The Holmes Family: January/February '10

Our sixth year in Nigeria will begin in June, and, as mentioned in our last letter, I would like to give a summary of our time on the field. Any company in which you invest will usually mail an annual report of how your contributions are faring; they tend to be very detailed, full of numbers, and quite boring. I hope that you will see our details as a depiction of our efforts to be accountable, the numbers as representations of souls and churches, and the report as an encouraging description of the return on your investments in our ministry:

* Mark and Sabrina, both graduates of Hyles-Anderson College, were married in 2001 and now have three children

; as newlyweds, they served for two years in their sending church, Faith Baptist Church, in the bus ministry, Sunday Schools, junior churches, youth and music departments, and prison ministry. In 2002, they were appointed to serve with Fundamental Baptist Missions International; a 24-month deputation followed with 211 meetings in 193 churches to raise financial support. June of 2005 began their first term on the field; and the first several months were spent with a veteran missionary.

* Truth Baptist Church, with an opening attendance of 95, will soon celebrate its 4th Anniversary and is currently averaging about 200 in attendance, composed of more than 30 families. The Sunday evening Bible study (including children’s choir) and the Thursday prayer meeting (counting children’s Bible club) each average about 70 people.

* Over 20,000 people have professed faith in Christ through the outreach ministries, including 7,000 during an 11-day Bible Club crusade. Over 100,000 tracts have been printed and distributed, and more than 300 converts have been baptized. At least 20 members have been called into the ministry.

* Their 15 Sunday Schools consist of 2 assemblies each for married adults, singles, teens, local languages, discipleship (new member and soul-winners’ training), and 5 classes for children who then gather for a children’s church during the time that the adults have the morning service in the auditorium. Virtually every class has a teacher, assistant, and secretary.

* Other ministries include soul-winning

times for men, ladies, and church-wide; choirs for adult [pictured], youth, and children; fellowship groups for men, ladies, singles, and youth; male ushers and female greeters; a library with books, music, and sermons; a bus ministry running one church-owned van and two rental vans weekly; and a youth drama group.

* The church officers consist of an assistant pastor, a treasurer, 2 ordained deacons, and 2 trustees, along with 2 other men, considered junior staff, who go out for soul-winning and visitation every day.

* The ministry owns 1 ½ acres of land in a suburb of the capital city; already on the property were 2 buildings designed to be a hotel that are now used for the church, institute, and college. A foundation on the other part of the property will be used for a future auditorium, and other space could hold a future Christian day school building and a house for the missionary family.

* Temple Baptist Institute meets twice weekly in 3 churches and has enrolled more than 80 students. Last July, the 1st graduation was held for 9 who completed the 3-year curriculum. So far, the graduates have started 5 churches.

* Providence Baptist College & Seminary opened last August with 15 full-time students from 9 churches who live on the church property and attend daily classes and chapel. 1-year certificates, 2-year diplomas, and 4-year degrees are being offered. 2 national pastors are teaching alongside the missionary, and 2 new American missionaries are expected within the next year.

* The Holmes family has hosted 32 American visitors; many have taken part in the annual special church meetings.

* As a result of 2 missions conferences, Truth Baptist Church is now helping 9 Nigerian ministries, including a Nigerian missionary in Ghana and 4 new church plants, by giving a total of more than $300 per month.

* More than 50 of the 80 total independent Baptist pastors in Nigeria have attended the annual Soul-Winning & Leadership Conference in 2 years. Mark has preached in 26 of those churches thus far, and currently travels out to preach every month.

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

January/February '10

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