“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Bishop Paul S. Morton “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>, founder of the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship (FGBCF) – the church that ordained Eddie Long as a bishop – has openly rebuked him for remaining completely mum after settling a sexual coercion scandal involving four young men from his church, New Birth Cathedral (New Birth) in Georgia.
To date Long,
who is under a gag order, has not so much as offered parishioners,
the community or the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship an
acknowledgement, apology or admission of innocence or guilt about
the allegedly licentious relationships.
An audio
recording of Morton addressing the matter in a Father’s Day message
appears on YouTube. (Scroll down to listen)
Indicating
Long stopped returning his phone calls, Morton said in the
recording:
“Tell me
something … those that have stood with you. Tell us something.
Tell your church something. We all make mistakes and come short of
the glory of God, but tell us something … I know there’s a gag
order, but you can apologize.”
Morton
rebuked Long and said the embattled pastor must repent if he wants
forgiveness, based on the authority of scripture (Luke 17:
3-4).
“I can’t
forgive somebody that does not repent,” said Morton, pastor of
Greater St. Stephens FGBCF in New Orleans.
Members are
reportedly leaving New Birth in droves. Bishop Morton
understandably wants the pastor he promoted to Bishop to take
responsibility for the fall out.
