Bishop Eddie Long

Bishop Eddie Long, the senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, a megachurch in unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, near Lithonia.When Long started as pastor for New Birth in 1987, there were 300 church members. Since his installation, membership has grown to 25,000.

Long attended North Mecklenburg High School before attending North Carolina Central University, where he received a Bachelor's degree inBusiness Administration.Long is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and he received his Master of Divinity degree fromInterdenominational Theological Center. He holds a PhD in Pastoral Ministry from the International College of Excellence, a Bible college accredited by an organization not recognized by either the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or United States Department of Education, the two institutions responsible for recognizing educational accrediting institutions in the United States.North Carolina Central University, Beulah Heights Bible College, and the Morehouse School of Religion have given him honorary doctorates.

n addition to serving as the senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Long has been active in the metro Atlanta community since the 1990s.

Long was honored in 2005 at the Trumpet Awards for his leadership, dedication and service around the world.

In 2006, Long was chosen by the family of Martin Luther King, Jr. to host and officiate the funeral for Mrs. Coretta Scott King, wife of the late civil rights pioneer. The event was attended by four Presidents (George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter).

Long was a prominent supporter of George W. Bush's faith-based initiatives. His ministry received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Administration of Children & Families. Rev. Timothy McDonald suggested a link between Long's anti-gay activity and the grant saying "If you look at the black pastors who have come out with the faith-based money, they're the same ones who have come out with campaigns on the gay marriage issue."

Long features on rapper Ludacris' album Release Therapy where he delivers a speech about God and faith on the track "Freedom of Preach."

On August 28, 2005 the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that during the period between 1997 to 2000, Long received more than $3.07 million worth of compensation and benefits from his eponymous non-profit charity, Bishop Eddie Long Ministries Inc. Long contended that the charity did not solicit donations from members but instead gained its income from royalties, speaking fees and several large donations. In 2007, Senator Chuck Grassley announced an investigation into the tax-exempt status of six ministries under the leadership of Benny Hinn, Paula White, Eddie L. Long, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, and Kenneth Copeland by the United States Senate Committee on Finance.

Long was born in Huntersville, North Carolina, to Floyd and Hattie Long and graduated from North Mecklenburg High School in 1972. Long is the husband of Vanessa Griffin Long and the father of four children, Eric, Edward, Jared and Taylor.

Long married Dabara S. Houston in 1981 and were divorced after a brief marriage. The couple's son Edward Long is New Birth's youth director for junior and senior high ministries.