Lottie Moon Christmas Offering 2024 – Day 5
The Great Pursuit on Southeast Asian Islands
“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.
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.
Prayer Requests
Pray for David and Regan as they cast a vision of gospel multiplication for missionary teams and local churches.
Ask God to send more workers to these islands where the gospel remains largely unknown.
Thank God for healthy churches on the islands and pray that more fellowships will become multiplying, gospel-centric families of faith.
We pray…
Thank You for Your work through David and Regan York. They describe the blessings and challenges of their work in an island region that epitomizes hard-to-reach people groups. Travel among the thousands of islands is difficult, as is the trek through jungles, over mountains and across coastlines. One group of islands is home to more than 125 people groups who remain unengaged and unreached with the gospel.
But You, Lord, are at work among these people. You have opened the doors for long-term presence of missionaries that has led to healthy churches and fellowships, a Baptist hospital and even a seminary. You are multiplying the spread of the good news through ministry partners who are growing in their faith and leading efforts into hard-to- reach places.
As believers grow bold to share the gospel, You are leading the Yorks and other missionaries to step into support and training roles. May Your name be glorified one day on every island.
Amen.