Joyce Branch Mills grew up in the Kashmere Gardens Area. Her parents are the late Walter Branch, Jr., and Minnie Ola Branch. She attended Houston Independent School District’s public schools. Joyce was also a cheerleader at Key Jr. High and graduated from Kashmere Sr. High in 1972. Joyce was ranked in the top 10 percent of her class and was a member of the National Honor Society. She was the first runner up to Miss Kashmere the 1971/1972 school year.
Joyce attended University of Houston but graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where she earned a degree in Advanced Theology and a Master of Arts degree in Christian Education. As a seasoned preacher, she accepted her call to ministry in 1994 under the leadership of Pastor Ralph Douglas West Sr. at The Church Without Walls where she is a founding member. She has also earned a certification in Hermeneutics and Homiletic from Georgetown College and completed a two-year Preaching Intensive at Truett Seminary on the Campus of Baylor University.
Joyce Branch Mills is a dynamic speaker, facilitator, and preacher for workshops, retreats and conferences for both Women and Singles Ministries. She has preached and facilitated in various venues and conferences such as the National Single Adult Conference, the African American National Single’s Conference, Black Church Week in Ridgecrest North Carolina, and a revivalist in Dallas, TX. She has been a Resident Fellow at B. H. Carroll Theological Institute where she taught and coordinated classes for their Houston campus. She worked eight and half years for American General Life Insurance Company, twelve years for Continental Airlines and thirteen years as a staff minister for The Church Without Walls. Joyce has been an English/Language Arts teacher for Houston Independent School District at Key MS.
In October, Joyce was presented The 2021 Iconic Woman Award by Fresh Spirit Wellness. In 2017, she organized J.B.M. Ministries. She served as a Spiritual Advisor to a little league football team and cheerleader parent group. Under J.B.M. Ministries, she funds Thanksgiving meals for families in need and offers grief care to families experiencing loss. Gods calling has directed her to lead a weekly Bible study and to one day focus on Bikers and to plant a church. She has spent 3 years in preparation for her church plant through a cohort training through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and an intensive two year Preaching Plus Cohort through George W. Truett Seminary.
Joyce was married to Robert Mills Jr., and they are the parents of two daughters, Dioncqua Mills Storey and DeAndrea Mills Andrus. She has seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Joyce is honored and most appreciative to be recognized as a Kashmere Former Athlete Association Ring of Honor inductee.