The Dr. John Brock family.
A new season Since 1991, the Brocks have been members of Fellowship Baptist Church in Watertown, WI. Pastor Chad Prigge shared, “Dr. Brock has proven himself to be the embodiment of the Maranatha ideal: a leader in local church ministry. He leads by serving. His life and teaching have consistently emphasized the value of knowing and living God’s Word through difficult and quiet times.” Difficult times came in the spring of 2009, when Judy was diagnosed with Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA), a visual variant of Alzheimer’s disease. As symptoms grew more severe, Brock recognized that “the love of my life was needing me more than I could give” and chose to step from behind his desk for the final time in May 2014 into the role of primary caregiver for his wife of 44 years.
“Watching my dad in each of these roles—as church member, husband, and Christian educator—has challenged me more than all his words put together,” shared Brock’s son, Dr. Bryan Brock, on behalf of himself and two brothers. “The local church is the priority of his life, and his joyful dedication to my mom challenges me to be a godly husband. I directly benefited from dad's work by receiving a world-class education from Maranatha Baptist University, but more importantly, I’ve learned what commitment to a calling looks like.” Developing “Jonathan and David” friendships has been important to Brock, and he takes many memories with him as he leaves. Dr. Larry Oats, colleague for 30 years, appreciates the “iron-sharpening-iron” relationship he and Brock have enjoyed.
“We would work out an academic detail or sort out a theological issue and frequently end up talking about our lives in general,” shared Oats. “At lunch we would talk about our families, beginning with their simultaneous basketball and football careers. Later on we would compare grandchildren stories. Lately it has been talk about how John had been given the gift of caring for his wife. To me, Maranatha is losing a leader, an academic, and an encourager. And I am losing a friend.” Brock’s retirement marks the end of his fortieth year in Christian education and his thirtieth at Maranatha. He looks forward to a new season of opportunity as he and Judy relocate near their children, grandchildren, and extended family in California. “Blessing is around the corner,” says Brock. “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. It is worth it all right now.” The Maranatha Advantage
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