Bishop Eddie Long

Eddie Long (December 12, 1953 – January 15, 2017) was an American pastor and televangelist best known for leading New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia, which grew to become one of the largest megachurches in the United States. Rising to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, Long built a massive multimedia ministry that included television broadcasts, publishing, and community outreach programs. His charismatic preaching style and prosperity gospel message attracted a diverse congregation of over 25,000 members at its peak. Long was also known for his involvement in business ventures and political activism, attempting to position himself as a moral authority on social issues. However, his legacy became complicated in 2010 when lawsuits alleged misconduct with young male parishioners, which he initially denied but later settled. Despite these controversies, his impact on contemporary American megachurch culture and televangelist ministry remains significant, representing both the rise and contested nature of modern charismatic Christianity.