The Rev. Joseph A. Pipa, Jr., Ph.D. was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a graduate of Belhaven College and Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi, and received a Ph.D. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Pipa pastored the Tchula, Mississippi Presbyterian Church seven years, and pastored Covenant Presbyterian Church in Houston, Texas, for 10 ½ years. He wrote Sunday School material for Great Commission Publications for three years. He is the author of Root and Branch, a study of the person and work of Christ. Dr. Pipa has also authored the book, The Lord’s Day and The Westminster Confession of Faith Study Book: A Study Guide for Churches.

From 1990 until February 1998, Dr. Pipa, his wife, Carolyn, his daughter, Sara, and son, Joseph III lived in Escondido, California. Dr. Pipa was the Director of Advanced Studies and Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in California. While there, he directed the Doctor of Ministry program in preaching and also taught systematic, historical, and practical theology on the Master's level. While there, he started Trinity Presbyterian Church in America in Escondido, California, and served there as pastor.

On January 1, 1998, Dr. Pipa became the first President of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Taylors, South Carolina. Dr. Pipa and his wife, Carolyn, live in Greenville, South Carolina. His daughter and son-in-law, Sara and John Belden live in Neon, Kentucky with daughters, Abigail and Carolyn, and sons, Jacob and Nathaniel. Dr. Pipa's son and daughter-in-law, Joey and Ronda Pipa, with their sons, Joseph A. Pipa IV, and Joshua Bruce Pipa, live in Greer, SC.