Mary Cosby Accused of Complaining About Birthday Cards and Pressuring Ex-Congregants for Donations
NEIGHBORS SPEAK OUT: FORMER MEMBERS OF MARY COSBY’S CHURCH SHARE CONCERNS IN NEW TLC DOCUSERIES
Former congregants of Mary Cosby’s Faith Temple Pentecostal Church have voiced serious allegations in a forthcoming TLC docuseries titled The Cult of the Real Housewife. In an exclusive clip provided to PEOPLE, ex-church member Ernest Enoch recounts an incident where Mary expressed dissatisfaction over receiving just 14 birthday cards from members, emphasizing his disappointment in her response.
"I was there when Mary complained about the 14 birthday cards," noted Ernest, who served as the church organist and claimed to have given Mary a card containing $1,000. "Ask me if she said thank you," he challenged.
The leaked audio from 2020, where Mary criticized church members for the limited birthday greetings and contributions, sparked significant controversy. Addressing the uproar during a reunion of Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, Mary described the comments as taken out of context and defended her integrity, stating, “Andy, my church couldn’t possibly take care of me. I’m a God-fearing woman and would never do that.”
In the same TLC clip, Ernest’s sister, Rosalind Enoch, alleges that Mary and her husband, Robert Cosby Sr., instituted "heave offerings" at the church. "They were going to have them every six months," Rosalind explained. She detailed how these meetings escalated, often culminating in urgent appeals for large sums of money. “The worst announcement you could hear when you walked into that church is, ’Tell everybody don’t leave. We need to have an emergency saints meeting.’ You knew it was going to be about money."
Rosalind further claimed that Robert Sr. would direct ushers to restrict congregants during these urgent meetings. "You’re just being barricaded in here," she stated, noting that congregants were frequently pressured to disclose their donation amounts. "If you didn’t have a certain amount, Robert would say, ‘That’s all you have?’ I mean, there’s nothing spiritual about that, right?"
Establishing a culture of financial urgency, the church reportedly encouraged members to use credit cards for donations, with Rosalind recalling instances where she texted her debit card number to facilitators. "There were times that I would give $5,000," she shared, highlighting the financial strain that donations placed on congregants. "It got to be a financial embarrassment for some."
Despite the generous contributions, Rosalind expressed concern that church members remained unaware of how their money was utilized. The Cult of the Real Housewife, a three-part series, aims to explore the evolution of Faith Temple, tracing its roots from its founding by Mary’s grandmother to the current leadership transition and Mary’s marriage to Robert Sr.
While Mary has not directly addressed the specific allegations made in the documentary, she referred to the project as "sad and a shame" during an appearance at BravoCon 2025. "It’s horrible, that’s what I think," she declared. "And it’s not true.”
The Cult of the Real Housewife is set to premiere on Thursday, January 1, at 8 p.m. ET on TLC. All episodes will be available for streaming the following day on HBO Max and discovery+.
‘The Cult of the Real Housewife’ poster.
TLC
