Worship Leader Mack Brock Talks Resigning From Elevation Church to Follow Solo Career
Worship leader Mack Brock walked away from a high profile position at one of the nation's biggest megachurches to follow God's call for his life.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Brock, who led worship at Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, for a decade, describes what it was like for him to resign to embark on a solo music career.
Brock was leading worship and producing albums for Elevation Worship when he felt God was leading him elsewhere and he was obedient.
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The new Capitol CMG recording artist released his first-ever solo studio project, Greater Things, on Sept. 14. The nine-track album is a collection of songs Brock penned that were all inspired by God's faithfulness during life's most challenging of seasons.
His single, "Into Dust," was inspired by New York Times best-selling author Lysa Terkeurst and her openness while dealing publicly with her husband's infidelity.
Below is an edited transcript of Brock's interview with CP where he details why he decided to resign from Elevation Church and follow God's lead even though it was difficult.
CP: How has life changed since you parted ways with Elevation Church to follow your calling?
Brock: The biggest change has been the day-by-day, step-by-step journey into unknown territory. Every part of my schedule these days feels new and uncharted for me, so learning how to navigate that has been an adjustment and sometimes scary. But at the same time, it's been a blessing. This journey has pushed me and my wife to walk by faith in a way, like we hadn't in a while, and really experience God's confirmation and voice.
CP: What was the hardest part of leaving Elevation for you?
Brock: We really, really loved what we were a part of at Elevation Worship. I loved the people that I had the opportunity to serve with every day. I loved the songs we were writing, I loved our community. So stepping away from that was, and in some ways still is, difficult. One of the things we've learned in this new journey is that obedience doesn't remove the difficulty, but God's grace and peace will fight against those feelings if you'll hold tight to his Word and seek his presence.
CP: What advice do you have for others when they feel led to take a leap of faith but are afraid to walk in obedience because of the anonymity of it all?
Brock: PRAY! We prayed so much when we first felt like God was asking us if we'd be willing to walk away. We fasted, we sought wisdom from people we trusted, and we walked it out slowly. We made sure that nothing about our decision was based on emotion or feelings, which is easy to do when you're in ministry and you get hit with a conflict, or you're dealing with a difficult person, or you're just tired. Our emotions can be liars and you really have to remove them from the equation when trying to hear from God.
CP: What was it about Lysa Terkeurst's story that compelled you to write a song around it on your new album?
Brock: Lysa's vulnerability to share her story in the MIDDLE of the journey was really inspiring. So many times we hear the story from the other side when everything has worked out perfectly and we can give a praise report. It's very hard to be open and honest with people when you're in the trenches and you're not sure what the outcome will look like. And yet, that's where we are all living in some ways. We all have battles we're facing right now, in this moment. And it's encouraging to hear that you're not alone in the fight.
CP: What major theme or lesson is God showing you in this season?
Brock: He is faithful. It's one of those things you grow up hearing, and you say all the time, so it can almost lose its power. But He is. His sovereignty is perfect and we can trust His intentions with every action in our lives. He's proven that to my family over-and-over again in this season. We've been super grateful for that.
CP: Talk about the perks and challenges of now being a solo artist.
Brock: I was very nervous about doing a solo worship project because I love teams. I love collaboration and bouncing ideas off other people to spark creativity in songwriting, in production, in artwork. So I wasn't looking forward to all of that resting on me, by myself. But the truth is, I haven't really been alone. I make the final call (and the final decision ultimately rests on me), but I'm surrounded by so many people that help make these songs what they are. The teamwork part of what I do hasn't been lost, which was a nice surprise.
CP: What's your mission with this album, Greater Things?
Brock: I'd say the underlying theme throughout the album is that we are loved and that we are not alone. There is a God. The same God that created the universe, the same God that exchanged His son for us, the same God that rose from the dead, who loves us passionately and wants the very best for us — He is with you now in this very moment and he's fighting on your behalf for what's best for you.
Brock is on the "Heaven Tour" alongside Mosaic MSC and Cody Carnes. For more information on the singer, visit Mack Brock.com.