Joseph C. Way was born on a small farm in southern Mississippi. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Millsaps College and a Bachelor of Divinity and a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School. He served in the Air Force as a chaplain, actively worked to end segregation, and is retired after forty-two years of ministry. He lives in Georgetown, Texas, with his wife of sixty-two years and is also the author of Joseph's Journey; A Pain in the Gut; and Could It Be? Biblical Gems from the Garbage Dump.