They tried to plant churches, then opposition hit

Jesus didn’t sugarcoat it. “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33) He told his disciples and, by extension, us.

It’s a sobering promise, perhaps not the kind of promise we’re particularly keen on! It's especially sobering for those launching new gospel works in unfamiliar or even hostile territory. But He didn’t stop there: “Take heart; I have overcome the world.”

For church planters, this tension - expecting trouble while clinging to hope - isn’t theoretical, it’s lived experience. One of the most consistent and sobering themes in the stories I gathered during my research of church planters was the presence of opposition. It took many forms and came from many directions, but it left a mark every time.