Actions Of The Early Churches

Actions of the Early Churches is a commentary on the New Testament Book of Acts, written with a practical, theological perspective.

Actions of the Early Churches is a commentary on the New Testament Book of Acts written from a biblical, historical and evangelical point of view. As a skillful writer, Brother Holmes’ insight into the book of Acts gives the student a very practical and theological perspective of the Holy Spirit’s work in the lives of those first century Christians and the apostles. This book is a study manual, a reference source and a textbook commentary on the important role and development of the Lord’s New Testament churches during that first century. In addition to a detailed commentary, often on a verse-by-verse basis, Brother Holmes’ book provides the student with the essential knowledge of what took place among those first century Christians and the Lord’s New Testament churches.

James F. Holmes (known affectionately as Brother Freddie) grew up in Prairie County, Arkansas. He was born on April 24, 1935, on the family farm between Hazen and Carlisle. He attended the Anderson School, in a one-room schoolhouse, through the eighth grade and finished the ninth through the twelfth grades at Hazen High School. He was saved at age twelve and baptized by the Center Point Missionary Baptist Church. His ministry began when he preached his first sermon on June 7, 1953 in his home church. For 56 years Brother Holmes has been an active pastor and preacher, ministering to the Faith Baptist Church in North Little Rock, Arkansas for thirty-three of those years. His first pastorate was the Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Humnoke, Arkansas, where the church once conducted a revival meeting in the local cotton gin. He is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, with a bachelor’s degree in the English Language and Speech Communication. He graduated from the Missionary Baptist Seminary with a Master’s degree in the Bible Languages of Greek and Hebrew. He has a certificate from Moody Bible Institute for post-graduate studies in Greek. He was a trustee for the American Baptist Association youth encampments from 1964 until 1980, has been a writer of Sunday School literature, and was a member of the Baptist Sunday School Committee for fifteen years, serving as chairman from 1995 to 2000. He was elected for two years as Vice-President of the American Baptist Association and elected as President for the years of 1995 and 1996. He presided for the annual sessions in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and again in Phoenix, Arizona. Brother Freddie and Bette Jackson were married in 1953 after graduating from high school together. They are the parents of Brad, who is married to Cindy, and Byron who is married to Terri. They have two granddaughters and two grandsons. Brother Freddie and Bette live in Little Rock. Brother Holmes has served several churches as interim pastor since his retirement as a full-time pastor at Faith. He is presently teaching expository writing and English Grammar, and the book of Acts at the Central Arkansas Baptist Bible Institute in Benton, Arkansas.