An American pastor has been kidnapped by masked gunmen while he was delivering a sermon in front of his wife and children at a church in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. Four armed men stormed the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell Township on Thursday evening when the pastor was halfway through his sermon.
They soon snatched two cellphones from members of the congregation and abducting the pastor and fleeing in his own vehicle. Authorities have since launched an investigation into the armed robbery and abduction. “It is alleged that while a sermon was conducted at the church, four armed and masked male suspects entered the church,” police told CBS News.
Kidnapped in Broad Daylight
“They robbed two cell phones and then took the 45-year-old male pastor with them and fled the scene,” police added. Local reports have idnetified the pastor as 45-year-old Josh Sullivan, a missionary hailing from Tennessee.
On Saturday, Sullivan’s wife, Meagan, shared a message through a family representative, expressing her gratitude: “I just want to say thank you for the outpouring of love and prayers. We beg you to continue storming the throne room until Josh is safe at home.”
The church wrote in a statement: “He was kidnapped at gunpoint. Please pray for Josh Sullivan, missionary to South Africa.”
Reverend Jeremy Hall, a fellow pastor in the area, suggested that the abduction may have been driven by financial motives. He also noted that the incident took place during a prayer gathering with around 30 attendees, including Sullivan’s wife and children.
“The suspects knew him by name,” Hall told AP.
Police reported that Josh Sullivan’s stolen silver Toyota Fortuner was found abandoned in Motherwell not long after the abduction. The case is now being handled by the Anti-Gang Unit, and South African authorities have officially opened an investigation within the Motherwell precinct.
According to police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge, if a ransom request is made, the case will be transferred to the Hawks—a specialized unit focused on tackling organized crime, corruption, and major criminal offenses.
“Hawks officials are following all possible leads to locate the victim and apprehend the suspects,” Lt. Col. Avele Fumba, a Hawks spokesperson, told BBC. “As far as we know, no ransom has been demanded.”
Police Still Clueless
Captain Beetge urged anyone with useful information to step forward and help in the investigation. According to a blog post from Fellowship Baptist Church, Josh Sullivan, his wife Meagan, and their children moved to South Africa in November 2018 to launch the Motherwell branch of the church.
In his personal blog, Sullivan referred to himself as a “church-planting missionary,” sharing his goal of finishing language school and beginning outreach efforts with the Xhosa-speaking community.
Before relocating, Sullivan had served on the staff at Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, Tennessee, since February 2012.
Tonya Rinker, a Maryville resident who identifies herself as Josh Sullivan’s mother, shared her anguish on Facebook, requesting ongoing prayers for her son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren.
She also said that the U.S. embassy in South Africa is actively assisting in the efforts to locate him.
