to say this. The best thing your magazine should have did was to not comment, but I do understand why you did. God is not pleased with all of the hypocrisy going on with these leaders and the things people will say and print just for MONEY!!!!
“Now since you all know the scriptures so well, print the one about A leader CAN NOT be a BISHOP if he has more than one wife. As the old saying goes what’s done in the dark will come to the light. And we can not conquer what we are not willing to confront.â€
Our response? “The Word of God teaches us that God is love; and far too many times we have been unbalanced and unloving—all in the name of a God who not only loves, but loves unconditionally and restores sinners—us included. Whether Bishop Long is guilty or not; whether the young men are guilty or not, the BODY OF CHRIST must handle this situation according to the Word of God! The mainstream press has painted a hideous picture; some have even called for Bishop Long’s resignation! They’re not even members!!
Gospel Today did not explore the legalities or the issues; we presented a biblical perspective—something no other outlet gave.
For those who don’t want to “deal†with or look at this situation; I encourage you to read this story so that you can have a BIBLICAL perspective to help you “answer†the mainstream perspective. Yes you should pray and speak about the “hope†that you have that God will turn this situation into something that will be used for His glory! Yes, you should respond! You should “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.†(1 Pet. 3:15).
I’ve read many comments about this alledged sin/or mis-use of authority by a minister and none have involved the 1st time it happened or have I seen any comment(s)from the parents of these male church members.I have children and on travel or being a little late from church as a parent you get some answers about any of these mentioned situations.Parents are the same all over the world when it comes to their children you ask questions.As for gifts I’d ask who gave them,why they were given and did you get paid for your work,not just I’am going on a trip w/the church and I’am sleeping w/the Bishop.New Birth’s elders/staff are also accountable to GOD for allowing this to occur the 1st time before any other child could be involved.This is a UN-GODLY membership using the word of GOD to infiltrate the minds of LOST SOULS to build a financial business by any means necessary.
Is this really a situation of Preacher Under Attack, or Just Being Exposed, that is the question? This very topic was recently discussed on “Center Stage” and it saddened me that church folk was pitted against other church folk & everyone was confused about what did God say do in this situation. Take a listen to the discussion, the dialog is shocking…
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/19/another-bishop-long-controversy-erupts/
I like many of you were saddened to hear the allegations against Bishop Eddie Long. When I first heard the allegations on CNN I could not believe that it. After hearing some of the details I felt that if it is true that other people had to know. Remember I said “if” it is true. I know that his stand on gay marriage has caused the allegations to get more attention.
I am concerned about how the media may use this situation to unfairly scrutinize the church. I hope that we don’t lose sight that Bishop Edie Long is just a man he is not God. I feel this is an opportunity for the body of Christ to examine ourselves.
ACCOUNTABILITY
Hearing the news about the Bishop I wondered “What about accountability?” Who is he accountable to? Then I began to ask myself “Who am I accountable to?” I know that I am accountable to God, but who else, my pastor, my net care leader, spiritual mentor and/or ministry leader? For me the answer is yes to all the above. About four or five years ago I started wondering if my current place of worship was the right place for me to be. Before I jumped to join or even visit another church I talked with some people who I felt have either fed me or guided me spiritually. All of them stated that I should examine myself to make sure I am not trying to find a church home for the wrong reasons. They also told me to continue to tithe to my current church home until I made a decision. At first I did not want to follow the sound advice I received but once I started examining myself I know they all were right. We all need someone to give us sound counsel and the willingness to listen.
BE SPIRITUALLY GROUNDED
Those of us who are believers hopefully understand that we need to read and study the bible on a daily basis. By reading and meditating on the word of God we stay focused on God. Praying the word also helps us to keep the focus. Being rounded and ground in the word is also part of our spiritual growth.
DON’T BE A VICTIM OF PROSPERITY
I am not saying that this is the case in Bishop Eddie Long’s situation nor am I saying that we should not want to prosper. In Our Daily Manna (www.ourdailymanna.org) devotional reading (dates September 27th) addressed how we need to react to prosperity and adversity. In the reading it states, “Use your season of prosperity to plan for your season of adversity and use your season of adversity to caution yourself against your prosperity season.” In the pray points for that that day it states the “Prosperity has destroyed millions.” It instructs us to decree that we will not be the next victim. It also asks us to pray for the grace to stand fast and pray despite any prosperity phase of our life. In other words don’t lose focus on the source of your prosperity.
LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX
We need to have more Christian leaders to address sex in the pulpit. Part of the reason why HIV and other sexually trans mitted infections is so rampant in black community is because we have failed to address sex in a practical way. When the AIDS epidemic was declared in the US many in the black Christian community felt that since it was a “Gay White Man’s Diseaseâ€, they did nothing to address it. The church has to take some responsibility for the epidemic because we failed to address the issue of sex from the biblical perspective in the church. The church has to also take some responsibility for how people living with the disease have been treated. Not just how the person with the disease was treated but their families also.
As a matter of fact just stating “don’t have sex†is not enough. Abstinence, masturbation, fidelity, incest, sexual trauma, same sex relationships are some of the topics that need to be addressed. There also need to be discussion on how to agree and disagree on issues regarding same sex relationships and gay marriage.
I really believe that the crisis that Eddie Long is dealing can be a teachable moment for the body of Christ. I also believe that this may encourage people to seek help if they have been sexually abused. I have worked with people living with HIV for 30 years and I can tell you sexual trauma affects so many of the people I have worked with.
I have read all of the comments, and to this very “DAY” I have never heard five little words……”I DID NOT DO IT”!!! The first thing any human being on this planet is going to say when accused of something horrible will be those five words. What scripture is it that says hide behind lawyers and attorneys for your justification of truth? What mighty warfare scriptures tells you to change your appearance and listen to the worlds way of handling it, if indeed it is an attack!!! Why am I hearing so much about praying for Eddie Long and not more about praying for the your men. If this happened to them or it is a falsehood, they are the greatest ones in need of prayer if you want to talk about LOVE. Eddie Long should be rooted and grounded enough not to need an excess amount of prayer because of this scandal. He should not need any special comforting, but those young men for sure need it. They need it because their soul is in need of the help of the Christian Body. We can not afford to let them be lost by no means. Oh yeah………..Still waiting to hear those five little words. It has been approx. 120 days since this scandal broke open and WE still have those five little words,” I DID NOT DO IT” !!!
So now that both parties want to settle the matter quickly out of court, what is that saying?
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“What’s done in the dark, WILL be brought to light”. We don’t have to see it, GOD SEES EVERYTHING!! We have great leaders out there that are sold out to doing the servant work God has given them to do with no strings attached. Then you have those leaders that do great work but hide their had because of the “wrong” deeds they do. When a teacher has done our children wrong we prosecute them to the fullest extent but the ones like Eddie Long and the others that are hiding behind the cloth & that are still out there have learned to “quiet things” with hush money behind closed doors. I will say this, if Bishop Long or any of his staff has used these young men in an abusive way, may GOD himself have mercy on them and deal with them accordingly. Whether it be a sly smile, a wink of the eye, a sexual comment, or even down to taking them on trips for other means may GOD have mercy on them and deal with them accordingly. All of Bishop Longs great works mean nothing to God, to mortal man it means everything. He took matters into his own hand to exploit these young men for his own enjoyment. The best thing Bishop Long could have done for these young men is to tell them that GOD through His son, Jesus Loves them just the way they are. GOD created all of us before we were in our mothers womb. HE said “HE KNEW US” HE CREATED US ONE AND ALL. BLACK, WHITE, BROWN, GAY AND STRAIGHT!! GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING!! It wasn’t like HE got tired, fell a sleep, woke up and said “Where all these Gay people come from? Where all these White people come from? Where all these Black people come from? Where all these….?” NO!! HE NEVER SLUMBERS NOR SLEEPS. JESUS gave 2 commanments that we are to follow in Matthew 22:34-40. “Love GOD with all your heart, soul and mind. The second one is to Love your neighbor as yourself. PERIOD!! These 2 commandments have nothing to do with your color or your gender.LOVE, LOVE, LOVE…THAT’S HIS COMMAND TO US.
Bishop Long, GOD wants to restore you but you must make this right. Only GOD, you and those young men know the truth!! Like Korah (Numbers 16) you have alot of people on your side. Please don’t let the ground open up and swallow you & all your followers alive in the pit. Please hear what the Spirit of the Lord is speaking to you. Like Achan, you have taken something from these young men that didn’t belong to you. It’s time to give God praise and tell the truth about what you have done. IT’S TIME. Please stop this now.
Thank you.
as i read each and every post, nothing changed my point of view. I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AND I DON’T CARE, because the only thing i know that’s TRUE in each and every situation is that “I TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL MY HEART AND LEAN NOT ON MY OWN UNDERSTANDING”-Proverbs 3:5-6. i don’t understand how a man would do such a thing and i don’t understand why anyone would keep silent. so that means to me I DON’T UNDERSTAND either point of view!! there is a lot of scripture quoting here and most of it is chosen to prove the poster’s perspective. for ME the most important thing is that we all stay in the WORD so that GOD can reveal HIMSELF in HIS WAY to each of us. i believe HE does just that and at all times through the HOLY SPIRIT that some think is their own personal thoughts. i may be all wrong in some’s eyes but i decided to remove myself from this entire situation by asking the LORD to do HIS will. it allows me to have no judgment/opinion of those involved and it frees me to not have to wait on anything man may do or say. i do not believe that the legal system will solve anything because the justice system, though it’s all we have in the world for judgment, is NOT HONEST AND TRUE. human beings manipulate worldly judgments, therefore it is impossible for me to trust or believe any outcome from their systems as the truth and nothing but the truth. but what i do know as truth is that GOD is GOD all by HIMSELF and man always fails because of sin. which of the people involved in this situation in any way and all others have failed is guaranteed because ALL OF THEM DID and will continue to do so!!! GOD’s WORD is the only TRUTH, so man’s word is ALWAYS up to their own individual interpretation. i’ve been told that i have taken the easy way out when scandals happen because all i really know for sure is what “i do or don’t do” which is all i will be held to give an account for. what GOD says in HIS WORD is what i believe is my guide. i am blessed and grateful that GOD gives me new grace and mercy every day to attempt to do more to be like HIM and to realize that’s all i have control over or even a right to have an opinion or judgment that’s worthy to have. we all stand before the THRONE alone, so my prayer continues to be that everyone continue to WAIT ON GOD and that HIS WILL be done.
1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1 Tim 3:1-3
All I have to say is;
He that is without SIN cast the first stone!
There are a lot of people casting stones concerning this matter and not ONE of them is without SIN.
Don’t Judge, stop critizing! Just love, pray and forgive!
The church is in crisis and many believers have no idea how to rightly divide the word of God. We serve a jealous God and He said do no put anything before Him. He is speaking to Eddie Long and everyone else who names the name of Jesus. Megachurches may do some good, but New Birth and Eddie Long are “brands.” As for Matthew 7:1, the context (verses 1-5) allows judging after we have first judged ourselves. Jesus did not make an irrevocable statement against judgment. He pointed out a RULE for judging. God not only wants us to judge, but we are to discern, try, and test the spirits to see if they be of God. Eddie Long is a sinner saved by grace like all who believe in the Lord Jesus. Whether he is innocent of the charges or not, a good steward and a good shepherd would SIT DOWN until the allegations are cleared up. But because he and New Birth are brands, the organization would sink because many of Long’s followers would not show up on Sunday if New Birth’s spokesperson was not in the pulpit. Fact is, they are following Eddie Long–not Jesus Christ.
Stop with all the cries that we not judge!! Read what God says about judgement:
“The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.” (Psa. 37:30)
“Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” (Amos 5:14-15)
Isaiah 59:8: “The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.”
I Corinthians 1:10 to “. . . be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
I Corinthians 2:15 Paul says, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” Judging is not a sin; judging is a characteristic of being a spiritual person!
Romans 16:17-18? II Corinthians 6:17? II Timothy 3:5-6? I John 4:1?
Malachi 3:18: “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”
Spiritual leaders have a responsibility NOT TO CAUSE believers to stumble.
He may squelch the allegations by settling out of court but if he does not repent and shun the very appearance of evil, God will expose it.
Watch as well as pray. READ YOUR WORD YOUR SELF. It is fulfilling, every thing in it will come to pass just as what it tells us about all pastors who hurt a child, killed a wife, or who has done un Godly things to others. The word of God tells us whats going to happen in the last days. If you are studing the word of God, you would not be so shocked. There are many lost souls our there that has not been caught by us but they are already seen by God. The Word of God also tells us how some will rise up telling the world they are of ……. and are false. Let us pray for all our pastors and leaders, let us pray for our country and the world. Nothing will change for the better until–If my people, who are called by thy name, will humble themselves in praise, will seek God’s face, it will then that we hear from heaven. Plain and simple…
Many of you people are so spritual minded that you’re earthly demented. Just leave the bible out of this for one minute and use the common sense that God gave you, don’t judge, just excercise common sense.
1. You don’t go after a personality like Eddie Long in Atlanta Georgia unless you have absolute proof of your allegations. Prior to these allegations he had Atlanta on his back and he has the financial resources to put your lights out.
2. BJ Bernstien (The Lawyer of the Plantiff) is one of the most thorough letigators in the world, not Georgia, THE WORLD. She’s like the FEDS, when they come knocking on your door….”They got you!” It’s not about whether you’re guilty or innocent, it’s about how much time you’re gonna do….in this case, how much money you’re going to pay. There is “NO WAY” she goes after someone like Eddie Long without absolute proof. She told the media that Eddie Long can hire the best lawyers money can buy and he’ll be wasting his money. Why do you think they’re currently in “Mediation.”
3. Eddie Long has access to every media outlet in the world and they would have given him access for “FREE” to defend himself from these allegations, particularly in Atlanta where CNN is headquartered. On Sunday morning, when he had the attention of the entire world… not one time, not one time has he ever said “I didn’t do it!” Now, after he stated that “I’m going to fight this,” now he’s in close door mediations. If you’re innocent, because of the position you hold, you put this on public display so the whole world can see that you’re innocent, counter sue and collect millions which the people of Atlanta will gladly reward you with. When Marion Barry was busted in DC for smoking crack, everyone was shocked except for the people in DC, they already knew or had very strong suspicions. When this happened, everyone was shocked, except for the people in Atlanta, this has been rumored for quite some time. I’m fed up with people using religion as an excuse to be “Stupid.”
3. For all you mathematicians out there…”What are the chances for 4 people, unbenounced to each other’s existence prior to the allegations, recapping the “EXACT SAME STORY?” And how many times has the story of the Long camped changed and what’s up with this…”We can neither confirm or deny these allegations. Sounds line Goldman Sachs! Everbody in the camp, if for no other reason than to temper public opinion should be shouting from the roof top of the Bank of America building (the largest building in Atlanta) “He Didn’t Do It.” But oh no! Everybody is in “Spin Mode.”
Believe me when I tell you that I’m not hating on Eddie Long, I personally think he desires to a respectable human being and he’s made significant contributions to the uplifting and empowering of African American people. It’s unfortnate that “IF” these allegations are true, they will cast a heavy shadow over those accomplishments and leave his legacy in shambles. Like Eddie, we’re all battling our demons one way or another and God has been equally patient with all of us! My heart goes out to his wife, his kids and the boys who are proclaiming this misuse of authority. Stop worshiping humanity and start worshiping divinity. Maybe! Just maybe, this is what is upsetting God the most!
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Concerning Bishop Eddie Long and His recent woes: If this is love, from you, Ms. Hariston, where was it when Bishop Carlton Pearson needed it from you and your magazine? I agree it should be love that rise at this difficult time for the Church of Jesus Christ. Love is not biased and is shed abroad without respect of person or circumstances. Hypocrisy is ugly. Look in the mirror. It is ugly on you, too. I don’t know the facts, am not a fallen leader expert, I am just saying…..it is what it is……
Next time, skip the story and retain your readership.
Settling out of court: since when does money compensate for sin. Is there a price list some where. Just saying…….