Much of these two months was spent in preparation of our 7th Annual National Soul-Winning and Leadership Conference, which took place in the last week of April. We were privileged to once again host the founder of our mission board, Dr. Mike Cox, and also Bro. Don Wattenbarger, whose Bibles Beyond Boundaries ministry helped us to get in a recent shipment of Bibles. This particular conference was very refreshing to me, as we saw a noticeable increase in the number of churches represented; it was innovative in that we held the first-ever alumni meeting for our Providence Baptist College and Seminary and also conducted a seminar with Bro. Wattenbarger before the conference to advertise our Revivals Christian Correspondence College; and it was challenging, as pastors responded to Dr. Cox’s plea to train their own people and start more churches. Please pray with me about two regional Soul-Winning and Leadership Conferences that I am planning with Dr. Cox for September.
The week after our successful conference, the great majority of our seminary students began their two-month internship, many with their home church and others with new church plants or pastors who can host the extra help. At least 15 of these students will be completing their seminary training (three years of classes and two internships) by the end of this year, and we still have 12 more students who will continue their studies into 2016. Though we attempt to keep the tuition and room fees very low, these students are still responsible to provide for their own feeding, and most have very little support from their family or church. Centered On Remote Evangelism (CORE ministries already helps to support 4 of our pastors) has made an easy and accessible way that you can be a help to our college students. You can donate directly through their website (coremissions.org) by going to the Sons of the Prophet page, and anything you give regularly will be used to help a future church planter complete his training.
At the end of May, if the Lord will, the Grand Opening is being planned for a church within the city limits of Abuja; Grace and Glory Baptist Church is the second work that our family will be personally involved in planting, while those who have been trained or ordained by our ministry have now started nearly 30 other churches. I will continue to oversee Truth Baptist Church, the home of our colleges and conferences, which will celebrate its 9th anniversary in May and continues to strengthen with an average of 200 attendees on Sunday mornings. June will be 10 years since Sabrina and I came with Joseph to begin as missionaries in Nigeria; it is exhilarating after a decade to be looking forward to another new beginning.
Believing God,
Mark Holmes
