Stephen Christian

Stephen Christian Arnold, born in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is an American singer, songwriter, and pastor. He is widely recognized as the lead vocalist for the alternative rock band Anberlin and the acoustic side-project Anchor & Braille. Christian’s musical journey began during his high school years in Winter Haven, Florida, where he formed the punk band SaGoh 24/7 with bandmates Deon Rexroat and Joseph Milligan. This group eventually evolved into Anberlin in 2002. Under Christian’s lead vocals and songwriting contributions, Anberlin released seven studio albums before their initial disbandment in 2014. These albums, including “Blueprints for the Black Market,” “Never Take Friendship Personal,” “Cities,” and “Vital,” achieved significant chart presence, with many peaking in the top ten on various Billboard charts. Christian also founded the non-profit organization Faceless International and Wood Water Records, an independent label.

In addition to his work with Anberlin, Christian launched his solo acoustic project, Anchor & Braille, in 2007. Their debut album, “Felt,” was released in 2009 and reached number 30 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. He continued this project with “The Quiet Life” in 2012, an album lauded by critics for its personal songwriting. Post-Anberlin’s initial farewell tour in 2014, Christian pursued a new path, serving as the director of worship at Calvary Chapel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He later assumed the role of director of worship and creative arts at Calvary Church in Clearwater, Florida, in January 2019, and subsequently became the campus pastor for Grace Family Church’s South Tampa Campus in August 2019. Despite these transitions into ministry, Anberlin formally reunited in 2019, confirming his continued engagement with music. His career demonstrates a breadth of work spanning music, non-profit initiatives, and religious leadership.

Christian is also an author, having self-published the memoir “The Orphaned Anything’s” in 2008. He graduated from the University of Central Florida and the Florida State University College of Law with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, initially intending to work for organizations like Habitat for Humanity or UNICEF before Anberlin secured a record deal shortly after his graduation. Throughout his career, Christian has also collaborated with various artists, including featuring as a vocalist on tracks by Craig Owens, Hyland, Fireflight, and Zakk Cash.