Earl Paulk | Led mega-church, 81

Archbishop Earl Paulk, 81, a former mega-church leader who rose to fame with his progressive evangelical ministry only to have it crumble after a series of sex scandals, has died.

Mr. Paulk, of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit at Chapel Hill Harvester Church, died Sunday in Atlanta.

For years the church was at the forefront of many social movements - admitting black members in the 1960s, ordaining women, and opening its doors to gays. But Mr. Paulk was dogged for decades by accusations of molestation and sexual misconduct.

The most shocking revelation came in October 2007 when a court-ordered paternity test showed he was the biological father of his brother's son, D. E. Paulk, who had become head pastor of the church after the archbishop retired the previous year.

Earl Paulk had sworn in an affidavit that he had never had sex with anyone but his wife, which led to him pleading guilty to a felony charge of lying under oath. He was sentenced to 10 years' probation and a $1,000 fine.

Mr. Paulk's church, which he cofounded with his brother Don, grew from a tiny congregation in the 1960s to an empire with 10,000 members, an international television ministry, a Bible college, and a $12 million sanctuary on an expansive 100-acre plot in Decatur, Ga.

- AP