Multiplatinum singer-songwriter Mack Brock has been a husband for 18 years and a dad for 12, and he’s in his fourth year of foster parenting. His family and his professional music career are important areas of his life. But there is one area that he feels is most important.
“I consider myself a worship leader before anything else, so I want to write songs that glorify God and point people to Jesus.
“Sometimes those songs will be exaltation songs that are just all about who He is and all for His glory. Sometimes they’re going to be about what God has done in my life; this is what I’m grateful for. And then sometimes they are going to be songs about faith; this is what I’m believing God for.
“But all of my songs tell that story and point back to Jesus — either who He is, what He’s done or what we’re believing He can do,” Brock said.
Not only is Brock in full-time ministry, but he is also surrounded by it. He grew up a “preacher’s kid” with his father, Don Brock, serving as the senior pastor of Gateway Baptist Church in Irmo, South Carolina. His wife, Meredith Brock, is the CEO of Proverbs 31 Ministries.
One goal of his music is to “relive all the times God has shown up.”
Stepping out in faith
When he and his wife felt led to move to Charlotte, North Carolina, on the surface it didn’t make sense. Logically, there were more cons than pros concerning the decision.
“[But] every time that we’ve stepped out in that obedience and we’ve stepped out in faith, the Lord has shown up and honored it in a unique and powerful way,” he said.
He became part of a church — Elevation Church, with locations in North and South Carolina. It began to make sense why God wanted them there.
Then it happened again. He and his wife felt led to leave Elevation. Once again they chose obedience even though the logical decision was to stay.
“He’s shown up in every season,” he said.
The latest season of his life includes foster parenting. His wife had always wanted to become a foster parent but the idea scared Brock, thinking it was “too chaotic, too heartbreaking and too much.”
Heart for fostering
However, he decided to take it slowly and reluctantly took foster parenting classes and read books. It was literally one step at a time, but eventually he got a heart for the need, and a little one nicknamed “Z” was placed in their family.
Though he loves being a foster dad now, he admits that it’s not easy.
“Raising kids in general is hard, whether they are bio kids or foster kids who come from trauma. It is a hard thing, but there’s such a need for it. There’s such a blessing that comes out of it. Z is a part of our family, and we can’t imagine what our lives would be without him,” Brock said.
Brock was surprised to learn that it’s important to know one’s own limits. If a call comes saying a child needs placement but something isn’t right for the foster family, it’s okay to not take him or her.
It’s also all right to have preferences on age, gender or special needs. Brock’s family wanted to keep the birth order in their family so they only take children younger than their biological children.
A strength of foster parenting that Brock saw at first was the support system. When Z was placed with them, the foster parenting community showered them with diapers, bottles and other needed items.
This newest change in his life is reflected in his songwriting.
Adopted by Christ
“Being his dad is a part of what the Lord is doing in my life now. I have written tangible songs about adoption and about us being adopted by Christ. I don’t write songs that might be specific to that as often as I write songs about what the Lord is teaching me in a season, like His grace and His mercy. That, for sure, has come out of being a foster dad.
“That also comes out of just being a dad and the chaos that comes with parenthood — all the scary things and all of the positive things. God really makes Himself evident in that process,” Brock said with a laugh.
As much as Brock loves the life God has given him, there are times it’s been really difficult, like when he was part of the church staff.
Stating that “Sunday is always coming,” Brock has had times when he felt like he was getting close to burnout. He adjusted the amount of time devoted to ministry and raised up leaders who could take over some of his responsibilities.
Through the years and all he’s lived through, Brock knows that God is faithful and can be depended on.
“I’ve seen season after season how the Lord shows up for me when I don’t know what’s best.
“As a musician I don’t know what next year will be or what the next two years will be, so I rely on Jesus. I have to depend on Him to show up and continue to show up.
“He always does. He’s never let us down. He’s never left us. But it is a constant dependence on Him.”
To learn more about Brock and his latest releases, go to www.mackbrock.com.
