Two Georgia men filed suit against Bishop Eddie Long of Atlanta alleging that the preacher coerced them into having sex with him.

The suits, filed Tuesday in DeKalb County, allege that Long used his position as a spiritual authority and bishop to coerce young male members and employees of his New Birth Missionary Baptist Church into sex.

"Defendant Long has a pattern and practice of singling out a select group of young male church members and using his authority as Bishop over them to ultimately bring them to a point of engaging in a sexual relationship," the suits allege.

Long is considered one of the nation's top black preachers. His flagship church in Atlanta planted New Birth Charlotte, a Huntersville congregation, in 2003.

According to the lawsuits, Long took one plaintiff, Anthony Flagg, 21, on overnight trips to a half-dozen cities in recent years.

"Long shared a bedroom and engaged in intimate sexual contact with plaintiff Flagg including kissing, massaging, masturbating of plaintiff Flagg by defendant Long and oral sexual contact," the suit alleges.

• Download lawsuites filed by Maurice Robinson and Anthony Flagg.
• Read more at CNN.com.

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