In this interview, Dr Kenoly speaks to Christian Today about his Academy of Praise based in Orlando, Florida, shares his thoughts on praise & worship, and how the gift of singing is inherited in his family.
Prior to the interview, Dr Kenoly briefly reminisced of his mother, Edith Kenoly, who sadly passed away the night before, from a long-term sickness.
"All my life, I can remember her singing, I can remember her involved in Church activities- and she's quite a singer, an incredible singer.
"She was a wonderful woman of God. Even before I was born, when she was pregnant with me, she would rub her stomach and go, 'Lord, let this one praise you.'"
Tell me more about Ron Kenoly's Academy of Praise.
Academy of Praise is a mentoring programme for praise and worship leaders. For pastors, musicians and anybody who is involved in the music area of the church. It's designed to help them realise a higher level in their praise and worship experience. I get to go to a lot of different conferences and speak in a lot of seminars, and generally, the [high] number of people will eliminate the intimacy that can be experienced.
For the Academy of Praise, I take no more than a hundred people at a time. No more than I can pray for and lay my hands on. I try to answer as many questions I possibly can. I feel in my heart that in all of the ministries, and in all the great stories of Jesus, there was a great level of intimacy. Even with His disciples, a lot more comes out of an intimate setting, rather than a large group.
With the Academy of Praise, I am able to answer questions. There are times I will do one-on-one counselling, and I'll pray for them.
