" I have five stones and i aint throw one yet"

Over the years bishop Eddie long has but his church up. He transformed his small church into one of the biggest churches in the country. Now his church new birth missionary Baptist church has a community of multimillion dollar network of charities, and businesses, a private school and the Samson's health center

His message of prosperity brings in celebrities, professional athletes and socialites. His ministry raked in about 25,000 members giving it the title “Club New Birth” .the reason the church is called that is because it attracts so many young black singles. This has also made Bishop Long a powerful political player, especially in De Kalb County, home to one of the wealthiest black communities in the country. The church has become a mandatory stop for many politicians.

But Bishop Long’s reputation and sprawling enterprises now stand threatened by a sex scandal.

Four former members of a youth group he runs have accused him of repeatedly encouraging them into homosexual sex acts, and of abusing his considerable moral authority over them while plying them with cash, new cars, lodging and lavish trips.

Bishop Long has denied the accusations in a letter sent to a local radio station and has promised to address them from the pulpit on Sunday. He declined, through his lawyer, to comment for this article.

The boys say that they went through a bonding ritual, known as a “covenant ceremony,” in which Bishop Long gave them jewelry and exchanged vows with them while quoting from Scripture as ceremonial candles burned, according to court complaints filed against the pastor. Reciting Bible verses, the pastor promised to protect them from harm and called them “spiritual sons.”

Four former members of the group now say the real purpose of the academy was to provide Bishop Long with young men whom he could lure into sex. The men say they were past the legal age of consent when Bishop Long initiated the relationships. Still, the charges have shaken Atlanta’s church-going society, spurring painful conversations from kitchen tables to talk radio.