Bishop Eddie Long, the embattled pastor of New Birth Missionary Church, addressed the growing church sex scandal that threatens to bring down his empire during a roisterous sermon this morning.

“The Bishop,” as he referred to himself, welcomed his church family and “all our other guests.”

“New Birth, we are not alone,” he told his congregation. “We must not forget our strength is not in man — it’s not in Eddie Long — but in the Lord!”

“For the sake of our visitors here today, we’re here every Sunday at 8 and 11,” he said to another round of applause.

Long then thanked his long suffering wife and their four grown children for their strength and support.

“I have never, ever portrayed myself as perfect, but I am not the person that they are portraying in the media! I’m not that. I’m not that,” he said.

“Out of advice of my lawyers… I am not gonna allow myself to be drawn into the court of public opinion. Because one day every knee got to bow, and every tongue got to confess, and everybody’s gotta give an account for themselves!,” he said. “I only, and my only hope is, is in the hands of the Lord, and my justice is to be given to me in a fair court of justice,” he stammered.

“As you know there have been accusations and attacks made against me, and I am going to vigorously fight all of ’em!,” he told the parishioners as they stood and cheered. “I feel like Goliath — David, rather — facing Goliath. There’s a giant in front of me. But I am going to fight, and I’m gonna fight vigorously! And I got five rocks and I haven’t thrown one yet!,” said Long as he lay down his mic and strode off the podium to thunderous applause.

Not once did he deny the charges in lawsuits brought against him by 4 former Longfellow Academy students who accuse Long of coercion by plying them with cash, cars, gifts and exotic trips in return for sex..

Afterwards, Long held a press conference but he didn’t take any questions from the media.

The bishop’s long suffering wife, Vanessa Long, accompanied him to the pulpit.

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Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church this morning.

A four lane road becomes a one-way street as thousands of church members leave New Birth Missionary Baptist Church after Sunday services this morning in Lithonia, a suburb east of Atlanta. The massive complex, which holds 25,000 and includes a fitness center, sits on 400 sprawling acres.

Photos: Getty Images