Joseph Priester is a native of Aiken, South Carolina but was raised in Hartford, CT.  He received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Central Connecticut State University.

Joe married Oleyetta Stallworth-Priester in 1991.  They currently live in Windsor, CT, where they raised three children, a daughter, Keturah, and two sons, Joseph and Isaiah.  They have one grandson, Elishah.

Joe was baptized into Christ at the Northside church of Christ in Hartford, CT in 1991.  He graduated with a degree in Biblical studies from the Sunset Bible Institute in 2006. He has been certified by the Sunset Bible Institute as a Satellite Administrator.  In 2007, he and his wife were instrumental in starting the Southwest congregation in south Hartford, CT.   He  has worked closely with the leadership at Southwest for over 14 years in multiple capacities, such as bible class teacher, media technician, fill-in minister to name a few. He was ordained as an Elder at Southwest in March, 2022.

He has always desired to do missionary work.  He completed his first mission trip to Guyana, South America in 2001.  He was ordained to teach the Jamaica School of Preaching (JSP) curriculum in 2018.  He has been active with the Asian Mission Ministries since 2017 and made his first trip to Nepal and India in 2018.  He has helped in obtaining the non-profit certification for the Church of Christ Asian Mission Ministry in the United States.   He is currently serving as the Director of the Church of Christ Asian Missions, Inc. and  the acting JSP Director for the northeast, United States.  In March, 2023, he took his second trip to Nepal and officiated the JSP graduation of over 50 students.