Embattled Georgia mega church pastor, Bishop Eddie Long, sued by congregation

Bishop Eddie Long came to the forefront of national news when he was accused of sexual misconduct by several young men under his authority as Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, GA. Long settled out of court with the four young men who accused him, stating,

“This decision was made to bring closure to this matter and to allow us to move forward with the plans God has for this ministry.”

Several months later, Long was back in the news, this time under suspicion of financial misconduct for encouraging his congretation to invest in a company that was less than above-board.

Twelve former members of the church have filed suit against Long, asserting that Long was warned that the businessman, Ephren W. Taylor, not only $3 million (US) in debt, but running an elaborate Ponzi scheme. Taylor, introduced by Long as his friend, took money from church members and promptly lost more than a $1 million (US).

According to local paper, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, the attorney for four the plaintiffs, Jason Doss, stated,

“If Bishop Eddie Long hadn’t endorsed this they wouldn’t have invested.”

The church stated they have asked Taylor to repay the investors, including interest, and said,

“We remain hopeful that Ephren Taylor and companies related to him restore the funds that were taken from congregants at New Birth and churches around the county. We continue to cooperate as the case proceeds.”

According to a story filed by Religion News Service, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Taylor in 2012 with running a Ponzi scheme, and there is a civil case pending against him .

The SEC stated that Taylor made promises to his investors that their money would be used for charity, but he diverted the monies to pay off other investors and for personal uses.

David Woodcock, Director of the Fort Worth Regional SEC office, stated,

“He preyed upon investors’ faith and their desire to help others, convincing them that they could earn healthy returns while also helping their communities.”

For more information, commentary and relevant links, please read the story, here.

Al Stefanelli

Al serves on the Board of Directors for The Clergy Project, and is the former Georgia State Director for American Atheists, Inc. He is a retired journalist and the author of "Free Thoughts - A Collection Of Essays By An American Atheist" and "A Voice Of Reason In An Unreasonable World - The Rise Of Atheism On Planet Earth." Al began writing in 1985, starting with the New York Times. In 1993 he joined a McClatchy newspaper, writing a weekly column for ten years. His writing continues to be widely distributed on the Internet and in print. He also produced and hosted a weekly syndicated radio broadcast for three years and was the founder and President of the former United Atheist Front, Inc., which functioned as a civil rights organization. Al is a former Southern Baptist Pastor, having served two churches and as pulpit supply for three counties. Currently, he writes for The God Discussion, hosts his own blog on WordPress, submits content to a variety of publications, and co-hosts "American Heathen Radio" and "Reap Sow Radio." Al lives in Peachtree City, GA., a suburb of Atlanta.

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