Rev. Joseph E. Windley is a native of Wilmington, NC.  He graduated from John T. Hoggard High School.  He is a graduate of North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (NC A&T SU) where he received his Bachelor of Science degree.  He received his Master of Arts degree from Central Michigan University.  He attended Hallmark Baptist Bible Institute, Greenville, SC.  He is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

He is a retired Air Force Major and Instructor Navigator with over 3000 flying hours in the KC-135 Air Refueler.  He retired in 1995 after 20 years of honorable service.  Reverend Windley has also retired after 22 years as the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at Southside High School in Greenville, S.C.  He received the Greenville County Sally Mae First Year Teacher of the Year Award.  He was the Southside High School Teacher of the Year and the Wal-Mart Upstate Region South Carolina Teacher of the Year.  He received the Bi-Lo and WYFF Channel 4 Regional Golden Apple Teacher of the Year Award.  He was also selected as Outstanding Southeast Region AFJROTC Instructor of the Year.  

Reverend Windley was ordained by the Kenansville Missionary Baptist Association in 1996 at First Missionary Baptist Church of Wilmington, North Carolina.  He has served in various capacities over the years as Interim Pastor, Associate Pastor and Youth Minister at New Covenant Baptist Church in Fountain Inn, SC.  In Greenville, SC, he served as Associate Pastor at Maranatha Baptist Mission.  He has served as Senior Associate Pastor at New Beginning Christian Ministries (NBCM) in Fountain Inn, SC.  At NBCM, he was also a Trustee, Sunday School Superintendent and Director of the Prison and Drug Rehabilitation Transition Program. He was Assistant Pastor at Restoration Missionary Baptist Church under Reverend Perry B. Irby, Fayetteville, NC.

Reverend Windley is the son of the late Reverend Dr. Joseph Z. Windley and Mrs. Lottie L. Windley, former Pastor and First Lady of First Baptist Missionary Baptist Church in Wilmington, NC and past Third Vice President of the North Carolina General Baptist State Convention.

Joseph is married to his college sweetheart, Marion Monger Windley.   Their oldest son, Joseph, Jr. is deceased.  They have two other sons, Jason and his wife, Kristin, and Joshua and his wife, Allison.  They have four grandchildren, Austin, Autumn, Auburn and Theo.   

He says the most important thing in his life is that he is born-again and is called to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.