Bishop Eddie Long has been crowned king of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
Rabbi Ralph Messer dubbed the scandalized megachurch pastor a king during a televised broadcast on Sunday. A YouTube video of the event is spreading rapidly over the Internet.
Messer heads Simchat Tora Beit Midrash (STBM) and was one of the speakers at Long’s Economic Empowerment Summit. STBM describes itself as a “congregation and school facilitating inter-faith discussions between various groups, cultures and denominations worldwide.”
“He’s a king. God’s blessed him. He’s a humble man. But in him is kingship. In him is royalty,” Messer proclaimed over Long. “In him was a land of Israel. In him was a k chromosome … he was brought through the slaves, raised up in a city and God now wants to release a new anointing.”
Messer then instructed Long to look at an original scroll from Israel. Messer and two other men wrapped the scroll around Long as the New Birth crowd cheered with a approval.
The ritualistic ceremony continued as Long was presented with a “belt of justice and blessing” and “a constitution of God as a king.” Four men then lifted the seated Long up and carried him around the platform as Hebrew songs played in the background.
