| Bishop Eddie Long is a multi talented businessman | | | | poor and needy within neighboring communities |
| and theological extraordinaire with a consuming | | | | with a broad spectrum of social outreach |
| passion to restore souls and heal spiritual wounds | | | | programs targeted at all sectors of the |
| in communities that is unmatched. Long is | | | | community including youths, seniors, single parent |
| impassioned, driven and emboldened by biblical | | | | families, drug dependent addicts and other |
| teachings to empower souls, spread the gospel | | | | deprived and underprivileged sections of society. |
| and make a difference in communities and in | | | | Bishop Long passionately believes much of |
| society as a whole. Bishop Eddie Long is a | | | | society's ills derive from poor education from an |
| successful businessman, theological academician, | | | | early age, which he believes causes young people |
| evangelist and motivational speaker all rolled into | | | | to deviate away from the path of God, towards |
| one unstoppable force for good. | | | | juvenile delinquency, substance abuse, immorality |
| Born in Huntersville, North Carolina to Hattie and | | | | and other deviant activities which ultimately costs |
| Reverend Floyd Long, Eddie Long graduated with | | | | society spiritually, emotionally and financially. To |
| a business administration degree in 1976 from | | | | try to correct some of these ills, Bishop Long has |
| North Carolina Central University. His early career | | | | sought to engage youths proactively with a series |
| began in the secular world of corporate | | | | of sustained outreach programs, youth academies |
| management: he undertook management jobs | | | | and other projects and has made an enormous |
| first at the Ford Motor Company near Richmond, | | | | impact by transforming and empowering many |
| Virginia and later, with Honeywell in Atlanta, | | | | young adults; succeeding where the educational |
| Georgia. | | | | system had failed. |
| While pursuing his corporate career early in his life, | | | | In all that he does and says, Bishop Long is driven |
| Long never lost sight of a deep spiritualcalling, a | | | | by an uncompromising mission to revitalize and |
| calling which would eventually take center stage in | | | | restore society with redeeming biblical and moral |
| his life with an all consuming energy and passion. | | | | efficacy; and is not afraid to express his |
| In 1981 Long secured a license to minister and | | | | passionate beliefs. Following the fatal stabbing of a |
| four years later in 1985, was ordained Pastor at | | | | High School pupil by another pupil in 1997, Long |
| Morning Star Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. | | | | preached to a large assembled audience at the |
| Long's thirst for ministering was matched only by | | | | school, ministering and passionately calling for the |
| his desire for theological knowledge and | | | | spiritual redemption of the students. Critics in |
| excellence; and in 1986 he achieved a Masters of | | | | some quarters lambasted the bishop and accused |
| Divinity accreditation at the Interdenominational | | | | him of infringing upon the First Amendment by |
| Theological Center | | | | mixing secular matters of the state with issues |
| (ITC) based in Atlanta. | | | | which they believe ought to be kept within the |
| In 1987, two years after his first ordination as | | | | confines of the church. Long, however, remains |
| Pastor at the Morning Star Baptist Church, Eddie | | | | undaunted in his opposite doctrinal belief, that the |
| Long became pastor at the New Birth Missionary | | | | redemption of the state depends ultimately on |
| Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia. Long is today | | | | the adoption of biblical precepts and that these |
| a senior pastor at the New Birth Missionary | | | | precepts must be allowed to permeate |
| Baptist Church, now in Lithonia, Georgia. Under his | | | | throughout society as a whole. |
| stewardship, the membership grew from a mere | | | | Long is married to Vanessa and the couple are |
| 300 in 1987 to over 30,000 today, through a | | | | blessed with three sons and a daughter: Jared, |
| combination of insightful business acumen, his | | | | Edward, Eric and Taylor. The bishop has written |
| charismatic style and a measure of divine favor, | | | | numerous empowering books and helped produce |
| as he himself puts it, "God had to teach me and | | | | gospel music albums on CD. Today he remains |
| grow me. As I'm growing, the congregation is | | | | intensely active and appears on television |
| growing." | | | | throughout the world on the show Taking |
| Although the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church | | | | Authority. He also makes regular appearances as |
| is situated in an affluent neighborhood, under | | | | a guess speaker at Christian conferences and |
| Long's stewardship, it has actively engaged the | | | | events. |
