SPRINGFIELD – The Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) Resound Network hosted a dinner in conjunction with the MBC annual meeting, Oct. 23, to celebrate hope for renewing and equipping churches across the state.
“Our goal is to spread hope among pastors and church leaders through celebrating what God has been doing in our state and looking forward to what God has next for our work together in Resound Network,” Brandon Moore, director of the network, said.
During the dinner, the Resound Network:
• Gave “Renew & Resound Awards” recognizing pastors and churches that have experienced renewal: 1) Randy Conn, pastor of First Baptist Church, Delta, received an award for church revitalization because of the work he has done in leading his own church; 2) Rodney Rambo and Brian Simmons of Rooted Church, Carl Junction, for the successful merger of First Baptist Church, Carl Junction, and Rooted Church; 3) George Lakotos of Grace Community Church, Smithville, for the church’s successful adoption of Trimble Baptist Church.
• Launched the Resounding Leaders branch of the network, which focuses “on addressing the major gaps in leadership across our convention from pastorless churches to the need for more lay leaders among our churches.”
• Shared about a new collaboration with the MBC’s Making Disciples group, which will become the Resounding Disciples branch of the network.
MBC’s Moore appointed as NAMB replant strategist
During the Resound Network dinner, Resound Network co-director Brandon Moore spoke with hope about the future of the network and the ministry it will foster in days ahead. Moore has been appointed as the new replant strategist for the replant team at the North American Mission Board.
Moore began his new role with NAMB on Oct. 16, but he is remaining as a transitional director of the Resound Network until the end of 2023.
John Vernon, director of missions for the Cape Girardeau Baptist Association, serves with Moore as co-director of the Resound Network. The network began as a ministry of the MBC’s Developing Leaders group, led by Developing Leaders director Jim Misloski, though it is growing to involve other MBC ministry groups.
Misloski announced Moore’s departure, Oct. 9, in an email to MBC staff.
“Brandon has done a remarkable amount of work during his fruitful tenure with the Missouri Baptist Convention,” Misloski wrote. “He transformed the newly formed Missouri Baptist Revitalization Network into the Resound Network and started a movement of renewed churches resounding for the glory of God.
“Early on, the Resound Network committed to making renewal assistance accessible to every MBC church,” he said. “The network launched with six zones and six zone catalysts. The network now has 12 zones and nine zone catalysts. Each catalyst is building a zone team, and the network is on track to see all twelve zones fully staffed in the near future. While a Resound Catalyst doesn’t have to be an associational leader, all but one of the current catalysts also serve as directors of missions. This is a testament to the synergistic commitment to engage all levels of Baptist life in our mission.”
Though Moore is departing from the MBC at the end of the year, the Resound Network continues to grow through the synergy between the MBC’s three ministry groups – namely the Developing Leaders, Multiplying Churches and Making Disciples groups.
“Under Brandon’s leadership,” Misloski said, “the network has grown into two branches known as Resounding Churches and Resounding Leaders. Recently, the Resound Network took its first step as a shared network among the three ministry groups when Brandon assisted the Making Disciples Group in facilitating the first workshop for Resounding Disciples.
“This new branch of the network is being led by Brent Longenecker in the Making Disciples Group. This is the third branch of the network, and there are plans for a fourth branch in the Multiplying Churches group. Not only has Brandon developed the network, but he has given us a tangible example of what synergistic collaboration can look like within our ministry groups.”
In a message to his colleagues at the MBC, Moore expressed gratitude for the way God has blessed the network.
“I have incredible confidence in God’s plans for the future of the network and the work of church renewal throughout Missouri,” he wrote. “The beauty of the work God has been doing through the Resound Network is it’s never been built on any one person, but instead, we have seen God raise up and multiply so many godly, skilled, and sacrificial leaders across our state.”
Moore also praised God for the opportunity to partner with Missouri Baptists: “Working with amazing associational and local church leaders across Missouri as well as our awesome MBC team to come alongside churches for God’s glory and the good of communities has been one of the greatest privileges of my life,” he said.
To learn more about the Resound Network, visit https://resoundnetwork.com/.