Future of Eddie Long's New Birth Church uncertain after he leaves

Bishop Eddie Long said on Sunday at the New Birth Church that he was stepping down from the pulpit to focus on his family. His statement came after his wife sued for divorce following accusations of sexual misconduct against the pastor by former members.

With Long's exit, the future of the New Birth Missionary Church is uncertain as church members leave. The church, at the height of its prosperity under Long, had boasted 25,000 members but the numbers, according AP, are dwindling very fast as members disillusioned with the sex scandal are leaving the church. Long's wife of 21 years filed for divorce citing "attacks in the media that frustrated and overwhelmed me." Vanessa filed for divorce on December 1, 2011. Digital Journal reports she announced her filing for divorce in a statement released the following morning. On the same day, the New Birth Church released a statement which said Vanessa had changed her mind and would withdraw her petition, but her attorney later said she was proceeding with the divorce. The couple have three children, and Eddie has a fourth from a previous marriage. Long had been married to Dabara S. Houston in 1981. The couple divorced after a brief marriage. Houston, according to Fulton County Superior Court records, had accused Long of subjecting her and her son to "cruel treatment" and said she grew to be afraid of Long's "violent and vicious temper." Houston said she and her son had to flee their home in Fairburn for safety. Long denied the accusation and Houston was awarded custody of their son Edward Long, who was then 2 years old. Digital Journal reports that the accusation of homosexual misconduct was brought against Long by four men in their 20s. The men said Long coerced them into having sexual relationship with him with promises of gifts, money and trips. The men, who are now in their 20s, said they were between 17 and 18 at the time. Criminal proceedings could not be brought against Long because the age of consent in Georgia is 16. AP reports that when, in September 2010, accusation was first made that he used his wealth and lavish lifestyle to seduce young men into sexual relationship, his church members did not believe such seemingly wild allegations against their pastor. Long assured them of his innocence and vowed to fight. But some months later, the church issued a statement that the case had been settled out of court. The statement, according to Digital Journal, said:

"After a series of discussions, all parties involved have decided to resolve the civil cases out of court. 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."

But after Long agreed to an out of court settlement with his accusers, some of his followers began to wonder whether he was innocent after all. AP reports that Donielle Marshall who became member of the church in 1999 reflects the feelings among some church members:

"Once the money was paid, it was like you're hiding something. Did you lie to us? I look at him as just a common man, full of fault, but also a disgrace."

Eddie Long: Brief biography Eddie Lee Long graduated from North Mecklenburg High School. He attended North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina, where he received a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, in 1977. After his graduation, he worked as a factory sales representative for the Ford Motor Corporation. He was fired after he submitted expense reports that included personal phone calls. After he left his job he studied theology and became pastor of a small church in Jonesboro, GA. In 1987, Eddie Long became senior pastor of New Birth Missionary church with only 300 members. Soon after, he dismissed the board of directors of the church and took sole control of its affairs. Under his charismatic leadership the church grew to 8,000 members in five years and a decade later the church had 18,000 members. The church bought land and property with 10,000 seat auditorium it now occupies in in Dekalb county. The church has headquarters in Lithonia County and branches in many U.S.cities, and before the sex scandal blew open the church boasted about 25,000 members. Long has long known controversy. He was the focus of Senate investigations about whether he had personally profited from his church's tax exempt status. According to AP Eddie Long's prosperity gospel attracted many new members. Long's lifestyle portrayed the gospel he preached. He owned a $350,000 Bentley, a private jet and $1.4 million house with six bedrooms and nine bathrooms. He wore expensive clothing, adorned himself in jewelry and read his sermons on an iPad.