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 second week of August, Truth Baptist Church witnessed our biggest SMITE ever, with over 150 campers gathering to receive teaching on how to reach children and conduct Bible Clubs. The youth enrolled more than 1,750 in the Bible Clubs, and nearly 1,000 were saved. For the fourth 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 31) has grown to 13 families; 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 continuing 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 12, and the month was capped off successfully by our first-ever Father’s 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.
Believing God,
Mark Holmes
