One day after his wife filed for divorce [click here if you missed that], Bishop Eddie Long announced to the congregation of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church that he was taking some time off, and not because his wife left him or because of those pesky little rumors of sexual misconduct...
From CNN
"I'm going to take a little time off to work with my family," Long said Sunday to a packed house at the televised service.
"I do want you to know that this is, for me and my family, especially with me, one of the most difficult times and things I've had to face, and only because my strength, other than God, is in Miss Vanessa," he said to huge applause.
"And I want you to rest assured that I love her and she loves me. ... In all the things that I've ever had to deal with and being pastor, my rock has been to be able to come home to a virtuous woman who always had peace in my house," he said.
"We're going (to) work it out," he said.
He insisted that the two of them are not fighting, and that they are not mad at each other.
Long said the situation is "not because of allegations" of sexual relationships last year and instead blamed the pressures of being a pastor's wife.
"It's been very difficult to her, some of the things that she's had to endure," he said.
The church issued a statement emphasizing that Long is not stepping down, and "will continue to be the senior pastor of New Birth."
