Bishop Eddie Long & Wife Vanessa Long Absent from New Birth First Sunday After Name of Centino Kemp, Fifth Accuser in Gay Scandal, Revealed

Bishop Long & wife conveniently absent from church on the first Sunday after MyFoxAtlanta reveals name Centino Kemp, an openly gay man, who is the fifth accuser against Bishop Long in the gay sexual coercion scandal.

Live blogging: The broadcast was conveniently cut at a point when the Bishop Long usually comes to the stage. It resumed with a prayer for the family and that they are on vacation. The woman who prayed called for healing on their family, particularly for them as a couple, and God's grace as Taylor Long goes off to college. It's ironic that they should mention the daughter. Seems to me there is a lot going on in the Long household, particularly with the revelation of a fifth accuser -- Centino Kemp -- an openly gay man, who was part of the gay coercion settlement, even though he did not file a lawsuit. It's convenient Long and his family are on vacation. He can't quite show his face, can he? Back to my opening comment about the transmission being conveniently cut in midstream: I am of the opinion this was a deliberate move because something may have been said that they didn't want the whole world to hear.

The moderator says that the preacher for today stuck by Bishop Long as others were running away. Gee, I wonder why? Pastor Stephen Davis, senior pastor of New Birth Birmingham, will deliver the message today. Ezra 3:12 -- Many of the priests & Levites old men who had seen the first temple.... The people shouted with a loud shout and the sound was heard a far off.  Haggai 2:6 -- Once more it is a little I will shake heaven & earth, the sea & dry land. I will fill this temple with glory. The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former. In this place I will give peace. He prayed that there is pressure in the church, but it will make it great.

Davis said there is a new restoration coming for New Birth. God has not withdrawn his glory from the church. Another veiled confirmation that all is not well at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Long and his wife. He said the glory doesn't explain the hell they have been church. He said they called him in Birmingham for his comments, but he didn't say anything. He said he was going through hell there as well. Really? He said the "hell is over." Besides being a horrible public speaker, with poor diction, Stephen Davis shows that he is one of Bishop Long's "boys," who won't stand on principle. He said when trouble comes he doesn't back off? Really? He said there have been some "accusations" but the church members should be ready for a fight. He said the "glory of the Lord is coming on your life" if you get up and fight. A lot of religious BS. He said if his cat, who is from Georgia, will get up and fight the snakes in the yard, why shouldn't the people of New Birth do the same thing against the accusations?

He said when somebody moves in the opposite direction from you they are either crazy or know something. He is asking if anyone is ready to run to the glory because it comes with persecution because something greater was coming after. He said even Jesus was crucified and buried, but rose on the third day in all his glory. He said he wants to be known as a son of Bishop Long and he said if they don't like him because of his "Daddy" Bishop Long, they just won't like him. That's okay. He said his attorneys in Birmingham have been acting funny and on his documents Bishop Long's name is on all of them and he said he was "ready to fire them." He said, "let them talk," because God has different avenues for you to follow. I'm sure if you talked to his attorneys they would have a deeper reason for their opposition than the BS Stephen Davis is spewing.

He said God is up to something great. He said he doesn't care what they are saying on CNN, his Bible always wins when measured against CNN. He said how is he "going to listen to someone from CNN talking about someone I know?" He said if he can paint a picture of God's glory on the lives of the congregation, then they must keep on working, building and persevering. He said he has never gone through trouble without a trouble. "When trouble comes, he already received a word on what to do." He said, "God trusts New Birth with trouble and when hell comes New Birth stands through it."He said New Birth grew by 3,000 people on June 10, and if one room in your house is wrecked, doesn't mean the entire house is wrecked. Step into another room." In other words, what happened at New Birth in Lithonia doesn't mean the whole church is wrecked.

He said there is a train of people God is lining up and if you count the engines you will know how many people are involved. He said every time he calls out a name the glory of God will be unleashed -- Bishop Eddie Long, Pastor Kenneth Law, Bishop Terrell Murphy, Pastor Carl C. Smith, Pastor Tommy Powell, Pastor Sharome Gentry, Pastor John Kennedy, Oliver (Texas, not New Birth yet), Wise, Stephen Davis -- enough engines around Bishop Long and Vanessa. "Want 50 folks to bum rush altar who know the church isn't losing." "We're winning." He's now asking for 200 people who believe what they are a part of is the glory of the Lord. He said everybody who "hooks up with these engines will have resources and lead to supply." Now he's calling for 500 folks to give God a shout of praise. He said the last accusation has been broken by saying "Oooh," a war cry. Go figure.

In closing, how is the atmosphere at New Birth Missionary Baptist church Sunday after Sunday any different from a cult? Davis told them to shout 'Oooh' and they did. He told them to "bum rush" to the front and they did. You can't lambast your critics and expect the controversy to abate. On the contrary. It will come across that you motives are sinister and meant to mask the truth. Sadly, the display I saw at New Birth today is indicative of a bunch of people who have been brainwashed, in the tradition of Warren Jeffs, David Koresh, Jim Jones and others. The reality is Eddie L. Long needs to man up like Ted Haggard and either come out of the closet or get some help to stop messing with young adult males. He has a serious problem and it will rear its head again.