Pastor Speights was born to the late Rev. Joshua W. Speights Sr. and Ms. Eular Lumpkins. He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age. Pastor Speights matriculated through the educational school system of Blytheville, Arkansas, graduating in 1971. He joined the U.S. Navy in July of 1971 and was honorably discharged as a Chief Warrant Officer in July of 1993. Pastor Speights is a decorated veteran, having served during the Vietnam War and at various locations worldwide. Pastor Speights acknowledges the sustaining power of God and His unexplainable grace that led him to leave Blytheville, Arkansas, attend boot camp in Orlando, Florida, complete a short tour in Vietnam, and serve 22 years in the military. In 1975, Pastor Speights was licensed to preach the Gospel by his father, the late Rev. Joshua W. Speights, Sr. Pastor Speights was guided by the Lord's hand to wed a beautiful young woman, Ms. Rubbie Cole, who is now his First Lady, Sister Rubbie Speights.

On June 13, 1976, Sister Speights accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and joined the True Light Missionary Baptist Church in Blytheville, Arkansas. During the spring of 1977, Sister Speights' oldest brother arranged a date for her to go to the Drive-In movie with the then-young Rev. Speights. After a long distance (from Arkansas - Virginia) courtship, Pastor Joshua Speights and First Lady Rubbie Speights were united in holy matrimony on August 26, 1977, at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Blytheville, Arkansas, by the late Rev. Dr. Pearl James. After 42 years of marriage, Pastor Speights still reminisces about how the smile of his wife, First Lady Speights, caught his attention.

After completing a military tour of duty in Norfolk, Virginia, and settling in San Diego, California, Pastor and First Lady received the news of the arrival of their firstborn. On July 12, 1978 a day before First Lady's birthday, God granted them the desire of their hearts, an eight lb.6.5oz baby girl, whom they named, Niesha Andrea Speights (Niesha, meaning "life" and Andrea meaning "womanly). Niesha currently resides in the Atlanta, Georgia metroplex as an elementary school teacher. Niesha continues serving as a friend and confidant to her mom and a "reality checker" for her dad. In 1998, Niesha blessed Pastor and First Lady with their first grandchild, Chloe Hannah Speights (Woman of Strength). In 2003, Niesha married David Burno, and to this union, God blessed them with Josiah Burno. 

God's hand of love continued to protect Pastor and First Lady as they journeyed from San Diego, California, to Bremerton, Washington, and then back to San Diego, where again, they received the news of their new arrival. On April 7, 1981, three days before Pastor Speights' birthday, they welcomed their second child, a healthy 9-pound, 8-ounce baby boy named Joshua Wendell Speights III. Joshua continues to walk with his parents, serving many times as a Deacon and at times as an Armor Bearer to his dad, and as a shoulder of strength for his mom. In July 2009, Joshua married Shannon Ligon. Joshua is currently employed as an IT Security Specialist for the Department of State, and Shannon is used as a teacher at Dumfries Elementary School.

As Pastor and First Lady Speights began their Christian journey, they were favored by God; an unexpected blessing was showered on their lives. In 1983, Pastor Speights was ordained in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, by Pastor Willie T. Glenn. Shortly afterwards, he was called to Pastor Calvary Baptist Church in Waipahu, Hawaii. After serving as Pastor and First Lady for two years, God allowed the military to transfer Pastor Speights and his family to Long Beach, California. There, he served as an associate minister for one year under Pastor Stanfield at the Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in San Pedro, California.

In 1985, while stationed aboard the USS Wabash AOR5 as the lead ship communicator, Pastor Speights was one of twelve Navy Communicators selected for Warrant Officer. Pastor Speights left his wife, First Lady Speights, and family in Dallas, Texas, with his mother-in-law, Mrs. Nellie Savage. At the same time, he attended Warrant Officer Indoctrination training in Pensacola, Florida. Upon completing Indoctrination training, Pastor Speights returned to Dallas to pick up his family. Pastor Speights and family were then assigned to the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Mediterranean in Naples, Italy. It was during this tour of duty that the First Lady ventured into the job market. She held her first job as a cashier at the Military Exchange store.

Pastor Speights and family were in Naples, Italy, from 1986 to 1989 and were subsequently assigned to Commander Naval Computer and Telecommunications Command, Washington, DC, from 1989 to 1993. Upon returning to the U.S., Pastor Speights and family settled in Woodbridge, Virginia, and joined the Dale City Christian Church under the leadership of Pastor Carl Jenkins. Pastor Speights served as Executive Minister of Christian Education, Missions, and Sunday School.

In 1995, the Speights united with Little Union Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Leonard Lacy. In 1998, after 3 years of faithful and dedicated service, Pastor Speights answered the call to his second Pastorate at First Baptist Church, Watson, Leesburg, Virginia, where he served from 1998 to 2005.

Pastor Speights was called to Pastor Neabsco Baptist Church in October 2007 and was installed in April of 2008. Currently in the year 2019 of our Lord and Savior, Pastor Joshua Speights, Jr. is celebrating his eleventh year as Pastor of Neabsco Baptist Church. Pastor Speights retired from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as an Information Technology Specialist in February 2015, and First Lady Speights retired from the Prince William School system in September 2014, where she served as a special education teacher.

The Lord Jesus Christ blessed Pastor Speights to lead Neabsco Baptist Church in the construction of an 8.5-million-dollar sanctuary that seats 700. This is phase one of a $15 million project, which will conclude in the future with the construction of a gymnasium and an office complex above it. Pastor Speights and the church celebrated the groundbreaking in January of 2016 and occupied the new sanctuary in September of 2017. The new sanctuary includes a modern kitchen, fellowship hall, multimedia room, classrooms, nursery, and conference room. 

Pastor Speights has served in various leadership roles within the religious community in Northern Virginia. He has served as the President of the Baptist Ministers’ Conference of Northern Virginia and vicinity and President of the Baptist Ministers, Deacons, and Laymen’s Union of Northern Virginia. He is currently a member of the Northern Virginia Baptist Association Inc. and the Hampton, Virginia Minister’s Conference.

Pastor Speights has achieved several educational goals to include an Associate of Science in Electronics Technology from Gavilan Community College, Gilroy California; Bachelor of Arts and Masters of Science in Management from National Louis University, Evanston, Illinois; Master of Science in Information Technology Management from Colorado Technical University, Colorado Springs Colorado; and a Master’s of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary, Newburgh, Indiana. Pastor Speights was awarded his Doctor of Religious Studies in July of 2019 from Trinity College of the Bible and Theological Seminary.

First Lady Rubbie Speights labors diligently by his side, assisting him in the vision that God has given him to give to His people. First Lady Rubbie Speights is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Park University and a Master of Education degree from George Mason University.

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  "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, since you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord"...(I Corinthians 15:58)