In this week's episode, Alex and Scott welcome pastor Aaron Menikoff (Atlanta, USA) and pastor Harshit Singh (Lucknow, India) to discuss how evangelism and missions function through the local church, particularly in the Indian context. Drawing from their book Prioritizing Missions in the Church, Menikoff and Singh argue that missions should not be treated as a side program but as an outflow of ordinary, faithful church life.

They emphasize that preaching, prayer, discipleship, and the ordinances—when practiced consistently—form the foundation through which God raises up and sends missionaries to the nations. The conversation highlights how this church-centered approach applies across cultures, including settings with limited resources and growing opposition to Christianity.

• Missions as the beating heart of the local church, not a side program
• The role of ordinary means of grace (preaching, prayer, ordinances) in global missions
• A biblical definition of missions as crossing cultural, linguistic, and geographic barriers
• Practical ways churches can embed missions into regular church life
• Discipleship and long-term theological training for future missionaries

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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.

• 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

Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!

Premium Subscribers get access to:

• Exclusive bonus content
• A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
• Invite-only webinars
• A free gift!

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The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.

Come celebrate another year of The Missions Podcast!

In this special end-of-the-year episode, Alex and Scott recall their favorite discussions from 2025 and important takeaways from each. They also discuss how they are using this holiday season to celebrate the incarnation of Christ.

Become a Missions Podcast Premium Subscriber and get access to our exclusive Overtime episode where Alex and Scott talk about their LEAST favorite episodes from the past year.

Do you love The Missions Podcast? Have you been blessed by the show? Then become a Premium Subscriber!

Premium Subscribers get access to:

• Exclusive bonus content
• A community Signal thread with other listeners and the hosts
• Invite-only webinars
• A free gift!

Support The Missions Podcast and sign up to be a Premium Subscriber at missionspodcast.com/premium

The Missions Podcast is powered by ABWE. Learn more and take your next step in the Great Commission at abwe.org.

Want to ask a question or suggest a topic? Email alex@missionspodcast.com.