New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pastor Bishop Eddie Long takes leave of absence

THE AFRICAN American church is still reeling after the revelations concerning Bishop Eddie Long. The Bishop, pastor of the megachurch New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia and frontman on such gospel albums as 'Spirit & Truth' (2004), 'A New Beginning' (2006) and 'The Kingdom Vol 1' (2009), was accused last year of coercing four young men into sexual relationships. Long is taking a leave of absence from his role as the leader of the church after his second wife filed for divorce. CR

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