March/April '23

In the middle of March, we received not only an amazing opportunity but also a well-timed answer to prayer. White Oak Baptist Church in Stratford, Connecticut, arranged for Sabrina and me to be their special guests during the church’s annual missions conference. I spoke six times in four days, met several new missionary and church friends, enjoyed the fellowship and activities, and was honored by the generous gifts and royal treatment that my wife and I received. Sabrina had been praying that we could see our oldest son before his upcoming August visit, and we were able to take three days before the conference to visit Joseph [pictured with my mom and brother], tour his school, see relatives, and soak up some “tastes of home” in the Baton Rouge area. 

For the first time since 2014, we were thrilled to host our pastor friend who helped me conduct our initial six Soul Winning & Leadership Conferences (SWLC), Bro. Ken Shinn of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Columbia, Mississippi [pictured being honored by Pastor Adewale]. He joined Missionary Evangelist Curtis Hall for Truth Baptist Church’s 14th SWLC in Abuja. We welcomed pastors and workers from more than 40 churches, and for the first time, there was a full day dedicated to well-received lessons and sermons on marriage. Bro. Hall then traveled with me for the 5th  SWLC that we have held in Aba, Abia State. There are now 10 different churches who have hosted our special meetings which are designed to help independent Baptist churches throughout Africa’s most populous nation. 

Other highlights for these two spring months included the hosting of potentially new missionaries to Nigeria, the Barker family. Then, a first-ever two-day seminar was held for preachers who are currently reaching their local prisons or who desire to get access to inmates in their area for preaching and discipleship; great Easter services were experienced in both churches where our family is involved, and an ordination [council pictured] was accomplished for one of our institute graduates and longtime Truth Baptist Church member who now pastors in a nearby village. For our seminary, a four-day AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed) training was conducted, and students were able to participate in a 10-day outreach to a church more than a 12-hour drive away, where, through their efforts in soul-winning and Bible clubs, more than 700 people were saved.   

Unexpectantly, we received a sizable investment from an anonymous donor for the building of a new Truth Baptist Church auditorium on the other side of our property. For years, we have sought permission from government authorities to use an already-existing foundation for our first church; during the expansion of our seminary hostel, the development control department finally approved our plans. It should take about $60,000 to add pillars and a roof to make the area usable on Sundays, and we have already received one-third of what is needed! There is still much work to do on our previous project (plumbing, electrical, ceilings, and flooring), but please join us in prayer and consider donating as we take the steps to add a needed building that will truly help our church to grow. 

Jeremy Barker, missionary on deputation to Nigeria, wrote in his prayer letter a summary of his family's visit to us: 
In Abuja I was able to spend time with veteran missionary Mark Holmes, as well as Daniel Lang, Graham Young, and over 40 national pastors. Drawing from their wealth of knowledge and experience was a tremendous help. I also had the opportunity to do the following: 
• Attend an inaugural Prison Ministry seminar.
• Preach in chapel at Providence Baptist College.
• Teach an adult Sunday School class.
• Preach with a Hausa interpreter at the City of Refuge (a shelter for Christians escaping persecution in Muslim occupied areas of Nigeria).
• Tour the facilities of an orphanage and meet with the children & staff.
• Go soul winning with a group of nationals.
• Visit 2 different churches.
• Visit various church members in their homes.
• Sit in during discipleship of a newly converted Christian who wants to get baptized.

Missionary Evangelist Curtis Hall of BEST Missions described his visit to our ministry:

I traveled to Nigeria, Africa, and spent 15 days with Missionary Mark Holmes. I arrived in Nigeria on Good Friday and was honored to preach at both churches Bro. Holmes has started in the capital city 

of Abuja. On the 10th, Bro. Holmes kicked off their 14th Soul Winning and Leadership Conference at Truth Baptist Church in Abuja. There were 37 churches registered for the conference, over 40 different Pastors, Evangelists, and Missionaries as well as 40 Seminary students. Quite a few church members from the 37 registered churches came as well. The church building was so full each night that there were people outside the building listening. I shared the pulpit and teaching sessions with Bro. Holmes, Assistant Pastor Justin Nenge, and Pastor Ken Shinn from Mississippi. There were many decisions made by those in attendance and six men surrendered to preach. BEST Missions was able to help supply every Pastor with a two-volume set of Sunday School lessons provided by Pastor Scott Baker of Faith Baptist in Belleville, IL. I was also able to present a leather Bible to the five young men who will be graduating from the Seminary. 

After the conference in Abuja, Bro. Holmes and I traveled to Aba, Nigeria, to conduct a Soul Winning and Leadership Conference for Pastor Chibuike and Faith Baptist in Aba. There were 15 different churches registered for the conference. There were several visitors who came on Sunday who trusted Christ as Saviour, seven of those were adults. At the close of the conference on Tuesday night, there were four more adults who trusted Christ as Saviour. 

Missionary Daniel and Erin Lang hosted me in their home again for this trip. I greatly appreciate them helping me adjust to the weather and other conditions in Nigeria. I recorded the inside temperature at one point in their home at 94 degrees! All the missionaries working with Bro. Holmes I would recommend, but I have had the opportunity to stay and observe the Langs in a private setting, I highly recommend them if you are looking for a missionary family.