The Holmes Family: September/October '06

In the middle of September, we had the special privilege

of hosting Sean and MariJo Alvis [pictured with 2 chiefs] for their survey trip to Nigeria. It was a delight to show them around the city, introduce them to our ministries, take them on a tour of village works, and be considered a “veteran” by these “rookies”! The day after they arrived, we had a record attendance at Truth Baptist Church. There were 113 present, and we baptized three after the service. Our people really enjoyed hearing Bro. Sean’s testimony during the mid-week prayer meeting. Please pray for the Alvis family as they will begin full-time deputation next year.

One of the reasons we had such a good turnout on that particular Sunday (September 24) was the start of a new phase of our bus ministry. The town directly beside ours is actually in another state, and because there is a boundary like that dividing us, it is perfect for a bus route. We already have our church “bus” (18-passenger van) running into one of the villages of the aforementioned town. In August, when one of our church attendees asked for a bus to be sent to her area, a Bible study was started. Over the next four Saturday

evenings, 20 different people came to hear me give a short Bible lesson at her house, and 11 people were saved. On September 24th, we rented a bus for about eight dollars and brought 18 people from the locale of the Bible studies. We will be teaching our Institute students that conducting Bible studies would be a very effective way to start churches.

In addition to overseeing our church, running a Bible Institute, purchasing property, as well as making time for my family, the Lord has also opened the door for this missionary to be an influence to the dozens of national pastors in Nigeria. I’ve been developing an itinerary whereby I can travel once monthly to preach in a different independent Baptist ch

urch. Bro. Ron Gensaw and I are even starting to schedule some meetings together to try and encourage the men who are reaching their own people in this spiritually needy country. These existing pastors, along with the future ones we are currently training, are the ones that will change this nation.

Who We Are

Mark Joseph Holmes was called to the ministry at the age of fifteen, five years after he was saved. He went to Hyles-Anderson College to receive his training and graduated summa cum laude in 2000 with a degree in Pastoral Theology. During Mark’s senior year, God placed on his heart the desire to reach the people of Nigeria, so he spent an extra year in preparation by taking missions courses. Mark served on the same bus route each college year, as captain for three years.

Sabrina Michelle (Hopkins) was saved at the age of eight and surrendered her life to God five years later. While at Hyles-Anderson College studying music education, she served in the Bible Club and deaf ministry and also traveled one summer with a tour group. After graduation with a Music Education degree, during the year before their wedding, Sabrina taught fourth grade at her home church’s Christian school—Central Baptist in Baton Rouge.

As newlyweds, Mark and Sabrina served at their sending church where Mark oversaw the bus ministry and helped in the youth department, Sunday schools, and junior churches. He was privileged to start a children's church and young adult class during his two years of service, and he also regularly preached at a prison ministry and taught for a local Bible institute. Sabrina taught private piano for two Christian schools; she played often in the church services and also taught the beginner Sunday school class. Mark and Sabrina started full-time deputation at the end of May, 2003. Mark Joseph, Junior was born on December 4th of the same year.

In June of 2005, the Holmes family began their first term as Fundamental Baptist Missions International missionaries in Nigeria. Soon, Truth Baptist Church along with Temple Baptist Institute was started, the church now averaging 220 on Sundays with 42 graduates from the ministry training school. Property with buildings was purchased, and Providence Baptist College & Seminary opened its doors in August 2009 and has now produced 30 graduates. 35 churches have been started by those who have been trained or ordained by their ministry, including one of the most recent, Grace & Glory Baptist Church in Abuja, in which the Holmes family is also involved. Mark and Sabrina have returned to the U.S. for the birth of: Victoria Noel 12/14/05
Brian Michael 8/20/07
Noah Preston 2/3/12

LaDonna Elizabeth 7/3/14
For nearly a decade, Truth Baptist Church has been the home of a national pastors' conference, an annual youth camp, a full curriculum DVD correspondence college, and the City of Refuge recently became their newest ministry.

Where We Are

The Niger River is Nigeria’s most remarkable physical feature, as well as the source of its name. Formerly a British colony, Nigeria gained its independence in 1960 and became an independent nation of three culturally distinctive regions and at least 250 different language groups—more than any other African country. Home of the world’s largest black population, it is estimated that almost one out of every six Africans resides in Nigeria.

Upon independence, Nigeria inherited a currency that was more valuable than the U.S. dollar at the time. Yet the country has consumed itself with the sell of oil and other natural resources and all but abandoned its agricultural sector, leading to Nigeria’s diminished currency value and heightened reliance upon imports and aide from other countries. Military coups, ethnic tensions, a thirty month “civil war” that claimed over a million lives, and economic corruption have been the driving forces behind Nigeria’s instability of the last forty years. In 1998 a democracy was established, ending fifteen years of military rule.

Baptists have enjoyed a presence in the country for over 150 years with the Southern Baptists growing their own national convention and an estimated Baptist population numbering more than 3.5 million people; the former President of Nigeria was a claimed Baptist. However, Muslim influences are growing greater, indigenous beliefs are still popular, and many existing Baptist churches have abandoned biblical doctrines. There is a great need to reach the rest of the more than 170 million people of Africa’s most populous and possibly most influential nation.

The Holmes Family

September/October '06

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