Kenneth Monroe began his life and ministry in the small town of Red Springs, NC. He received his elementary and secondary education from the public schools of Red Springs. He was baptized and became a member of the St. James African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church of Red Springs and was later called to preach at the age of seventeen.

Desiring to continue his education, he was encouraged and led to attend Livingstone College, Salisbury, NC. He received both the deacon and elders ordination by Bishop W. A. Hilliard in 1972 and 1974 respectively. Upon the completion of his undergraduate studies at Livingstone College and receiving the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Studies, he entered Duke University Divinity School, Durham, NC. In December 1976, he graduated from Duke University Divinity School with a Masters of Divinity Degree. Later in 2003, he received the Doctor of Ministry Degree, Project Title, “TRANSFORMING MISTRUST TO TRUST: DEVELOPING A NEW SYSTEM OF CHURCH FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT,” from Hartford Seminary, Hartford, CT.

His pastoral experience include the Taylor’s Chapel and St. Mary A. M. E. Zion Churches, Kittrell, NC; Union Oak A. M. E. Zion Church, Hope Mills, NC; Trinity A. M. E. Zion Church, Southern Pines, NC; Metropolitan A. M. E. Zion Church, Kansas City, MO; and the Metropolitan A. M. E. Zion Church, Hartford, CT. He has also served the A. M. E. Zion Church as the Presiding Elder of the Kansas City District, which includes congregations in Kansas City, MO; Kansas City, KS; Des Moines, IA and Omaha, NE. From 2001-2004 he served as Presiding Elder of the Nassau District of the Bahamas Island Annual Conference.

In July 2004, he was elected the 95th Bishop in succession of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. He was assigned the Western West Africa Episcopal District of the A. M. E. Zion Church located in the countries of Ghana, Togo, Liberia and Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast). In December 2005, because of the death of the late Bishop Milton A. Williams, he was given the responsibility to supervise the Kentucky and Missouri Annual Conferences.

He currently serves as the Presiding Bishop of the South Atlantic Episcopal District – A. M. E. Zion Church (Pee Dee, Palmetto, South Carolina and Georgia Annual Conferences); Secretary – Board of Bishops – A. M. E. Zion Church; Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Clinton Junior College, Rock Hill, SC; Chair of the Board of Lay Activities – A. M. E. Zion Church; Chair of the Complications Commission; 1st Vice Chair of the Board of Global Missions, member of the Board of Trustees, Livingstone College, Salisbury, NC ; a member of the Pan Methodist Commission and a Silver Life Member of the NAACP.

He is the third son of the late Paul and Hazel Monroe of Red Springs, NC. He has been married to the former Sheila Wells since May 24, 1975. They are the parents of three children: Erica L. Green (Kansas City, MO); Kevin J. Monroe (Kansas City, KS) and Adria N. Monroe (Charlotte, NC) and six grandchildren (Destiny, Amonde, Devin, Jayden, London, and Kamryn of all Kansas City, MO).

He strives to live by the theme he has embraced as a means of inspiration and motivation for more than twenty –five years, “Making the Impossible Possible with God.” He is the Author of the book Adventures of Uncertainty, Making the Impossible Possible with God