Charismatic Church Leader, Dogged by Scandal, to Stop Preaching for Now

[SecularMotion]

LITHONIA, Ga. — At the height of his power, Bishop Eddie L. Long would pack tens of thousands of people into his megachurch in the suburbs of Atlanta.

With his well-cut suits, passion for Bentleys, and dynamic, accessible style of preaching, he quickly climbed the list of the nation’s most powerful religious leaders.

He built his ministry, which stretches to Kenya and other countries, on a strong message of conservative Christianity that included promises of prosperity and attacks on homosexuality.

But life inside Bishop Long’s home had been crumbling. And on Sunday, members of his dwindling congregation heard news they had been bracing for.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/05/us/eddie-long-beleaguered-church-leader-to-stop-preaching.html?hp

[Ilsa]

1. Members say "We love him and are going to keep coming."

Shouldn't they be saying "we love the Lord and are going to keep coming?"

[Martin Eden]

2. "passion for Bentleys"

Dead giveaway he's in it for personal enrichment.

[formercia]

3. "If God didn't want me to have a Bentley, he wouldn't have given me one."

There's always an explanation.