The Holmes Family: May/June '16

[Pastor Yohanna (I had the honor to ordain him 7 years ago) meeting the pastor and greeting the church that is helping to support him through C.O.R.E. Missions]

At the end of May, we were thankful that a group from Centered On Remote Evangelism (C.O.R.E.) included our ministry in their three-country trip. The group consisted of the director, two members from C.O.R.E.’s home church, and a long-time supporting pastor. Their first few days were spent in another area of the country, exploring how C.O.R.E. will soon support several graduates of Nigeria’s first independent Baptist Bible college. Returning to Abuja, the group conducted an open house for Providence Baptist College & Seminary, where our students, church members, area pastors, and pastors supported by C.O.R.E. gathered for teaching and preaching; Pastor Jon Horton then preached our mid-week service. In June, another dear friend and supporting pastor, Bro. Warren Johnson [pictured in traditional attire with young men from our church], preached the 10th Anniversary of Truth Baptist Church. Both the C.O.R.E. group and Pastor Johnson (along with a member of his church) visited churches started by our graduates that their ministry has helped to support.

With our furlough coming up in August, I had been planning and praying for months over some changes that would strengthen the leadership at both churches where our family is involved. In the beginning of May, those plans were announced, and each congregation has been very supportive. The youth pastor at Truth Baptist Church is now at Grace & Glory Baptist; this assembly celebrated its first anniversary on May 29th with an after-service reception, welcoming Adewale Adesina [pictured with me], along with his wife, to his new position. Truth Baptist now has a new co-pastor, youth director, and properties coordinator to serve alongside our deacons and faithful assistant pastor. We believe God has been leading every step of the way with these decisions.

Several other activities made these months an eventful time for our various ministries. Providence Baptist College & Seminary’s semester began in mid-May with seven new students. Our sixteen total students, along with several Truth Baptist Church members, immediately entered into an intense five-day training on children’s ministries with a national child evangelist from a neighboring state. Our seminarians have also enjoyed the open house, anniversary, revival meeting, and a Sunday ministering at Grace & Glory Baptist Church. June climaxed with me having the honor of preaching for Pastor Nicholas Wayih at the 30th Anniversary of Independent Baptist in Calabar, started by an early influence of mine, Missionary David Long.

[Pictures were taken of our family during the visit of the C.O.R.E. team]

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 '16

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