The Holmes Family: November/December '12

Much work was sown in the last two months of 2012 that we are praying will bear abundant fruit in 2013. Our 5th Annual Great Commission Meeting was held in mid-November, as Truth Baptist Church renewed its commitment to give towards church planting in Nigeria and beyond. We were doubly blessed with two visiting preachers [pictured]; Bro. Gerald Heard (one of our supporting pastors) closed out the meeting for us and encouraged the church on Sunday. Our guest evangelist during the week, Bro. Jim Belisle (a representative of our mission board), was a great help as he preached each evening, held a 2-day marriage seminar in the mornings, and joined me to welcome several prospective students for our college (which will begin classes again on January 8th). Bro. Belisle and I have since discussed several plans to work together again soon in the area of church planting. Please allow me to recommend the ministry of this missionary evangelist (www.jbelisleme.com / 319.461.3321) to every pastor reading this letter, for any support given to him is not only an assistance to his work, but also to ours and every other missionary with whom he labors.

The holidays during both months were refreshing and relaxing times for our whole family, though work continued on our new house throughout. Towards the end of November, we invited a new missionary couple (the Hulls) that is working in another part of the country to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. On the American holiday, Bro. Hull and I visited yet another missionary couple that is about a three-hour drive from us. Then the next day, we enjoyed a filling meal with some other expatriate friends who live in Abuja. Our Christmas was made extra-special by the generous gift from one of our church families to stay in a luxury hotel in town for four nights [family pictured there]. This is our second time to spend Christmas in such a way, and our kids thrilled when they heard we could go again.

Speaking of the children [pictured], it seems that I’ve not given much of a family update in a while. Sabrina has stayed very busy with the home schooling of three kids, taking care of a toddler, teaching music once weekly at a local school as well as private piano lessons, and participating in church ministries (playing piano for church and choir, teaching ladies Sunday school, and conducting children’s choir and recorder class). Joseph (9) is excelling in piano and recorder, while also beginning to learn the clarinet. He is in 3rd grade and loves basketball, soccer, and throwing the baseball with Dad. Victoria (7) is in 1st grade and does her best to keep up with the activities of the boys, but in the end seems to retreat to her dolls and playing with Noah more and more. The Sunday before writing this prayer letter (January 13th), I had the privilege of baptizing “Daddy’s girl.” Brian (5) is “all-boy,” always dirty and getting hurt, and is doing kindergarten work. All three are involved in their Sunday school classes, children’s church, children’s choir, recorder class, and piano lessons with Mama. Noah (1 year on February 3rd) has been a joy as his first response to anything is usually to smile. He seems to celebrate whenever I get home, which is an evidence of Sabrina, among a myriad of other wonderful things she does, always encouraging the kids towards me for any time that we can spend together.

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 '12

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