From The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette-
Over the last two decades, Bishop Eddie L. Long has built a religious and financial empire from scratch, transforming a small, faltering church into a modern cathedral with one of the largest and most influential congregations in the country.
Today, Bishop Long's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church includes a multimillion-dollar network of charities and businesses, a private school and the Samson's Health and Fitness Center, where he holds court and pumps iron with young people.
His message that God wants people to prosper has attracted celebrities, professional athletes and socialites, swelling the membership to 25,000. The church hosted four U.S. presidents for the funeral of Coretta Scott King in 2006.
The rapid expansion of the church -- often called "Club New Birth" because it attracts so many young black singles -- has also made Bishop Long a powerful political player, especially in DeKalb County, home to one of the wealthiest black communities in the country. The church has become a mandatory stop for many politicians -- local, state and national -- and Mr. Long supports candidates of both parties.
Read more:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10269/1090447-84.stm#ixzz10dEKvQmi
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