Dr. Kevin Wayne Cosby is a man highly favored of God. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky on July 15, 1958. He received a clear call to ministry at a very early age. His earliest childhood memories are of his fervent desire to become a preacher. He fondly remembers preaching at the tender age of six, from a small pulpit built by one of the church trustees, at the request of his grandfather, Rev. Benjamin James Miller. Dr. Cosby’s pulpit playtime, was the first training ground for his dynamic ”practical living“ biblical teaching ministry. God’s call on his life later led him to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky, a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
Dr. Cosby has served St. Stephen Church as senior pastor, and the Louisville metropolitan community, since 1979. Under his anointed leadership, the church has grown from 500 to over 10,000 members and in the July/August 2005 issue of Outreach Magazine, was listed as one of the top 100 largest churches in America. In the words of Emerge Magazine, St. Stephen Church is ”One of the six super churches of the South“. During Dr. Cosby’s tenure, the church has helped improve the condition of the surrounding neighborhoods and their resident’s lives, by building a 1,500 seat worship center; erecting one of the premier family life centers in the country; purchasing and converting the former only Black owned and operated, Simmons University property into a multi-purpose life enrichment center; establishing transitional housing for recovering addicts, and purchasing and demolishing neighborhood liquor stores and nightclubs. Dr. Cosby also followed God’s guidance and led St. Stephen Church into the planting and building of a new church, and 1,000 seat worship/prayer retreat center, in Jeffersonville, Indiana, in the fall of 2004.
”Where God guides, God provides“, one of Dr. Cosby’s favorite quotes, is an expression of his life. The ”fruits“ of his obedience to God are visible to all.
Dr. Cosby’s amazing life journey with God, has allowed him to achieve the stuff that dreams are made of.
A staunch proponent of education, Dr. Cosby was recently elected as the 13th President of Simmons College of Kentucky, Louisville, KY (formerly Simmons Bible College), one of the oldest Black owned and operated colleges in the nation.
Dr. Cosby uses his exceptional God given oratory and teaching skills to lecture in colleges and universities throughout the world. He was formerly an Adjunct Professor of Christian Ministries at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and a former Kentucky State University Trustee Board member.
Notable organizations have honored Dr. Cosby. He has received the WAVE-TV S.T.E.P. (Service Through Excellent Performance) Award; The U.S. Dept. of Commerce- Minority Business Development Agency’s Regional Minority Business Advocate Award; Louisville Metro Government’s M. L. King, Jr. Freedom Award; International Association of Business Communicators – Kentucky Chapter and the Public Relations Society of America – Bluegrass Chapter’s Communicator of the Year Award; the Catholic Education Foundation, Inc. Community Service Award; the Long Run Baptist Association’s Clarence Jordan Award for exemplary application of the Gospel, and honorary doctorate degrees from Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY and Simmons College of Kentucky, Louisville, KY.
In 2005, Greater Louisville Inc. (formerly the Louisville Area Chamber of Commerce) awarded Dr. Cosby one of the first Passing the Torch awards. As one of Louisville’s pioneer leaders and most influential visionaries, Rev. Cosby’s life experiences and leadership insights have been captured in the book, Passing the Torch, for the edification of the next generation of leaders.
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