Something wonderful was occurring

A Ministry Report · Summer 2026

Field notes from a year of watching God move

As with most of my newsletters, this one is long overdue. The problem is not finding the time to write; it is knowing how to express what I see God doing. Perhaps I care too much about what people think, fearing that you may believe I embellish what I say. Or perhaps I worry that others might think what God does is extreme and not orthodox. These may play a part. I don't think so, but I do not know my heart; therefore, let my Lord judge. For me, the problem is: how do you put into words the gracious activity and expressions of glory that God chooses to manifest? How do you tell of God's work in the human soul? How do you accurately convey the Spirit poured out upon a people and their response, whether in contrition, exuberant joy, or both? It is quite difficult for me.

This year has been extremely busy. Starting in the Dominican Republic. From there, I have preached in Canada, Houston, Oklahoma twice, several Texas churches, and a week in Northampton, MA, where Jonathan Edwards pastored and saw the Great Awakening. Three weeks in a Middle Eastern country embroiled in war. Most recently, back in the Dominican and Toronto. I have preached nearly 100 times at the time of this newsletter.

Therefore, I cannot rehearse all the events; however, let me share with you recent experiences. My first preaching engagement for 2026 was in Santiago, Dominican Republic, with our dear friends at Walking By Faith Baptist Church. The Lord made His word have a strong and lasting effect. The impact of those days was truly surprising. Both the pastor and his associate said it was nothing short of a revival, personally and corporately. The church was filled with joy, and a holy enthusiasm spread. The church saw an increase in visitors, sinners were converted, and some believers who had left the church returned in humility. Relationships were restored, and the services were noticeably different, longer because of increased praise and prayer.

The leadership of the church was so encouraged that they invited me back for a second meeting. They planned a retreat for earlier this month. I hope that what you read will encourage you to see that the Lord is using you as you pray and support this ministry.

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I began the time of ministry preaching on Wednesday evening to the church in Santiago. The Lord was kind, and the church seemed to be helped. The next day, we made our way to the east side of the country, traveling five and a half hours. We arrived at a very remote and basic retreat center. The auditorium was an outdoor pavilion, where daytime temperatures were in the 90s and humidity was tropical. I preached twice Thursday evening despite the electricity going off and on and a brief rain shower. Once again, we sensed His nearness. All seemed to be blessed. However, the breakthrough we prayed for had not yet occurred.

On Friday morning, I preached, but this session was different. Something was stirring the hearts of the people. Normally, I will conclude the sermon with a prayer, but on this particular morning, I did not feel led to do so. I sat down, and a brother prayed. After he prayed, another prayed. Although I did not know what they were praying, since they prayed in their native tongue, Spanish, I could sense the Lord was on the move and something wonderful was occurring.

As soon as the second person finished praying, a woman began to pray. I met her the day before. She is a gastrointestinal doctor. She was neither friendly nor unfriendly. Her demeanor was kind but distant. But as I watched her that Friday morning, I saw she was trembling, and suddenly she let out a loud cry and wept uncontrollably. Her prayer was filled with deep sorrow, her voice quivering with godly grief, and her posture humbled. At some point, she lost all proper decorum as she poured out her heart to God. Her pride depleted and emptied of self, she continued to pray. I do not know how long she prayed, perhaps seven to ten minutes. At some point, she found peace. Instead of pleading and brokenness, there seemed to be the joy of a victor. It appeared that as she poured out her heart, God filled it with Himself.

She finished praying, but the Lord was not finished. What happened to this dear woman struck another sister, who began to weep loudly, praying with the same fervor and manner. Whatever she was praying was not only the effect of the Spirit's work in her but also affected those who heard her pray. As soon as she finished, another woman began to break and weep and pray. This continued for an hour and a half. Men and women prayed. Most were on their knees, kneeling on the hard and rough concrete. I was supposed to do a Q & A after preaching, but the Lord pre-empted it, choosing to do something much better.

After that service, the remainder of the time was a continued blessing. Each service, the Word came with power and help by the Holy Spirit. Conversations in the dorms and at meals were on a higher plane with godly conversation and praises of what the Lord was doing. Many people reported afterward that on that Friday morning they experienced a deep work of the Spirit, convicting them of sin their dull hearts were unaware of. This was a repeated refrain.

On the ride back with Pastor Kelvin Candelario, who had hosted and translated for me throughout the trip, and Missionary Gideon An, I was peppered with questions about the work of God and His ways, interrupted only by praises for what God had done during the retreat.

On Sunday morning, the church was packed. There were many more people in attendance than in January of this year. Excitement filled the room as the people filed in. The worship was heavenly. It was very energetic and enthusiastic; however, nothing out of order or indecent about it. You could sense the people loved the Lord and were unashamed to praise Him with all their hearts as well as their lips.

We met again that evening, and once again the power of the Lord was working. Several guests were there because two men from the drug rehabilitation center were graduating. Within minutes of approaching the pulpit and preaching, the Lord changed my text and message. I preached with a liberty and authority that comes only by grace and never by merit. Pastor Kelvin mentioned to me afterward that many looked stunned while I preached and he translated. Even a visiting pastor appeared overwhelmed by what he was hearing.

After the service, a gentleman approached both Kelvin and me. With tears in his eyes, he confessed that he had backed out of coming to the service, but suddenly there came upon him a compulsion that he had to attend. He told us that he was so glad that had happened and that he knew it was the Spirit of God. And then he shared that years ago he was very involved in ministry and thought he was serving God to his utmost. Sadly, something caused his heart to drift until he was no longer walking with the Lord, but he continued, telling us that God had met with him during the sermon and had renewed his heart. In humility, he confessed his years of sin and wilderness wanderings. The joy of the Lord returned and ignited his heart and lit up his countenance. I can testify that there was a glow about him that did not accompany him when he entered the service. He left a different man.

I want to return, finally, to our doctor, who was so greatly moved when the Lord visited us that Friday morning at the retreat. After that experience, she, too, was a different person. No longer reserved, but laughing, hugging, and helping others. She served whenever there was a need. I observed a great change; in fact, her husband told me he had a new wife.

Sunday morning, the doctor and her husband asked if they could take me to dinner before I returned home the next day. They wanted to show me their appreciation for my ministry to them. At the dinner, I asked the doctor what exactly happened to her on that Friday morning. Her husband translated for her, and this is what she said.

"While you were preaching, God spoke to me and told me that I was a very proud person. I thought I was actually a humble person giving my life to serve others. But when I suggested this, the Lord rebutted me and said that I had taken great pride in my so-called humility. I was devastated. I sat there during the remainder of your sermon in such turmoil. When others were praying, I could not contain my grief any longer. It was like God had His hand upon my heart and was pressing upon it. I confessed to Him my pride and other sins that the Spirit surfaced. But something happened after that. Something changed. I felt as if God opened my heart and poured His great love for me into my heart. It had been years since I felt anything like this. But after that morning until this very moment, He has been pouring more and more of His love upon me. I have never known anything like this."

I am humbled to be a witness to such glory. And it is my prayer that He will be gracious to allow me to see more and more of His wonderful works in the souls of men and women. This is not the only time I have seen such gracious activity. There have been multiple services this year where God seems to come, and the crowd grows very silent as if a holy hush settles upon the congregation. At some point, sometimes someone will begin to pray, and others will follow. At other times, the people just sit quietly before the Lord, praying silently. I have noticed that sometimes the pastor who has never witnessed this may seem confused about what to do. Sadly, so many of our pastors and leaders have never experienced God's corporate work, and they do not know what to do. They do nothing, fearful of doing anything, or some will continue with the service and quench the work of the Spirit.

I can't help but believe that our good and gracious Father wants to bless His people with Himself and strengthen the many saints who presently languish or have grown dull in their affections for the Son. Please pray with me for more and larger outpourings of the Holy Spirit and that He would revive His people and gather in more whom He has given to our blessed Redeemer.

I cannot end this report without expressing my gratitude to God for you all. Some of you I do not know, and may never meet on this side of glory. Nevertheless, you invest in me by praying for me, and others of you have been generous with your gifts.

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May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,

and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Heartily, Michael Durham