The Crossway Podcast Misconceptions About Persecution in the Church (Matt Rhodes)
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Feb 9, 2026 Matt Rhodes, a missionary and author working among a previously unengaged North African people group, offers a fresh lens on persecution in missions. He discusses nonstate forms of persecution like family ostracism, social and economic costs for converts, the risks of romanticizing suffering, and practical wisdom on when to flee, protect, or prudently serve.
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Family Ostracism Destroys Lives
- Matt Rhodes describes believers in North Africa losing wives and children and facing beatings and social exile for following Jesus.
- He shows how family and community pressure often cause more harm than state action in that context.
Persecution Is Common In Least-Reached Areas
- Rhodes argues persecution is nearly inevitable when the gospel reaches least-reached areas across religions and regimes.
- He shows persecution ties together Muslim, Hindu, and atheist contexts as a common barrier to church growth.
Don’t Romanticize Suffering
- Avoid romanticizing suffering or treating persecution as inherently desirable for church strength.
- Take people’s pain seriously and refuse to counsel recklessly that persecution is always spiritually beneficial.
