The Holmes Family: January/February '24

After already enjoying a nice holiday break from our kids’ homeschooling and my seminary teaching, we rejoiced to have our oldest son Joseph visit us from the U.S. At both churches in which our family is involved, members were happy to see our whole family together [pictured singing a special] once again. During Joseph’s trip, Providence Baptist College & Seminary had its orientation and welcomed 11 new students for a total enrollment of 39.

On January 20th, the 8th Commencement was held for 19 graduates [most pictured] from Providence Baptist College & Seminary and 13 who received their diplomas from Temple Baptist Institute. Our total number of those who have passed through ministry training is now nearly 200, and, so far, the graduates have started 50 churches. We were honored to have a good friend, Pastor Samuel Akande, preach the graduation charge, a chapel challenge, both Sunday services, and a banquet message for us during the special weekend.

On the first weekend in February, I met Pastor Akande [pictured with delegate and Bro. Don] at his place, as he hosted Missionary Evangelist Don Wattenbarger and me for a Pastors & Workers Conference at Faith Baptist Church in Ogbomoso. This meeting in the southwest region was also a chance for me to fellowship again with national missionary Pastor David Orus, who has a new church plant in Lagos, the area of our country’s highest population. The trip back to Abuja was challenging, as a return flight from Ilorin was cancelled, and our most reliable alternative was to travel five hours in Faith’s church bus to Lagos and get an evening flight back to Abuja. The next day, I drove with my family for over four hours to Jos, while Missionary Graham Young followed behind us in his vehicle with Bro. Wattenbarger. This Soul Winning & Leadership Conference, hosted by Zion Independent Baptist Church, was a special time for several of our seminary students to fellowship with seven young men who are training in our extension college, held at Zion, that is a cooperative effort of several independent Baptist Hausa-speaking pastors. Immediately after the conference, my family was able to take advantage of a Missionary Rest Home, located just 45 minutes outside of Jos. Spending three-nights at this retreat center, with a rich history and cooler weather, was a great respite after back-to-back pastors conferences.

For nearly three years, we have enjoyed a partnership with Christian Media International, through which there are now six weekly television programs airing in five different Nigerian languages. In late February, CMI gave me the privilege of reporting on the progress of those programs at their Limits Conference [pictured with keynote Joe Theismann] in Alpharetta, Georgia. It was a unique opportunity to get to know some of the businesspersons, pastors, and other ministry leaders whose investments make it possible to broadcast the Gospel in Nigeria.

Missionary Timothy Ojo, founder of Faith Baptist Church in Ogbomoso, gave the following report on his church's anniversary and conference. He begins the paragraph with, "We celebrated our 20th Anniversary on February the....

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

January/February '24

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