There’s an unsettling feeling that follows when the role that once defined you suddenly disappears. For Joel Arcieri, StoneBridge School Class of 2009, that time came when he stepped away from ministry — and with it, the title of “pastor” that had shaped his identity for years. What followed was a season marked by depression and anxiety, a time when his faith was tested.
Yet in that wilderness season, Joel grounded himself in God’s Word and Christian fellowship, patterns that were planted during his years at StoneBridge. The Psalms and the book of Isaiah became steady companions, and within his local church, he found wise counsel and renewed strength.
What first felt like the end of the road became something far more profound — the beginning of a new journey. Now navigating the challenges of corporate America as Director of Communications at NTT Data, Joel has discovered that faith shines brightest not when life is steady, but when the ground beneath us shifts. His story is one of resilience and the truth that God’s plans often begin where ours seem to end.
“As a pastor, I operated on that side of the pulpit long enough to see the bubble that many pastors and Christians put themselves in,” Joel said. “Now, in my corporate job, I see the reality – so many people are just as lost and hurting but don’t have anyone to help them. Being on the other side of the pulpit has given me more opportunities for evangelism through close work relationships, community engagement, and more. I’ve been able to have gospel conversations with people I coach in the corporate world that I never would have been able to if I was still a pastor.”
After graduating from StoneBridge, Joel earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Christopher Newport University and then his master’s in psychology from Liberty University. For Joel, the transition from StoneBridge to a secular college marked a defining crossroads in his spiritual journey. The foundation laid at StoneBridge gave him the grounding he needed, but stepping beyond the familiar Christian environment forced him to own his faith in a new way.
“It was during my time in college that I truly found my identity in Christ,” Joel said.
No longer surrounded by a Christian bubble, he discovered what it meant to walk authentically with Christ in the midst of the world, not apart from it. That experience reshaped his understanding of holiness—not as a polished image of “churchiness,” but as a genuine pursuit of Christlikeness in every facet of life.
For Joel, there have been quite a few facets of life: employee, former Crossfit coach, singer/songwriter with The Grace Collective, author. But he says the most important roles he plays are husband and dad.
“For me, everything boils down to the kingdom that God has given me – my family,” he said. “God has called me to steward the hearts of my children and to cultivate the faith of my wife. Everyone who knows me, knows that this is what I care about most. Then comes community and work, but no amount of published books or streams on Spotify will ever distract me from the greatest blessing of all, the family that the Lord has entrusted to me.”
Joel and his wife, Joanna, have three children – Lucy, Norah, and Edmund.
As an author of two books written under his name J. Conwell, his most recent being the children’s book, The Boy in the Tree: When Weak is Okay, Joel attributes these accomplishments to God.
“It’s taken me till my 30s to really see the gifts and resources entrusted to me by God as significant as they are,” he said. “When you’re in your 20s you don’t really get the impact, but now I do. I try to ensure that I model generosity for my kids – we’ve given away cars, play sets, and more – as well as use the talents that God has given me as a writer to plant seeds, such as a children’s book and worship albums – for the Holy Spirit to water.”
For Joel, servanthood can happen anywhere, even in a CrossFit gym. Though the demands of his full-time job meant giving up ownership of his gym, Joel continues to coach at another gym, finding that some of the most meaningful ministry happens between workouts and water breaks. In moments of simple sacrifice he’s witnessed hearts begin to heal and lives lifted from anxiety and depression. Through these small, faithful acts, Joel reflects the quiet strength of Christlike service: showing up, giving freely, and letting the love of God speak through ordinary moments that become anything but.
From singing the National Anthem alongside his dad on senior night to the adventures of freshman-year at Rockbridge—where he would one day meet his future wife in college—Joel’s memories of StoneBridge are woven with joy, community, and purpose.
Yet beyond the treasured moments, it was the deeper lessons that shaped him most. Teachers like Mr. Nick Higgins – whom he recently reconnected with since they live near each other – impressed truths that have guided Joel for decades. “Whatever you spend your money on will tell me where your heart is,” are words that have stuck with him.
And while the famed StoneBridge senior thesis sharpened his intellect, it was the school’s emphasis on thinking critically and communicating clearly that proved most invaluable. Those skills became the cornerstone of his success—from navigating academia and ministry to leading today as a high-level communications director. Through it all, the foundation laid at StoneBridge continues to inform not just his career, but his calling.
