David York still gets tears in his eyes when he remembers God speaking to him through Ephesians 3. In the isolation of the pandemic, David asked God for a vision for the work on the islands where he and his wife, Regan, serve with the IMB.

God gave him a renewed heart for the church during his study in Paul’s epistle. David said he went to his wife and said, “This is what I want to see,” pointing to the passage from Ephesians. “I want to see healthy and maturing churches. I want to help churches know what their aspirations should be.” David, who leads strategies for IMB’s work on a cluster of islands in Southeast Asia, prays for new churches in new places. As believers gather, he prays they will know the gospel’s power.

“The same gospel that saves us, sanctifies us. Our team of missionaries and national partners want to see a gospel-centrality among the churches,” David said.

Missions among peoples who populate these islands can be challenging. Though many share geographic similarities, people and culture vary widely on the more than 17,000 islands in Southeast Asia. Large cities loom on some islands, while thousands remain uninhabited and unexplored. Travel among the thousands of islands is difficult, as is the trek through jungles, over mountains and across coastlines. The islands represent concentrations of Hindus, Muslims, animists, mystics and cultural Catholics with little knowledge of the truth of the God’s Word.

Among one cluster of islands where the Yorks serve, five people groups are represented. All are considered unreached with the gospel. The larger group of islands is home to more than 125 unengaged, unreached people groups. Many of the people are known by name only, as missionaries and national believers have had little-to-no access to them. This means the people have little-to-no access to the gospel.

Many years ago, God opened the doors for longterm missionary presence on these Southeast Asian islands. The work of missionaries who served decades ago has led to deep relationships and strong partnerships today. David considers his work with national associations of churches to be a blessing. By serving them, more leaders are trained and equipped for Bible study, evangelism and cross-cultural missions. As more leaders share the same vision and are equipped for the missionary task, more island people groups will have the opportunity to repent of their sins and put their faith in the One, True God.

David said of national churches, “We are working with them and through them to reach this cluster of islands.”

Still, the work to reach the millions of lost on these islands remains.