Living in the Spirit!

In this powerful continuation of our series, Living in the Spirit dives beneath the surface of church decline to uncover the real roots behind the crisis — and the Spirit‑led remedy God is calling His people to embrace.
In Part II, Pastor Sharyn Cosby reveals how the Church drifted from authentic discipleship, lost her prophetic voice, and suffered deep credibility wounds through hypocrisy and scandal. But this episode is not about despair — it’s about diagnosis, discernment, and divine direction.
You’ll learn:
Why attendance replaced discipleship — and how this weakened the Church’s witness
How political entanglement caused the Church to lose her moral authority
Why trust in religious institutions has dropped — and what true integrity and holiness look like
The Spirit’s remedy: authentic formation, prophetic clarity, and radical love in action
A fresh vision of the Church in the public square — rooted not in power, but in public faithfulness
A prophetic word for this moment: God is pruning, purifying, and reviving His Church
This episode is a call to return to the altar, return to the fire, and return to the heart of God. The Church is not collapsing — she is being cleansed. And cleansing always precedes revival.

Resilience in a Season of Decline: A Conversation on Church Closure, Courageous Leadership, and the Future of Faith
In this episode of Living in the Spirit, Sharyn sits down with Rev. Michael Davison for a powerful and deeply honest conversation about what it means to lead faithfully in a season of decline. Drawing from his pastoral experience and regional ministry work, Rev. Davison offers a Spirit‑centered perspective on church closure, courageous leadership, and the evolving landscape of Christian community.
He reflects on how walking in the Spirit is not an abstract idea but a daily practice—one that shapes decisions, relationships, and the way leaders navigate difficult transitions. Rev. Davison emphasizes that resilience is cultivated through intentional spiritual disciplines, communal support, and a commitment to embody Christlike love even when circumstances are challenging.
Together, we explore:
How churches can face closure with honesty, hope, and theological integrity
Why cooperation and community are essential for sustaining ministry
What courageous leadership looks like in moments of uncertainty
How believers can remain rooted in love, generosity, and faithful presence
The future of faith communities and the opportunities hidden within decline
Rev. Davison closes with a pastoral word of encouragement—reminding us that every believer’s witness matters, and that the Spirit empowers ordinary people to do extraordinary work in Christ’s name.
If you’re a pastor, ministry leader, or believer seeking clarity and courage in a shifting church landscape, this conversation will speak directly to your spirit.

Called, Qualified, and Silenced? Women Preachers, Power, and the Southern Baptist Ban”
In this episode of Living in the Spirit, host Sharyn sits down with Rev. Dr. Lisa Davison, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Johnnie Cadieux Professor of the Hebrew Bible at Phillips Theological Seminary, to unpack one of the most consequential church decisions of our time: the Southern Baptist Convention’s constitutional ban on churches with women holding any pastoral title.
Dr. Davison brings biblical scholarship, historical insight, and pastoral clarity to questions many Christians are wrestling with today:
What Scripture actually says about women who lead, preach, and prophesy
How the SBC decision reshapes church identity and denominational authority
Why women’s calling remains valid regardless of institutional restrictions
How power and fear shape theological decisions
What this moment means for the future of the Church
This conversation is for pastors, congregations, women discerning a call to ministry, and anyone seeking a faithful, contextual understanding of Scripture beyond patriarchal assumptions.
If you’ve ever wondered whether God calls women to preach — or how the Church should respond when institutions restrict the Spirit’s movement — this episode offers clarity, courage, and hope.

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Living in the Spirit turns its attention to a profound and necessary question: What does this milestone mean for Black Americans? This episode explores the tension between celebration and lament, progress and unfinished struggle, hope and holy dissatisfaction.
We trace the spiritual, historical, and emotional journey of Black Americans across two and a half centuries—moving from the brutal beginnings of enslavement to the ongoing pursuit of full citizenship, dignity, and belonging. Through a faith-centered lens, the conversation examines how Black resilience, creativity, and prophetic witness have shaped the nation’s moral conscience, even when the nation has failed to honor its own promises.
This episode invites listeners to reflect on the meaning of freedom in a country still wrestling with racial injustice, economic inequity, and political division. It asks whether America’s 250th anniversary is a moment of patriotic celebration, a call to repentance, or a summons to prophetic imagination. Ultimately, it centers the voices, experiences, and spiritual insights of Black Americans as essential to understanding the nation’s past—and vital to shaping its future.

“What Is Juneteenth to Me?”
Juneteenth is more than a holiday—it’s a spiritual and ancestral landmark. In this episode, Rev. Sharyn Cosby reflects on her family’s roots in Red River County, Texas, where her ancestors lived on a plantation just miles outside Paris, Texas, waiting for freedom that was delayed but not denied. She shares how Juneteenth represents survival, faith, and the resilience of a people who held onto hope even when justice was withheld.
Rev. Cosby also speaks with prophetic honesty about her lament for America today—how the nation is taking giant steps backward after generations of progress. From voting rights to racial justice, she calls listeners to remember the cost of freedom and to continue the work our ancestors began.
This episode is a blend of history, testimony, and spiritual truth—a reminder that Juneteenth is both a celebration and a mandate to keep pressing toward justice.
 

n this powerful episode of Living In The Spirit, host Sharyn responds to the recent and deeply troubling announcement that the Department of Defense has removed the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) from its list of approved religious services. Sharyn shares her personal reaction, shaped by her own journey through chaplaincy, VA residency, and board certification, and reflects on the profound pastoral weight this decision places on chaplains serving across military and institutional settings.
To help us understand what this means for Disciples chaplains, their ministries, and the future of religious support within the armed forces, we welcome Rev. Jonathan Fisher, the Chaplain Endorser for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Rev. Fisher offers clarity, context, and spiritual grounding as he walks us through the implications of this decision and the advocacy efforts now underway.
This conversation is essential for anyone connected to chaplaincy, military service, or the Disciples of Christ community — and for all who care about religious freedom, pastoral care, and the spiritual well‑being of those who serve

In this episode of Living in the Spirit, we dive into a moment shaking faith communities across the nation: the Department of Defense’s recent removal of an approved religious organization from its list of recognized faith groups.
This isn’t just a policy update — it’s a spiritual crossroads.
What happens when an earthly institution shifts its stance on a faith community? How do believers stay grounded when recognition is withdrawn? Where is God when systems change, identities feel threatened, and uncertainty rises?
Join us as we explore:
What the DOD decision actually means for chaplains, service members, and faith communities
Why institutional recognition is not the same as spiritual legitimacy
How the early Church thrived without official approval
What believers can do to stay rooted, informed, and spiritually resilient
Where hope, clarity, and courage emerge in seasons of institutional change
This episode offers wisdom without fear, truth without panic, and hope without denial. If you or someone you know has been affected by this decision, this conversation will bring grounding, perspective, and spiritual strength.
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n this episode of Living In The Spirit, Apostle Sharyn Cosby uncovers what it truly means for the Church to carry a prophetic voice in the kingdom of this world. We explore how believers can stay Kingdom‑anchored, Spirit‑led, and biblically grounded in a culture shaped by noise, polarization, and competing loyalties.
This teaching calls the Church back to clarity, courage, holiness, and distinction — not echoing the world, but sounding like heaven.
Topics include: • The difference between prophetic voice and political noise • How the Church loses its voice in cultural entanglement • What Scripture teaches about Kingdom identity • How believers can stay faithful in a polarized age • Why the world needs a Spirit‑filled, prophetic Church now more than ever
If you’re hungry for clarity, longing for spiritual grounding, and ready to rise above the chaos, this message is for you.

“Beyond Apology: The Church, Slavery & The Call to Repair”
In this powerful episode of Living In The Spirit, Apostle Sharyn Cosby responds to Pope Leo XIV’s apology for the Catholic Church’s historical role in legitimizing slavery—and asks the deeper question: What does true repentance require from the entire Body of Christ?
This conversation goes beyond headlines and dives into the spiritual, historical, and moral responsibility of the Church—especially mainline Protestant denominations—to confront their own complicity, tell the truth, and participate in real repair.
Apostle Cosby explores:
Why apologies—though important—are not enough
How slavery’s legacy continues through modern systems
What repentance looks like when the wound is generational
What the Church must do in today’s polarized political climate
How believers can walk in truth, justice, and the power of the Holy Spirit
This episode is a call to courage, clarity, and Spirit-led action. It’s a call to truth-telling, reparative justice, and prophetic witness in a nation wrestling with its past and its future.
Tap into deeper themes:
repentance
church and slavery history
reparative justice
Holy Spirit and justice
Subscribe for more Spirit-led teaching, prophetic insight, and conversations that help you live boldly in Christ.

“I Almost Let Go!”
In this deeply personal and prophetic episode of Living In The Spirit, Apostle Sharyn Cosby opens her heart and shares the real story behind the title: “I Almost Let Go.”
From ministering in the streets with the marginalized… to serving under Bishop Carlton Pearson at Higher Dimensions… to being ordained through the Azusa Fellowship and later affirmed by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)… to planting a church and building a justice‑driven ministry… to launching the Oklahoma Family Empowerment Center and fighting systemic inequities…
— this episode chronicles the joys, battles, betrayals, breakthroughs, and divine interventions that shaped her journey.
Apostle Cosby shares how she faced: • Spiritual warfare • Gender bias in ministry • Denominational politics • Attacks on her calling • Threats for serving the unhoused • The arson of OFEC during the pandemic • Attempts to destroy the rebuilding efforts
And yet — God kept her.
This episode is not just her story… It’s your story too. A reminder that even when you feel weary in the well‑doing, God holds you, strengthens you, and ensures that ultimately — you win.
Stay to the end for a powerful prophetic prayer spoken over every listener.
👉 If you’ve ever been on the edge of letting go, this episode will breathe life back into your spirit.