The Holmes Family: November/December '09

Sabrina and I, along with Joseph, Victoria, and Brian arrived

safely in New Orleans from Abuja on December 6th; we will be in the U.S. until April 2nd. During our short furlough I will have the privilege of presenting our work in 40 churches, including the opportunities to participate in five missions conferences, teach at three Bible colleges, conduct a missions emphasis day, minister in five Christian schools, attend two pastor’s conferences, and preach an Alabama church’s 13th Anniversary. Though it is a busy schedule, the fact that most of our meetings are scheduled in Mississippi and Louisiana will give my wife and kids plenty of opportunity to spend time with our relatives [our children pictured spending their first Christmas with new cousins].

Before we left for America, several things were accomplished for Truth Baptist Church. A temporary church council to handle decisions

was set up consisting of our two staff members (assistant pastor and treasurer), two deacons, and two trustees. A preaching schedule was made for nineteen different men to preach in my absence. This includes twelve God-called men from our church, five guest preachers [1 pictured], and the two national pastors that work with me in our college. Please pray with us that our church will continue to mature in the seventeen-Sunday furlough of its pastor.

While our new Bible college rounded up its first semester, I presented our students with a fresh opportunity. Seven independent Baptist pastors expressed interest in having a Bible college student work with them as an intern during the time that the school is on break (the length of our furlough). The pastors are getting zealous young college students who are willing to serve, the churches are agreeing to house

and feed the young men, and our seminary pupils are gaining unique experience and training in practical ministry work [1 of our students is pictured with his pastor]. It is another way that our ministry is hoping to be a blessing to the many Bible-believing works throughout Nigeria.

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

November/December '09

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