The Holmes Family: July/August '15

As a result of being on furlough last year, we cancelled our 2014 youth camp, and there was concern that it would affect the momentum that had been built over four years of our Student Missions Institute for Training in Evangelism. Well, during the 2nd week of August, Truth Baptist Church witnessed our biggest SMITE ever [campers pictured], with over 150 campers gathering to receive teaching on how to reach children and conduct Bible Clubs. The youth enrolled more than 1750 in the Bible Clubs and nearly 1000 were saved. For the 4th time, Pastors Sonny McGuffee and Jared Decker led the camp together, and this year we were happy to welcome youth evangelist Bobby Decker to the team. The week ended with 14 graduating from the 4-year program.

During our travels to Bible-believing churches throughout America on deputation and furloughs, my family has been excited to meet many Nigerians, several of whom have relatives and friends in Abuja. Please help us to spread the word that we now have a growing church inside the capital city of Nigeria. Grace & Glory Baptist Church (started on May 31st) has grown to 13 families [first baptism pictured]; Missionary Israel Thompsons and I would be glad to follow-up on any contact information that we receive from Nigerians in the U.S.

Overseeing two churches has certainly been taxing to my schedule, but it is rewarding to see both works continue to grow. For the first time in its nine-year history, Truth Baptist Church had three morning services in two months with over 250 in attendance. After a successful Family Day in June, the church responded by inviting many to a Baby Dedication on July 12th [pictured], and the month was capped off successfully by our first-ever Fathers Day celebration where the "papas" gave testimonies and cooked for the whole church.

A big "thank you" to several churches and individuals who contributed to make it possible for us to put a roof on the widow's house, the need that was included in our last prayer letter. We are grateful for the way that our supporters allow us to present requests in order to help others. One reason we are able to focus on various projects that arise from time to time is because many of our church-planting graduates now receive a monthly support for their basic needs from helpful American ministries; the latest of these for us has been GOWIN (Global Outreach Worldwide Involving Nationals: harborbaptistchurch.org). It would directly assist us for you to visit their website and contribute to the national pastors they support.

Video of one of our graduates, supported by CORE, the ministry I mentioned in our March/April letter

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

July/August '15

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