A Practical Theology of Persecution With Matt Rhodes

In this episode of The Missions Podcast, Alex welcomes returning guest Matt Rhodes—missionary, church planter among Muslims, and author to discuss his new book Persecution in Missions: A Practical Theology. Together they discuss that persecution is not an anomaly but a normative feature of Christian life and global missions, especially in unreached contexts.

While Western Christians may experience lesser forms of opposition, believers in Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist-majority regions often face severe social, legal, and physical threats. Rhodes emphasizes that persecution profoundly shapes missionary strategy, discipleship, and the lived faith of new believers, often acting as a major barrier to people even hearing the gospel. Drawing from Scripture and church history, Rhodes cautions against both romanticizing martyrdom and avoiding suffering altogether.

Key Topics

• Persecution as a normative (but varied) aspect of the Christian life
• How persecution shapes missions in unreached and restricted-access regions
• Biblical guidance on when missionaries should stay versus flee
• The danger of romanticizing martyrdom in missions culture
• Historical and biblical examples of faithful suffering and prudent withdrawal

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