GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth Chapman, offer a candid portrait of marriage, faith and resilience in their new book, “Still Here,” drawing on more than four decades of shared life marked by music, ministry and honesty.
The Chapmans, who have been a fixture in contemporary Christian music, wrote “Still Here” not as a manual of perfection but as an account of perseverance.
“We kept saying no,” Steven explained, describing years of reluctance before deciding to write about their life together. What finally moved them, he said, was the desire to “share some of our just honest story” — including the imperfections and the moments that required grit and grace.
At the heart of their public life is the enduring hymn of commitment that helped make them a household name across among Christian couples: “I Will Be Here.” Written in the wake of Chapman’s parents’ divorce, the ballad became for the couple both a personal vow and a ministry touchstone.
“I wrote it for Mary Beth,” Chapman said. “No matter what happens, I want it out there as much as I can, that this is my commitment.” The song has since become a staple at weddings and has ministered to countless couples, he said, in ways the couple never anticipated.
The Chapmans’ story in “Still Here” is framed by faith as a steady, often weathered anchor. Mary Beth emphasized the book’s central theme: “bearing with one another in love.” That posture, she said, stands in contrast to a culture she believes often elevates self-interest over sacrificial love.
“We are sinners who married sinners,” she said. The honesty in that admission, she hopes, will free readers to seek humility, help and healing rather than hide their struggles under a performance of spiritual success.
Their faith is not presented as a simple fix. Both Chapmans acknowledged the role of counseling, community and vulnerability in sustaining a marriage. Steven noted how religious communities and self-help can sometimes foster shame when couples fall short of idealized standards.
“A lot of what counseling and marriage books did to us (was) set up this cycle of pretending or shame,” he said. The couple wants their book to encourage a different response: confession, support and the courage to keep showing up for one another.
The Chapmans’ story is also one of creative ministry. Steven traced how the rupture of his parents’ marriage shaped his songwriting and ultimately led to the creation of a song that ministers out of brokenness.
“Out of our brokenness, one of the things that has impacted more marriages than I could have ever imagined,” he said.
“Still Here” also speaks to evolving cultural attitudes about vulnerability. The Chapmans said they saw a shift toward openness around mental health and relational honesty, which they hope will make their message resonate with a generation more willing to name weakness and seek help. Steven said the church has not always handled mental health well, but he added that honesty and support can be part of faithful living: “Can we still trust him, even with that? And be honest enough to say, ‘Man, I’m just really struggling?’ ”
Steven’s music career remains an active platform for their message. He described upcoming releases and collaborations that bridge language and generational divides — from a Spanish-English duet of his song “Cinderella” to an instrumental wedding version of “I Will Be Here.” He also mentioned collaborations with younger artists and plans to take the “Speechless” tour on the road again this fall.
Their willingness to be frank about failure is a recurring thread in “Still Here.” They reject the idea of offering a tidy blueprint for marriage.
“The book would be called ‘How Not To Do It Well’,” Steven joked. Instead, they present an invitation to perseverance: to keep saying yes to vows, to seek help when needed, and to make daily, sometimes imperfect choices that reflect love and faithfulness.
“Still Here” is aimed at couples navigating the messy realities of life and faith. The Chapmans said they hope their narrative will normalize asking for help, lower the stakes of perfection and point toward God’s sustaining grace.
“Our prayer was, as we wound the book down that through all the ups and downs, that we are still here, and it is by the grace of God that we are still here and together,” Mary Beth said.
“Still Here” is available from B&H Publishing. Steven’s newest song “Cinderella (En Español)” with Miel San Marcos is available through music retail outlets.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In