Africa Network BFTF membership website for all ministries interested in Africa, now has a translator into over 100 languages.
Sign UP Here https://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com
Every one of more than 15,000 pages of people, information, free resources, research, sermon outlines, training, photos, videos, discussions, national unity groups, special interest groups etc.
Useful for:-
Sign UP here https://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com/
Will you join us in the quest for African Christian unity and maturity?
Sign Up below.
Over 3500 ministers from most African countries and others from many denominations seek your fellowship and co-operation for unity to develop maturity, harmony and revival across Africa.
Whatever type of ministry you are in, if this is something you can get involved in join the cause, become a member at Africa Network BFTF, free today.
Click this link http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com/
Sign Up, Fill in your details and have your say, access heaps of resources and training (much of it free) and share yours. Together we can make a difference.
WIN Howard Sands' new book Crusade-Seminar Manual.
Africa Network BFTF invitation competition.
Policies and procedures for planning and running large scale events, crusades, seminars, events, expo's etc.
With almost 40 years of experience in being part of (speaking, planning, hosting) big events for outreach and leadership training in Australia and developing world countries, Howard Sands brings together the collective wisdom of many organisations to show you the practical steps to take, the timelines to work to, the important considerations for team members and gathering the best fruit from your event to make a Kingdom based, life and community changing event. Join Africa Network BFTF here to enter http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com
Congratulations you made it a week into the new year.
How are your new years resolutions going now?
They are sometimes disappointing but wait - just when you thought this year looks like more of the same you found this ...
Are you looking for something to give you a new EDGE this year?
This could be it.
If you always do what you've always done,
You'll always get what you've always got.
But WAIT ....
Something is happening in Christian Unity in Africa.
It is changing the face of African Christianity, there is a new breed in town, ministers that don't care about their own popularity, promotion and prestige, they are looking for a kingdom that is out of this world and will 'do whatever it takes' to take hold of it and bring it to others.
Join us in this development.
Africa Network BFTF is a non denominational ministers network which welcomes all Christian leaders in any field of Christian ministry, it celebrates its 10th anniversary this month and has over 3200 members from 44 African countries and 50 others nations who share a passion for the gospel in Africa, for church unity and maturity.
They share insights and encouragements on what has moved their ministry, you can access a lot of free resources, trainings and materials plus promote your own resources and events, find speakers/singers for your events and find places to preach if you want to travel.
Be inspired. Inspire others.
In 2018 BFTF conducted outreaches, leaders unity and believers conferences in
Malawi People Find Christ & Ministers Find Unity
Zambia 300+ Saved, Miracles abound, Unity Turns Around Leadership Attitudes
South Africa Exuberant Joy at HIS CHURCH - HIS KINGDOM Conference
and will be conducting several more in other African countries in 2019
Join up to get all the information on how you can be a part of it.
Don’t pray for a better year, Pray for a better you.
Refreshing is invigorating.
"If you want something you haven’t had before,
do something you haven’t done before."
African Christian Leaders, Be Inspired at Africa Network BFTF
Join now free here
http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com
So what is Africa Network BFTF and why should I join?
WHAT IS IT
Africa Network BFTF is an online platform for all those in any leadership position in the church, Christian NGO or entrepreneurial activities focused on winning the lost, maturing the church in Africa and helps by building connections and sharing resources with physical conferences, leadership training, pastors gatherings and prayer times.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the network is to give African church leaders the ability to connect with other leaders and foreign missionaries of various types to assist the delivery of the great commission in Africa.
The plan is to network ministers, ministries and other Christian networks of all kinds interested in the great commission in Africa for mutual benefit and encouragement, establish national groups in all African nations that join together their individual ministries for a common goal of reaching their nation for Christ, building fellowship and prayer networks among leaders where strategic intents for the nation can be discussed and implemented.
Allowing ministers to provide teaching and encouragement to others, those more experienced to share their insights and wisdom with newer ministries. To connect people through their various skills with those looking to utilise such skills.
WHAT IS IT DOING
Africa Network BFTF is building resources to help African Christian churches grow, mature & deliver the Great Commission.
WHO RUNS IT
It is a division of Beautiful Feet Task Force, an international, interdenominational Christian mission organisation focussed on evangelism and bring the church into unity and maturity.
WHAT CAN IT DO FOR AFRICA
As more and more members join from many different types and styles of ministry, from many countries and regions we are able to facilitate more resources into training leaders to be more like Jesus, in ways to mature the church and bring it into greater levels of unity.
We recognise that there are many types of ministry with many different outworkings, doctrines, methodologies etc and yet these differences create a wonderful kaleidoscope of patterns and colours that the Father is using to portray His church to the world.
From Him the whole body is fitted and held together by every supporting ligament. And as each individual part does its work, the body grows and builds itself up in love. Eph 4.16 Berean Study Bible.
Through coming together in times of leaders prayer and fellowship at a local level as well as at special events and BFTF Network Summits and conferences of other groups, the church grows in maturity and develops opportunities to reach out to and positively affect local communities with life changing love and care through the message of Jesus Christ. The overall practical effects of the gospel on Africa is a development of skills, love, peace, joy, resulting in less crime and corruption, less governmental headaches and people wanting to love and serve their communities and nations; this in turn provides a better standard of living and improved interpersonal relationships.
On a spiritual or eternal perspective, this results in growth in the kingdom of God in both numbers and maturity, bringing more sons to birth and populating heaven with new children for the Father.
"...that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." Jesus (John 17.21)
WHAT CAN IT DO FOR YOU
As a leader interested in seeing these things happen through practical Christian outworkings you have the opportunity to meet and mingle both online and in face to face situations with other leaders with similar interests even though you may have never met them and perhaps would not ever meet them in the ordinary course of your life; people from your own area as well as other areas of your nation and internationally. People that you can share your insights with to help them with the skills and revelations that you have become confident in.
The beauty of giving this way is that you can also learn from others, build relationship that will last long term, even to the creating of opportunities for your ministry to spread to other churches, areas and countries.
Now with over 3000 minister members from over 95 countries (including 44 African countries) you can effectively grow your ministry and influence thousands of similarly inclined leaders instantly by sharing your revelations, knowledge, skills and events in a number of ways as outlined below.
WHAT RESOURCES YOU CAN ACCESS
There are many resources on the platform contributed by members as well as official network tools, some of these are:-
Pulpit Rock Training
Online training for using the network (We recommend all members undertake this short 10 minute a day training) and learning the why and how of social networking through other sites.
Make friends
Like other social media sites you can make friends and communicate easily with them.
Access online chat
Live chat box enables you to have live chat with any member online either publicly or privately.
National Groups
Here you can contribute to the discussions about matters of national interest, share your concerns, help others, post information about events that would be of service to others etc.
General Forums
Here you can read others concerns of a general nature and contribute to the discussions as well as adding your own, these are available to the whole network membership.
Blogs
These are places where you can place your teaching, revelations, testimonies, insights, sermons and read what others have to say.
Post Photos and Videos
Similar to other social media sites you can share your media to let people know about what you are involved in or care about.
Groups
Join existing special interest groups or set up your own, create mentor groups or even groups for your own church or denomination ministers etc.
Source Speakers
Find people with just the right skills from over 3000 members to come to your ministry to help you overcome certain issues or take your church to new levels of skill, knowledge or anointing.
Promote your Speaking and other Resources
A wonderful platform for you to find new places to take your ministry to. Share your speaking skills, promote your books, music, training etc.
Promote your events
Create events and share them with members using full information, graphics, videos, location maps etc. A free service. (Low cost paid advertising also available.)
Attend Network Summits
Every year BFTF holds Network events somewhere in Africa, (moving around different countries) for unity development and leadership training bringing different international qualified ministers to share in the teaching.
Start Bible Colleges for your country, region or church
Africa Network Bible College has been established to help churches be able to provide high quality, high value international standard teaching in order to assist you in the training and discipling of new leaders.
Search
So many resources are available on the network with over nine years of contributions that powerful search engines have been built into the network to allow you to search specifically within certain areas or generally for resources to help you.
News Updates
The network features RSS feed for Africa news and Christian mission news.
These are just some of the many features of the network that will enable you to take your ministry into the next level and build on your reputation or find people or resources to help you through current issues.
HOW DO YOU JOIN
Easily. Use a computer to go to the network website http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com/ and sign up, follow the prompts and security features, (designed for your protection and privacy) and create your account.
The network uses double optin security. Some smart phones do not have the required level of security to create an account, if you get stuck in the signup process, this is probably the problem and you should sign up using a tablet, laptop or desktop computer, afterwards you can access your existing account through a smart phone. The network is mobile friendly.
We look forward to seeing you on the network, sharing your resources and accessing those from others to help develop maturity and unity in the Christian church in Africa …. and beyond.
African leaders, find out more, stay connected, network for unity, join over 3000 leaders concerned for the gospel in Africa, join Africa Network BFTF here http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com/
Rev Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions.
INTERESTED IN INVITING HOWARD SANDS
to speak at your church, College or organisation?
For more details on how to frame an invitation see here.
See ministry recommendations here.
See products and services here.
Send your invitation here via facebook messenger
Follow BFTF
Soren Kierkegaard was a Danish Theologian who lived from 1813 to 1855. He related a homely parable about a flock of geese that milled around in a filthy barnyard imprisoned by a high wooden fence.
One day a preaching goose flew into their barnyard, stood on an old crate and admonished the geese for being content (ripped it into 'em), he recounted the exploits of their forefathers who spread their wings and flew trackless wastes of sky, he spoke of the goodness of their Creator who had given geese the urge to migrate and wings to fly.
This pleased the geese, they marveled at his eloquent words, nodded their heads and applauded his preaching; just then Mrs Farmer came in with some good corn so they waddled off, after having their fill they gaggled for years about the greatness of the preaching goose.
They never did fly.
Don't copy the behaviour and customs off this world, but be a new and different person with a fresh newness in all you do and think. Then you will learn from your own experience how His ways will really satisfy you.
Romans 12.2 Living Bible
CHANGE: Oxford Dictionary- making or becoming different,
different from previous state
substitution of one for another
New clothes - when you first put on new clothes you may feel special, obvious, noticed and proud, having a sense of worthiness; but they are a little stiff, you are not so not familiar with them as your trusty old jeans, there is a small amount of trepidation.
Your old clothes on the other hand are comfortable, blend in, nothing special, nobody notices.
Change makes you feel different.
3 Reasons why God Wants You To Change
1/ If we don't have change the past will be the present and the future,
boring, lifeless, useless, dead.
Abraham would still be in Ur of the Chaldees (Iraq),
Moses would have been the next Pharaoh of Egypt instead of Israel's deliverer,
David would have continued as his brothers lunch boy instead of slaying Goliath,
Esther may have lost her life along with thousands of Hebrews, Mordecai said to her, "Who knows if you haven't come to the kingdom for such a time as this."
Nehemiah would still be serving wine to King Artaxerxes in Susa instead of motivating a bunch of no hoper Hebrews to build a wall around Jerusalem,
Peter & John would still be out fishing for lunch instead of changing the world as Christs apostles,
Paul would still be a religious narrow minded, threatening, murdering bully, instead of converting the gentiles to Jesus.
Czar Nicolas II, who ruled Russia from 1894 to 1917, was walking in his palace garden one day when he found a soldier who was stationed as a sentry to guard a particular place standing to attention in a lonely part of palace garden.
"What are you guarding," asked the Tsar
“I don't know - captain ordered me to this post," the sentry replied.
The Tsar asked the captain why, he replied, "Written regulations specify a guard to that place."
The Tsar ordered a search of records to find out why.
The archives yielded the reason.
Many years before Catherine the Great had planted a rose bush in that corner of the garden, she ordered a sentry to protect it for that evening.
100 years later sentries were still guarding the now barren spot.
Are we still guarding our precious traditions, old songs, hymns, revelations of 30 years ago, or 20 or 10 or 2?
Are we willing to change the way we do things to meet a changing community and stay relevant?
Ask "Am I willing to get out of my own personal comfort zone to bring the lost to Christ."
If we don't have change we'll die in the past.
2/ God is a God of the New Thing.
Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
Isaiah 43:18/19 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;
Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: because his compassions fail not.
Lamentations 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Ezekiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you;
Ezekiel 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you:
Luke 5:33/9 new wine goes into new wine skins
use of wine skins, (dead carcass) empty, dry, hard, inflexible, useless, throwaway when used,
the only important thing is the wine.
History is filled with dead carcasses of people, organisations, denominations, churches, that wouldn't stay flexible to the new wine.
They like the way it used to be (old wine - mellow - dead)
3/ You'll always get what you've always got
If you always do what you’ve always done,
You’ll always get what you’ve always got.
we need to sacrifice for the new thing.
Wine skins come by ripping the guts out of an innocent lamb or kid,
change means sacrifice.
A lot of people don't accept change because they're not willing to sacrifice for the new thing.
Sometimes you've got to stop doing it because its not working.
Have you ever seen a blowfly trapped in the house in the summer and flying at the window in a vain effort to escape.
After many attempts of flying into the glass window, you will find him dead on the window sill the next morning.
We've got to get used to taking the new wine.
v39 they like the old wine because its mellow/dead doesn't challenge them,
new wine is full of life fizz, and challenge.
New people come into the church, they don't know we've done it this way for 25 years & they come up with new ideas.
Change requires work, effort, challenge, sacrifice.
Don't fall for the old trick - "the old is better."
The new wine is full of fizz and life, it's always better.
What God does is always new.
Where will you be in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?
Will you still be a pew warmer admiring the good things that someone else does?
If you want to get something different to what you've always got;
You've got to do something different to what you've always done.
Where will your church be in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?
The church is changing.
The last 50 years have seen more rapid change than at any time in human history. Changes in technology have changed every aspect of life: from contraception to computation, from communication to community formation.
Philip Hughes, Christian Research Association
When is the last time you did something for the first time?
At the resignation of the Queensland state clerk from a major Christian denomination she wanted to leave a parting gift to the executive members.
After the executive meeting she took all the members onto the roof of the 14 storey hotel building in Brisbane where the meeting was held.
They were met by a mean hulk of a man with biceps on his biceps, The clerk advised here is my parting gift to you.
The hulk expressed, "You're all going over the edge, face down, walking down the side of the building to the ground." There was of course ropes, harnesses and all the safety gear.
Fear and trepidation gripped one man, he backed up against wall and stuck there until every other member had successfully completed the mission of walking face down to the ground from the roof of that 14 storey hotel, the trainer eventually talked him into it, harnessed him up and gave him his instructions etc.
Stand on edge looking 14 storeys down to the Brisbane streets below, "you will take one step and go from vertical to horizontal in 2 seconds,"
With his heart in his mouth he took that step, and finally after many more he got to the bottom. He unhooked his harness, screamed at the top of his lungs, "YES," and hugged first person he saw, a complete stranger,
"I'm going to do that again," he exclaimed.
When he got home he said to his kids, "You should have seen your dad today."
CONCLUSION
Plans to change the church will not happen unless there is change at every level.
Change Means:
Being different
Thinking Differently
Doing Differently
Warning
New wine will burst old wine skins,
wine will run out,
wine will be ruined,
You will lose it if you're not willing to change.
Encouragement
There's always a new wine with God.
Prophecy
God is engineering change in his church.
3 Things for you to do now.
Take action - make a change in your life.
Greatest change you can make is to make Jesus your Lord.
Be filled,
refilled and refreshed with the Holy Spirit.
Be prepared to do something you have never done before,
if you want to have something you have never had before,
if you want to see God do something in and through your life you have never seen Him do before.
Change starts here:
BFTF Unity conferences southern Africa Nov 2018
Australian ministers/leaders interested in joining the BFTF team register here https://www.facebook.com/commerce/products/1293265677401646/
African leaders, find out more, stay connected, network for unity, join over 3000 leaders concerned for the gospel in Africa, join Africa Network BFTF here http://bftfafricanetwork.ning.com/
Rev Dr Howard Sands is the International Director of
Beautiful Feet Task Force, is available as a speaker for churches, outreaches, business & missions.
INTERESTED IN INVITING HOWARD SANDS
to speak at your church, College, conference or organisation?
For more details on how to frame an invitation see here.
See ministry recommendations here.
See products and services here.
Send your invitation here via facebook messenger
If you would like to donate to BFTF International Missions for training leaders in developing world countries donate here.
Payment options
PayPal – The safer, easier way to pay online!
or
Bank account Direct Deposit
Beautiful Feet Task Force
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
BSB 062 614
Account 94 0442
Follow BFTF
Facebook Google+ YouTube Sound Cloud Africa Network BFTF Blog
Pulpit Rock Training is now lifting the game for those with vision.
How to master your social media presence to build a great ministry reputation.
Launched 1 March 2018
Pastors and leaders, singers and musicians, sound engineers and dancers, promoters and prophets, welfare workers and interpreters, this training is straight forward and simple, takes just 10 minutes a day and could transform your ministry reputation as a leader in your field.
This free training is for those with an interest in the gospel going forth, leadership being prepared and unity being developed among those with an interest in an African context.
Did I mention its free? However there is catch, it is only available for members of Africa Network BFTF which is also is a free membership but you must be in a ministry or leadership position and show your interest in Africa.
Awards are issued on demonstration of satisfactory skill development, Certified User, Certified Fellow and Certified Expert.
Read more here.
