The Holmes Family: March/April '13

With our last update, we celebrated the completion of our newly built house; two visitors actually helped during our moving process in the midst of the many goals they came to accomplish. One of the men, Bro. T.J. Kimmel, a good friend with whom we have kept in touch since our days together in college, is the Director of International Expansion with Final Frontiers Foundation, which uses several different avenues to enhance the ministries of national church planters. Their newest tool for the Great Commission is what they are calling the "Power Pack," a fully wireless, battery-powered, and compact way to show the Jesus film in virtually any setting. Bro. T.J. [pictured with Pastor Paul Udoh who is sent out by our ministry] generously used his three-week trip to do the film showing in six different venues, where four new churches will soon be started. Final Frontiers has graciously allowed us to keep this all-in-one pack to use for evangelistic endeavors in the future. Our men who worked with Bro. Kimmel were not only impressed with the effectiveness of the technology but also appreciative of the way they were trained to operate the equipment. For more information on this wonderful tool, visit www.finalfrontiers.org.

Though the construction of our house has constantly competed for my attention over the last several months, the ministry has not slowed down during this time. Truth Baptist Church expanded its circle of leadership with the ordination of two new deacons in March. Providence Baptist College and Seminary is rounding up its seventh semester, with most of the students [pictured]

planning toward internships during the upcoming break. Temple Baptist Institute has about fifteen students who are completing a new course every six weeks, meeting for four hours on Saturdays. Plans are in place for the 5th Annual Soul-Winning & Leadership Conference, where we look to host three preachers from the U.S. and representatives from dozens of independent Baptist churches throughout Nigeria. My regular travels also have not ceased, as I had the honor of joining Missionary David Maskey for an ordination in April at the church he founded.

On April 20th, for the second time in its nearly seven-year history, Truth Baptist Church held a banquet to raise funds for the building of an auditorium on the other half of our church property [pictured]. After a delicious meal provided by the Ladies’ Fellowship, our church members eagerly gathered on the already-existing foundation to pray over the area where we soon hope to erect pillars and a roof, which is all that would be needed to function with a larger meeting place for our church services. Our other fund-raising efforts have raised about $18,000, and we're optimistic about the fact that over $10,000 was pledged from this banquet. Would you consider joining with our church efforts and encourage our folks who have already shown a willingness to sacrifice? In order to start the project with the confidence that we'll be able to complete this first phase, we still need about another $7000. Any contributions sent through our mission board to this building project can be designated as "Auditorium."

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. Over 30 churches have been started by those who have been trained or ordained by their ministry, including the most recent, Grace & Glory Baptist Church in Abuja. 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 and annual youth camp; a full curriculum DVD correspondence college 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

March/April '13

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