A popular political and economic analyst and African-American culture critic has stirred controversy with a column bashing Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church over his multiple sexual misconduct allegations, calling the Atlanta, Ga., minister a "bold-faced liar."

Dr. Boyce Watkins, a published author and Scholar in Residence in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Syracuse University, bashed the Georgia minister, known for multiple controversies including alleged sexual misconduct with male church members. The critic expressed admiration that the young men who accused Long have been speaking out, "in spite of the consequences for doing so," which he expressed in a column in his online publication, Your Black World.

"They've been ridiculed and attacked by Eddie Long supporters, dealt with the stigma of being involved in a homosexual relationship, been publicly chastised by their attorney and lost hundreds of thousands (some say millions) of dollars by telling their secrets to the world," Watkins wrote. more >>

T.D. Jakes, the pastor of a Texas megachurch having some 30,000 members, told church leaders over the weekend that it takes more than vision and sound theology to lead and build a congregation.

“It is not enough to have a vision,” Pastor Jakes told 2,000 church leaders gathered at a leadership conference at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden, Md., Saturday. “You need a strategy,” he stressed.

Pastors require “strategy, structure and servitude” in addition to what they may think will fuel growth in church, The Washington Post quoted Pastor Jakes of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, as saying. more >>

An interdenominational faith revival drew all kinds of churches to the Washington, D.C. area to kick off the New Year in unity.

"Even though our churches do things differently, we understand that for this season it isn't about that," said Lead Pastor John Jenkins, Sr. of Landover, Md.'s First Baptist Church of Glenarden. "It's about churches setting aside their differences and working together for the greater good of God."

First Baptist and D.C.'s Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church have gathered with visiting churches for several days of singing, sermons and devotion to God every year since 2003. more >>

Pastoring a church of 30,000 members comes with its own complexities and stresses but this can be multiplied many times over when your teenage daughter gives the news that she is pregnant.

After nine years, megachurch Pastor T. D. Jakes of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, is opening up about how he handled the news of his then 14-year-old daughter’s pregnancy.

“Shocked, crushed, emotionally devastated, and yet there was something down inside of me and in her mother as well, that said we have to rise above the trauma,” Jakes said on the Roland Martin Report describing his first reaction to the news nearly a decade ago. more >>

Bishop T.D. Jakes, senior pastor of The Potter's House in Dallas, Texas, spoke to CNN's Don Lemon over the weekend, commenting on sex abuse scandals, the economy and politics.

Lemon used the occasion to ask the popular evangelist, author and filmmaker his viewpoints on the "Occupy Wall Street" (OWS) movement that has been swooping through the country since mid-September.

"I'm glad to live in a country where we have the freedom of expression and where we can express ourselves in non-violent ways,” the bishop said. “For the most part they [the OWS protesters] have done a great job with that.” more >>

Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter's House in Dallas recently addressed the impending divorce of Georgia televangelist Bishop Eddie Long, saying his prayers are with the couple.

"For people who are high-profile, like yourself, like me, him or others, it's very difficult to maintain a private life when you are living in a fishbowl all the time," Jakes told CNN's Don Lemon on Saturday. "Sometimes you need to cut off all the lights and put your priorities back into alignment. And my prayers are that the Longs will use this opportunity to get that done."

Long, the founding pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga., announced on Dec. 4 that he is leaving the pulpit for a while, to focus on his personal life, after his wife made it public news that she has filed for a divorce. more >>