Rant of the Week

Apparently there was a rally this past weekend calling for Bishop Eddie Long – who is facing civil lawsuits from four young men – to step down as pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

I found it odd that people travelled all across the country to ask a man who’s church they’ve never attended to step down. Hmmm makes you think.

It seems as if everyone has an opinion on Bishop. We either staunchly support him, or we have already made it up in our minds that he’s guilty.

Now I don’t know the man, nor have I ever physically attended one of his ministries. I have watched him on television and for about two years I attended one of his satellite churches in Clayton County. So I really don’t know if the man is guilty or innocent. Only God knows that.

What I do know, is that ministers are often held to a higher standard by their parishoners and by society as a whole - and when they fall short, or are perceived to fall short the turmoil it often creates sends ripples across the Christian community.

I think we’ve put our ministers into a role of being the uber consummate Christian- devoid of any flaw, and incapable of making any mistake. When they do make a mistake, one that we often would – we’re ready to stone them –and sadly some of us are ready to denounce Christianity as well.

There’s something in us – in society that thinks that Pastors should be perfect, and when they’re not, we’re done with them. I think we forget that pastors are human. I think we have to remember that there was only one person who came into this world as a perfect being – Jesus Christ . We follow God and not the pastor – he just interprets the word he gets from God… he’s not the Word!!!!


Now I’m not defending Bishop Long by any means, nor am I condemning him. I’m rather using him as an example of how we tend to forget that pastors aren’t perfect. They have flaws as well.

So is Bishop Long guilty? I don’t know. All I can do is pray for him, his family, his congregation and the four young men that have filed suit against him. There is a lot of pain involved in this, and no matter how it turns out, I fear that people will be hurt.

Just my thoughts …