What does persecution actually look like in the places where the gospel is least known? And how should Christians think about persecution in relation to missions?

In this episode of the Theology for the People Podcast, I speak with Matt Rhodes. Matt is a missionary and author, who has been serving for 15 years as a church planter in North Africa among a Muslim-majority tribals communities. Matt shares stories from the field and discusses the central thesis of his book Persecution and Missions: A Practical Theology.

One of Matt’s key insights is that persecution is not merely an occasional obstacle to mission—it is often a structural reality in places where the gospel is advancing. In many communities, the greatest barrier to faith in Christ isn’t intellectual objections but the social and familial cost of conversion. Whereas many people espouse the benefits that persecution has on the church, Matt points out that the threat of persecution does keep many from even considering the claims of Christ out of fear of reprisal.

In this episode Matt and I discuss:

• Why persecution often prevents people from even exploring Christianity
• The immense social cost faced by converts from Muslim backgrounds
• Common mistakes Western missionaries make when discipling persecuted believers
• The tension between contextualization and compromise in missions
• How the New Testament frames persecution through the lens of the Exodus and the Promised Land
• Why missionaries must be honest about the cost of following Jesus
• The dangers of wealth, financial incentives, and dependency in missions

Matt also shares practical wisdom from his experience serving in a village context in North Africa and offers specific ways listeners can pray for believers who face intense pressure for their faith.

This conversation offers an important reminder: following Jesus has always come with a cost—but the hope of resurrection and eternal reward makes that cost worthwhile.

📘 Matt’s book: Persecution and Missions: A Practical Theology

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Church Planting in a Muslim Context – with Matt Rhodes – Theology for the People

What does persecution actually look like in the places where the gospel is least known? And how should Christians think about persecution in relation to missions?In this episode of Theology for the People, Nick Cady speaks with missionary and author Matt Rhodes about his 15 years serving as a church planter in North Africa among a Muslim-majority tribal community. Matt shares stories from the field and discusses the central thesis of his book Persecution and Missions: A Practical Theology.One of Matt’s key insights is that persecution is not merely an occasional obstacle to mission—it is often a structural reality in places where the gospel is advancing. In many communities, the greatest barrier to faith in Christ isn’t intellectual objections but the social and familial cost of conversion.Nick and Matt discuss:Why persecution often prevents people from even exploring ChristianityThe immense social cost faced by converts from Muslim backgroundsCommon mistakes Western missionaries make when discipling persecuted believersThe tension between contextualization and compromise in missionsHow the New Testament frames persecution through the lens of the Exodus and the Promised LandWhy missionaries must be honest about the cost of following JesusThe dangers of wealth, financial incentives, and dependency in missionsMatt also shares practical wisdom from his experience serving in a village context in North Africa and offers specific ways listeners can pray for believers who face intense pressure for their faith.This conversation offers an important reminder: following Jesus has always come with a cost—but the hope of resurrection and eternal reward makes that cost worthwhile.📘 Matt’s book: Persecution and Missions: A Practical Theology

This episode is audio only for the safety of the people to whom Matt ministers, but the audio can be found on YouTube here: