The Holmes Family: July/August '11

Our 2nd Annual Student Missions Institute for Training in Evangelism was a great success in August. In this year’s youth camp, 120 teens

and young adults were involved, conducting 19 Bible clubs where over 1300 children heard the Gospel! The mornings were busy with teaching, and the evenings were filled with special music and messages from our three American guests [one pictured with his Bible club]; the remainder of the time was eventful with Bible clubs, good food, and fun fellowship. I believe this year established the camp as an annual highlight amongst our independent Baptists.

The beginning of July was a “calm” before our guest preacher and youth camp “storm.” Our family delighted in welcoming Sabrina’s mother [pictured with us at a baby dedication] (traveling with a friend of our family) for a second visit. Joseph, Brian, and Victoria were thrilled to have their “Nana”

around for almost three weeks, and I was more than happy to open my ministry schedule for some needed family time, enjoyable sight-seeing, and relaxing recreation.
The end of July gave me the opportunity to make my first trip to Togo, as I accompanied a preacher [Bro. Jim Brown pictured shaking the hand of a convert] to the capital city of the West African nation that is very close in proximity to Nigeria. We preached for a national missionary and held programs for several of his church plants. The

week before, the guest evangelist spoke in our church, seminary, and monthly preachers’ meeting.

Sabrina and I are happy to publicly announce that we are expecting our 4th child (hopefully by mid-February)! As with Brian and Victoria, we will be in the U.S. for the birth; our plane tickets have been booked for December 14 through June 18. We should be traveling extensively during our furlough, so please let me know, pastors and other friends, if you want us to visit.

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 200 on Sundays with 36 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 14 graduates. 15 churches have been started by those who have been trained or ordained by their ministry. Mark and Sabrina have returned to the U.S. for the birth of their daughter (Victoria Noel 12/14/05), their "baby" (Brian Michael 8/20/07), and their youngest (Noah Preston 2/3/12).

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.

2 comments:

Asma said...: its a good to know about study there and I appriciate them to do this act for promoting a country.

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Cheap Flights to Abuja; October 20, 2011 at 10:34 AM
Lissa said...: So excited to be able to read about the work that you are doing there!! God bless you guys!
I would love to share your blog posts on the Women's Missionary Society Facebook page if that is ok.

--Melissa; October 26, 2011 at 10:57 PM

The Holmes Family

July/August '11

2 comments:

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