Eddie Long facts for kids

Eddie Lee Long (May 12, 1953 – January 15, 2017) was an American pastor. He was the main pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. This church is a very large church, sometimes called a megachurch. It is located in DeKalb County, Georgia. He led the church from 1987 until he passed away in 2017.

When Eddie Long first became pastor, the church had about 300 members. Under his leadership, the church grew a lot. It eventually had about 25,000 members. During his time as pastor, there were some questions about how the church's money was used. However, an investigation by the United States Senate ended without finding any wrongdoing.

Early Life and Education

Eddie Long was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. His birthday was May 12, 1953. His parents were Rev. Floyd M. Long, Jr. and Hattie Long.

He went to North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina. In 1977, he earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Later, in 2008, Long gave $1 million to the university. This money helped create a special teaching position in his name. He said the donation came from his own money. This money came from his real estate projects and from his books.

After college, Long worked as a sales representative for the Ford Motor Company. He was later let go from this job. Long also said he had a doctorate degree in "Pastoral Ministry." This degree was from a school called the International College of Excellence. This school is not officially recognized by major education groups in the U.S.

Life and Ministry

After leaving Ford, Eddie Long moved to Atlanta. He studied theology there. Theology is the study of religious faith and practice. He became the pastor of a small church in Cedartown, Georgia.

In 1987, he became the pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. At that time, the church had about 300 members. Under Long's leadership, the church grew a lot. Its membership reached 25,000 people. The church is sometimes seen as part of the Bapticostal movement. This movement combines Baptist and Pentecostal traditions.

Long married Dabara S. Houston in 1981. They divorced a few years later. They had one son named Edward Long.

Long married Vanessa Griffin in 1990. In 2011, Vanessa Long filed for divorce. However, she later decided to withdraw her divorce request. Eddie Long announced he would take a break from his ministry. He said he needed time to focus on his family. In February 2012, Vanessa Long's lawyers confirmed she had asked for the divorce case to be dismissed.

Theological Beliefs

In 1994, Eddie Long was given the title "bishop." This happened within the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship. This group includes Black Baptist churches that also use Pentecostal practices.

Long's sermons and teachings often talked about a "chain of command." This idea means that people should show respect, submission, and obedience to those above them. He taught that people should first be respectful and obedient to God. He also taught that women should be respectful and obedient to their fathers or husbands. He believed that living this way was part of a divine order.

Long was also known for preaching the prosperity gospel. This teaching suggests that followers will be blessed with material wealth.

Career Events

In 2006, the family of Martin Luther King Jr. chose Eddie Long. They asked him to lead the funeral for Coretta Scott King. She was the wife of the famous civil rights leader. Four former Presidents attended this important event. These included Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

Long was a strong supporter of George W. Bush's faith-based programs. His ministry received a large grant from the U.S. Administration for Children & Families.

In 2012, a video showed a ceremony at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. In the video, a Messianic Jewish preacher named Ralph Messer gave a Torah scroll to Long. He wrapped Long in it. This was meant to show Long being raised to a spiritual leadership position. Some Jewish leaders felt this ceremony was disrespectful to their faith.

Weight Loss and Death

In August 2016, Eddie Long gained a lot of attention. He posted a video on Facebook showing he had lost a lot of weight. In the video, he said he was eating "raw vegetables." He also said he was not taking any medications.

In September 2016, Long released a statement. He said he was "recovering" from an illness. He added that this illness was not related to his diet.

Eddie Long passed away on January 15, 2017. He was 63 years old. The church announced that he died from an "aggressive form of cancer."

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