Bishop T.D. Jakes recently responded to the Eddie Long's settlement in the sexual misconduct, saying that Christians should still pray for Long's church because they have no authority to say anything else.

In September, four young men filed lawsuits alleging Long using his position and gifts to coerce them into sexual relationships. Long, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in the Atlanta area, told his congregation a few days after the suits were filed that he would vigorously fight the charges.

When the allegations against Long became public, Jakes publicly addressed the case before his own congregation, The Potter's House in Dallas, saying, "Christians should just pray." He also told his flock during the Sunday service, "When all this is over, one thing is for sure – somebody, if not everybody in it, is going to need the blood [of Jesus Christ]." more >>

Creflo Dollar recently came out in support of his fellow preacher friend Eddie Long and rebuked those who left Long's church, calling them hypocrites.

"I don't know what is with the church. When you have a wreck, you expect for God to forgive you and everybody else," Dollar said as he addressed his 30,000-strong congregation last weekend.

"Don't let the preacher have a wreck now. Then you become self-righteous and you become judgmental and you're going to leave the preacher for his wreck when you [are the one who had] more wrecks." more >>

The lawsuit between Bishop Eddie Long and the four young men who accused him of sexual misconduct is close to being resolved out of court, said the judge overseeing the case on Friday.

After three months of mediation, the case is within “field goal range” of being settled, said Judge Johnny Panos to reporters, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Panos talked to the media with the aim of clearing misinformation being reported about the case.

Since February, the attorneys of both sides have been meeting with mediator Gino Brogden, a former Fulton County Superior Court judge in Georgia, to hammer out a compromise. more >>

When Pastor Paula White came out aggressively last week against a Senate financial probe into her multimillion dollar ministry, she again brought to light the question of whether the government should step in to ensure that churches and ministries are not misusing money.

Dan Busby, who heads evangelical accreditation agency ECFA, said concerns over excessive entanglement when the government brings inquires upon the church are appropriate. But Christians should conduct themselves and their finances in a way that reflects the Lord, he commented.

Busby referenced ECFA’s guiding passages, 2 Corinthians 8: 20 and 21, showing that financial transparency is a fundamental principal rooted in the Bible. “As Christians, we are representing the Lord,” he emphasized. As such, Busby said Christian leaders should seek to comply with the law and govern their finances in a way that does not mar God’s name before the public. more >>

WASHINGTON – Since Sen. Charles Grassley concluded his report on six Christian ministries Thursday, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability has announced that it will form a commission to address eight key concerns noted in the report.

During a press conference held Friday in Washington D.C., ECFA Board Member Michael Batts said of Grassley’s report, “I don’t think there was a lot of significant news.”

The report summarized findings from a Senate investigation that started three years ago on the spending of Joyce Meyer Ministries, Benny Hinn's World Healing Center Church, Creflo Dollar's World Changers Church International, Eddie Long's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Kenneth Copeland Ministries, and Without Walls International Church – formerly pastored by both Randy and Paula White. more >>

A Senate investigation into the spending of six televangelists concluded Thursday with a list of concerns and a call for the formation of a federal advisory committee to ensure religious organizations comply with laws.

Three years after launching the probe, Sen. Charles Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, released a staff review of the practices of the popular media-based ministries.

According to the report, only two of the six ministries – Joyce Meyer Ministries and Benny Hinn's World Healing Center Church – fully cooperated with the investigation and even implemented financial reforms. more >>