The Holmes Family: May/June '10

Since arriving back to Nigeria the first week of April, our time has been absolutely full of activity. During the same month, our family relocated to a rental house closer to our church, and in the middle of April, our college family began its 2nd semester of classes. Next, on May 16th, our church family celebrated its 4th Anniversary of existence. Though not a new concept, we introduced something innovative for Truth Baptist Church, as church services were held at six different areas, in addition to the church property, on the same day. This was accomplished by teaming our seminary students with the preachers that filled the pulpit during our furlough. Each team of four men worked to find suitable locations for a preaching station in places where we already had a bus route, children’s Bible club, or a member who could gather many people. Goals were set, flyers were printed, resources were organized, John & Romans books were gathered, visitors’ letters and cards were made ready, refreshments were prepared, and prayer was made for the big day. With 25 of my best men conducting meetings elsewhere, I was more than a little nervous about how many would come to our main preaching service, but numerous people brought visitors, and our auditorium was packed! Our 1st Abuja Area Outreach recorded 518 total in attendance, with 98 people receiving Christ as their Saviour! The evening service on that day was a rewarding occasion where we heard testimonies from every outreach preacher about the way that God helped them and blessed their efforts.

There was no time to rest after the anniversary, as planning immediately commenced for our 3rd Annual Soul-Winning and Leadership Conference, scheduled for June 28th through July 1st. With the growing influence of this meeting, our young church now has the honor of hosting the largest gathering of independent Baptist pastors in all of Nigeria; about 40 represented their churches this year. The delegates [pictured above] were glad to hear preaching from Dr. Ken Shinn (pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church—Columbia, Mississippi), who was making his third visit, and Dr. Mike Cox (founder of our mission board, Fundamental Baptist Missions International), whose wonderful wife taught ladies’ sessions for us. Both men were

able to minister in 12 government schools [1 pictured] during the conference days; they preached to over 3500 students and teachers, and 2670 professed salvation!

A big “thank you” goes to those of you who sent extra support for the feeding of our visitors during the conference. Truth Baptist Church raised the remainder of the money needed, and our ladies fellowship worked day and night to make sure that everyone was satisfied. Another show of appreciation is due to the Bible Education And Missionary Service (BEAMS) ministry, who made it possible for us to give out over 1000 Bibles (a box of 25 to each church represented) to help our Bible-believing ministries [pastors pictured with boxes of Bibles]. BEAMS (P.O. Box 10200; Gulfport, MS 39505; beamsbibles.com) is a ministry of our sending church, and is more than worthy of support. Just in case you think that things slowed down, we have already begun preparations for our first-ever Student Missions Institute for Training in Evangelism (S.M.I.T.E.), a unique youth camp that I will describe in our next update.

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

May/June '10

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