Answer by taking a quote from the following article:

Ministry is an American industrial metal band, founded in 1981 by Al Jourgensen in Chicago, Illinois. Originally a synth-pop outfit, Ministry shifted its style to become one of the pioneers of industrial metal in the mid-to-late 1980s. The band's lineup has gone through many changes throughout its history, with Jourgensen remaining the only constant as the band's main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. Notable musicians who have contributed to the band's studio or live activities include Paul Barker, Martin Atkins, Bill Rieflin, Chris Connelly, Nivek Ogre, Mike Scaccia, Rey Washam, Paul Raven, Tommy Victor, Jason Christopher, Tony Campos, Burton C. Bell and DJ Swamp.

Ministry's origins date to 1978, when Al Jourgensen went from Denver to Chicago, in order to study in University of Illinois. Jourgensen was introduced to the local underground scene by his then-girlfriend Shannon Rose Riley, and soon after joined a post-punk/new wave band Special Affect, replacing Tom Hoffman on a guitar and accompanying to vocalist Frank Nardiello (Groovie Mann of My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult), drummer Harry Rushakoff (Concrete Blonde) and bassist Marty Sorenson. Following Special Affect's split, Jourgensen formed The Carmichaels, the short-lived band which featured Ben Krug, Tom Krug and Tom Wall (all of The Imports), and did numerous shows, including the one performed on April 30, 1981 with the local experimental band ONO as an opening act.  In this time Jourgensen had also met Jim Nash and Danny Flesher, the co-founders and the co-owners of the indie record label Wax Trax! Records who recommended him as a touring guitarist for a drag performer Divine. After playing a few concerts with the latter, Jourgensen--then living within an African-American neighborhood--had begun to write and record the songs in his apartment, using a newly-bought ARP Omni synthesizer, a drum machine, and a reel-to-reel tape recorder. At one point, he had presented a demo to Jim Nash, who had favored it and offered Jourgensen to record a single, as well as to form a touring band, certainly titled Ministry.  The first line-up of Ministry, assembled by Jourgensen, consisted of keyboardists Robert Roberts and John Davis, bassist Sorenson, and drummer Stephen George; initially, Jourgensen didn't want to perform vocals, but embarked on after he had auditioned twelve singers "who all sucked." Nash had paid a recording session for the band at Hedden West studios, with the help of an English-born sound engineer Iain Burgess. According to former Dead Kennedys singer and Alternative Tentacles owner Jello Biafra, Ministry's debut record was intended to be seven-inch single featuring the song "Overkill" with B-side "I'm Falling"; eventually, a twelve-inch single with "I'm Falling" and instrumental track "Primental" on A-side, backed with song "Cold Life" on B-side, came out in late 1981 on Wax Trax! in the US. In March of the following year, the single was licensed by a British label Situation Two, with "Cold Life" as A-side.  Ministry had performed their debut concert on the New Year Eve of 1982 in a Chicago-based club Misfits, and commenced a tour through the East Coast and the mid-West, supporting on occasions for the English bands Medium Medium, A Flock of Seagulls, Culture Club, and Depeche Mode. Meanwhile, "I'm Falling / Cold Life" single had found success in the UK and the US, reaching No. 45 in the Billboard Hot Dance/Disco chart with approximately 10,000 copies as of September 1982, and thus scoring Wax Trax!' first hit.

joined a post-punk what?
new wave band Special Affect,