Why Missions?
Rev Dr Howard Sands
OVERVIEW
Since the mandate of the church given by Jesus to the disciples just prior to the ascension until the present day, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ has sought to make disciples
of all nations. How, where and by what methods has been the source of controversy, argument and even dissension for over 2 millennia. Yet one thing remains constant in all that, the call of Christ to take the gospel to those who have not yet embraced it and make disciples.
The Beautiful Feet Lecture is designed for Bible and Theological colleges, training schools and learning institutions of various types to both unravel the intent of the great commission and provide inspiration, motivation and practical application of ways in which students of the Word may apply it to their life and ministry both currently and in the future as their ministries develop.
BACKGROUND
Founder and international director of Beautiful Feet Task Force (BFTF), Rev. Dr. Howard Sands is renowned for his passionate enthusiasm for and involvement in the great commission, his practical life examples and humorous approach to teaching and training which helps his listeners to comprehend and assimilate the teaching into their life.
Howard completed his initial training at Life Ministry Bible College, Melbourne in 1976 with a passion to serve God and was quickly absorbed into the ministry at his local church in Mildura, Vic. Australia. He commenced the ministry of BFTF in 1980 and began training young men and women in evangelism and personal victory. Over the years since then through various business endeavours and ministry roles he has gained:-
LUATC II Honours from Life Underwriters Association Australia,
Bachelor Business, majors in Management & Marketing from Charles Sturt University,
Advanced Diploma in Ministry from Hope College, Gold Coast.
Cert IV Training and Assessment from National Training Masters.
Doctor of Divinity (Hon) from Good News International University for 35 years of missions work in evangelism & leadership training for pastors, leaders and church planters.
He has been pioneer pastor of two churches in Australia and through evangelism been instrumental in the planting of about 20 overseas, been a part of the commencing and running of 4 Bible training institutes in Australia in addition to the work of BFTF.
The work of BFTF over the years has encompassed every continent, Howard has won thousands to Christ through crusades, outreaches and personal evangelism, trained thousands in leadership development, church planting & personal victory, his passion remains the strengthening of the local church as the most significant & useful long term method of fulfilling the great commission & establishing the Kingdom of God on earth according to Jesus last command.
THE LECTURE
Designed for Biblical training institutes, this lecture is for all students, not just those pursuing a course in evangelism or ministry. It puts an eternal perspective into all further study in any course, enabling the student to keep a ministry perspective in all pursuits. Various lengths are available based on your course program, student body size and curricula requirements. Options include:-
- 'Why Missions', a 2 hour overview,
- 'Why Missions' overview, plus 'The Unreached' interactive, total 4 hour
- plus optional additional seminars. (see further details in Additional Seminars).
Why Missions - World Overview - 2 hours
The call, the history of world missions in a nutshell, world population growth and the challenge of unreached people groups. Students will be challenged to see whatever their calling and ministry is, as a function of The Great Commission and attribute kingdom eternal value to their ministry whether pastoral, accounting, cleaning or business. Includes video excerpts from various BFTF missions in India and Africa.
Why missions - World Overview + The Unreached Interactive, 4hour
Includes the above, plus a detailed look at unreached people groups of the world and the opportunities presented by modern travel and technology. A focal point of this lecture is an interactive discussion around ways to engage the church in the challenge of reaching the lost with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. What constitutes a reached community?
Winning the lost in the following sectors;
1/ the non believers in the reached communities.
2/ the non believers in sectors of the world where the church exists but some communities have not engaged with it.
3/ the non believers in areas where there is no church.
The objective being to both inspire students to some engagement in some non believer segment (including developing personal goals towards actualising the great commission) plus brainstorm ideas for church mission engagement in an unbeliever sector.
LOCATION
Bible, Theological and Ministry Colleges and training institutes within Australia at your location.
COST
Howard is willing to travel to your location and does not set a fee for this ministry, rather you should consider that the ministry of BFTF is a faith one and regularly undertakes missions in developing nations which cannot pay much or even anything towards the ministry of BFTF and that ministry is funded by the sponsors, donors and well wishes that appreciate the work being done. Churches and colleges wishing to engage Howard should consider the costs associated with the amount of time involved (including travel time) and costs of travel and accommodation etc and make an appropriate donation to the ministry of BFTF to assist in covering the costs of your event and whatever else may be above that will be used for international outreach and teaching missions in the fields where BFTF is engaged. Howard is not employed by BFTF and receives no salary, stipend or fees from BFTF. Rather he maintains his own personal income requirement from consulting.
TIMING
It is preferred to arrange the Beautiful Feet Lecture on a Friday, Saturday or Monday alongside weekend ministry in your area.
ADDITIONAL SEMINARS
You may be interested to tap into other areas of Howard's expertise while in your college and have him to present to your students or your church one of his additional seminars.
Seminars available:-
*Understanding the Whole Man, (spirit, soul and body)
*Christ in the Tabernacle, (applications for the Christian life)
*Your Kingdom Come, (a fresh look at both praying, being & living the Lord's Prayer)
*Understanding Motivational Gifts, (understand personality motivation drivers of you, your team & others, guiding your team in their calling to help you & others in ministry fulfilment)
*Personal Evangelism, (the Why and How of soul winning in personal evangelism).
*Being a Son, (what being a son of God really is and involves, pedagogues, adoption, sonship, and more)
*Transforming Truths, (new creation realities, believers priesthood & authority, righteousness, appropriating victorious living)
*Things that are freely given to us of God, (understanding the things that were completed in us at Calvary and learning how to live in them).
The Person God Uses, (understanding of how God chooses and uses people for his purposes, making ourselves fit for the Masters use).
Each seminar requires approx 6 hours of teaching time and is best absorbed over 2 or 3 days in 2 hours lessons (each with a short intermission). Each student receives a BFTF workbook with key notes, scriptures and illustrations and space to write their own notes.
OTHER OPTIONS
Mission trips
Change your life and that of your church in just a few weeks. BFTF is usually opening a mission trip each year to mature Christian participants, these may include visits to the Indian sub continent, Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands. These vary from mass crusades, local church outreaches and local
services, combined church healing services, ministers training and conferences. Participants get to be involved based on their actual skills. A great opportunity for senior ministers or youth leaders to bring a few key people along for a first hand look at the mission field, be practically involved and transformed by the process. Trips are usually between 2 & 4 weeks duration.
Stay connected by following BFTF on Facebook and subscribing to the email prayer partners newsletter.
Recent Team Trips
West Africa, 4 nations - April/May 2017
India, Malaysia - July 2017
Malawi, Zambia, South Africa - Nov 2018
Tanzania, Burundi, Zambia - July 2019
South Africa, Tanzania - Nov 2019
Post Publication additions
Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda - May 2023
Ethiopia, Kenya - May 2024
South Africa, Eswatini, Zimbabwe -April 2025
Dominican Republic, Columbia, USA -Aug 2025
Register here for news of coming team trips.
Local church ministry
Howard's ministry is ideal for local churches, his ministry is word rich, deep, challenging and inspirational, sometimes humorous, illustrated with practical examples and stories and engaging members to new levels of commitment to the Kingdom. He is always focussed on lifting people to a higher level in their fellowship with God.
Local combined church outreach programs
Howard has a very deep passion to see churches working together to reveal the unity of the body of Christ to the world (John 17) and achieve more. To this end he has participated in and initiated ministers gatherings, prayer meetings and joint participation events in many nations including Australia. He ministers with an understanding and anointing of the Holy Spirit; gifts of the Spirit, healings and miracles are often evidenced.
How BFTF Programs and Outreaches are Funded
This is a faith ministry, BFTF is funded entirely from the goodwill of those who appreciate the work being undertaken. All gifts, donations, seminar fees, sales, gratuities etc from; The Beautiful Feet Lecture,
Church ministry or seminars,
Materials,
Individual and church donations
is given to BFTF towards its programs; Howard donates his time to BFTF and receives a reimbursement of expenses only, the rest is used to finance BFTF programs.
Current programs
*Africa Network BFTF - an online social media networking for ministers concerned with the great commission in Africa. Groups for unity are being developed in 22 nations, over 4500 members (May 2024). Join here http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com
*Annual African ministers training conferences for Africa Network BFTF members+.
*Mass crusades, outreaches and local church ministry presenting the gospel in Asia and Africa and other developing world locations as the Lord leads. Ghana, Benin, Togo, Nigeria April / May 2017,
India, Malaysia July 2017, Tanzania, Burundi, Zambia July 2019,South Africa, Tanzania Nov 2019.
*Church planting/ training workshops/ seminars in developing countries
*Providing water wells in developing nations associated with church planting
*Monthly victory/healing service St Marys, NSW 2760 first Friday each month
*Discipling men in Australia
*Outreaches in Australia.
*Local church ministry and revivals, (Australia & western nations).
Donations
can be made by direct bank deposit to
Beautiful Feet Task Force
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
BSB 062-614. Account # 0094 0442
or by PayPal
Recent international BFTF events
2005 India (ministers training & crusades)
2007 Uganda (youth conference)
2008 Singapore (rehab centre ministry)
2008 Tanzania, (church ministry) Kenya (outreach crusade) & Uganda (youth conference)
2012 Tanzania, (crusade, water well opening) Kenya, Uganda (Ps conferences all 3 nations)
2013 United Arab Emirates, (church ministry)
2013 Kenya (water well opening, church leadership training, crusade)
2014 Kenya (keynote @ believers convention)
2014 India stage 1 (village ministry), stage 2 (city churches), stage 3 (pastors training), stage 4 (leadership & church planters training).
2015 UK (churches and healing services)
2015 Ghana (keynote @ Apostolic Leadership Summit)
2015 Cameroon (keynote @Dr Bernard Etta's 40th Anniversary Global Convocation)
2015 South Africa, keynote @Cape Town, (Kingdom Advancement Leadership Summit)
2015 South Africa, keynote @ Durban (Leading Without Limits)
2016 Kenya, churches in Nairobi slums, crusade, keynote @ Busia, (Champions of Destiny), launch Africa Network Bible College
2016 Uganda, 4 pastors training seminars.
Added since blog originally posted
2017 West Africa, Ghana, Apostolic Leadership Summit,
Togo, Feast of Good News
Benin, Apostolic Leadership Summit
Nigeria, Empowered ministers International Conference
India, South India Assemblies of God National Conference
India, Maranatha Full Gospel Assoc. Annual pastors conference
Malaysia, Global Harvest Assembly
2018 Central & Southern Africa.
National Pastors Unity Conference, Blantyre, Malawi,
7 day crusade, Lusaka, Zambia
Greater Glory Ministers unity conference, Lusaka, Zambia,
Believers Tent Conference, Wellington, Capetown, S. Africa
2019 Africa
Tanzania,
Ministers Conference, Dar es Salaam
Outreach Crusade, Central Tanzania,
Crusade, Kigoma, Western Tanzania,
Leadership Training, Kigoma, Western Tanzania
Burundi,
Ministers Training, South Western Burundi
Zambia,
Ministers Conference and mass ordination service, Heroes Stadium, Lusaka.
South Africa
Revival meeting, pastors meeting, church leadership, NGO leadership, Mokopane.
Tanzania,
Global Faith Coalition, World Congress, Dar es Salaam.
2020 Online
Where to Now? 1-6 July - Dec
Hosted zoom meetings with prominent leaders from every continent.
2023 Africa
Ghana
ministers conference- Kumasi, crusades x4 Kumasi, Kpando region, church ministry- Kumasi, Kpando, Accra.
Ethiopia
leadership training, healing meeting, Addis Ababa
Kenya
World Congress- Nairobi, ministers training-Musembe, church services- Nairobi.
Uganda
Crusade-Busia, ministers training x4 - Busia, Tororo, Jinja, Kampala Bible college lecture- Kampala, church services.
2024 Africa
Ethiopia
outreach crusade, Arba Minch
Kenya
Nairobi - church services
Kajiado - Presbyterian Ministers leadership conference
Kakamega - Outreach crusade and leadership seminar & school visit
Busia - church services, & funeral
Igara - outreach crusade
2025 Africa
South Africa
Johannesburg church service, International Church,
Cape Town, 3 day revival, leadership training
Johannesburg, 3 day revival, leadership training
Johannesburg, 2 day prayer conference
Eswatini
Mbabane, leadership training
Zimbabwe
Bulawayo, denominational Easter Conference
Nations BFTF has ministered in.
Asia
India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, UAE, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia,
Oceana
Fiji, Australia, NZ,
Europe
Romania, UK,
Africa
Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, Benin, Togo, Nigeria, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Burundi, Zambia, Ethiopia,
Americas
USA,
