The Holmes Family: May/June '13

9 July 2013

One week before the date on this letter, our assistant pastor, Justin Mathias, while on his motorcycle, had a terrible accident involving a dump truck. An area hospital performed first aid for Bro. Justin, and the next day we transferred him to an orthopedic hospital in Jos, a nearby city. Pastor Justin's entire left leg had to be amputated. His doctor has given us good reports on the recovery (Justin will be in the clinic for another six weeks with fractures in his right leg and right hand), and they were able to save enough of the leg to allow for a future prosthesis. Justin's wife (they've only been married for four months) is standing strong beside him, which has been his biggest encouragement. Many who received our e-mail updates have already asked how they could help: so far, the hospital expenses have been $2500, and the artificial leg will cost about $1600; any help given towards that would be greatly appreciated. Ultimately, we request your prayers for Justin [pictured at his traditional wedding, then at the hospital] during this life-changing event and for our church as it weathers this storm.

May and June were filled with special days and anticipated visitors. Our 5th Soul-Winning and Leadership Conference was successful, with three guest preachers from the U.S., many national pastors bringing their members, scores of people saved during a school crusade, and several being called to ministry at the concluding service. Truth Baptist Church celebrated its 7th Anniversary on the Sunday of our conference for churches. The guest room of our new house is "booked" through the first three weeks of July. It started the second week of June as we welcomed our pastor's daughter, now a pastor's wife, and three ladies from their church in Texarkana. They were an amazing blessing to our family and ministry, bringing gifts for Sabrina and the kids, delivering boxes of clothes and toys to an orphanage, and participating in our ministries to widows, government schools [our 4 visitors pictured with school staff], a local hospital, and a nearby prison. We were also pleased to again host Ms. Pat Hamburg, who worked with us more than two years, for her visit towards the end of June.

Having been invited for a great opportunity to preach a missions conference at a church and college towards the end of March 2014, our family is planning for a furlough, spanning mid-March through July of next year. We have already begun to schedule meetings for our twenty-week time in the U.S. I would love to report on the work at your church; you can reach me with our contact info on this site or on Facebook (facebook.com/markandsabrina).

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 '13

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