Brister Ware is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. and a son of First Presbyterian Church. He graduated from Belhaven College, and earned his Master of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary.

After seminary, Brister  served as campus minister at the University of Southern Mississippi.  Subsequently, he was pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, MS, Carolina Presbyterian Church, Madison, MS, Lookout Valley Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, TN, and North Park Presbyterian Church, Jackson, MS.

 In1983, Brister came to First Pres as Minister of Pastoral Care. He and his wife, Marian, have two children, Clarke Brister and Evelyn Elizabeth, and two grandchildren.