Bishop Eddie Long makes YouTube appeal to help members

By Shelia M. Poole

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Bishop Eddie Long, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, has made an unusual appeal on YouTube to an investment company on behalf of  several members who are facing financial hardships because of  investments  that went "sour."

YouTube In a video posted on YouTube on Sunday night, Bishop Eddie Long make a public appeal to help members of his church, New Birth Missionary Baptist of Lithonia, resolve their dispute with City Capital Corp.

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In the YouTube video, Long said that a year or so ago, the church held a financial seminar to empower members and help them build a better quality of life. Long said several members made investments through City Capital Corp., and that some retirement accounts related to those have tanked.

It was not known when the video was made. Its posting time on YouTube was Sunday 10 p.m. EST.

According to a press release about the video obtained by the AJC, Long said several members alerted him "about a troubling investment that could eclipse a million dollars." The release said that Long decided to make a public appeal to help members resolve their "dispute with City Capital Corp. and its CEO  Ephren Taylor."

The video and release offered few specifics and it's unclear how many New Birth members were affected in the deals.

The video does not mention that Taylor resigned from City Capital on Oct. 22. In announcing Taylor's resignation on Oct. 22, the company said his departure "was not the result of any disagreements with the Company regarding its operations, policies, or practices."

Neither City Capital nor Taylor could be reached for comment overnight.

The release said members have disclosed that many have suffered deep financial hardships because of the matter.

Long, who has been embroiled in recent months in lawsuits involving allegations of sexual abuse, said the matter "touches my heart deeply."

He said that neither he nor New Birth benefited from the investments and urged City Capital and Taylor to "do what's right" and return the investments with interest, if possible.