Pastor abducted at gunpoint during sermon

A U.S. missionary, Pastor Josh Sullivan, was abducted by masked gunmen during a church service in South Africa on Thursday night, sparking renewed fears over rising insecurity in the region.

The incident occurred at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, near the coastal city of Gqeberha, while Sullivan was delivering a sermon. According to South African police, four armed and masked men stormed the church mid-service, disrupting a prayer meeting attended by about 30 people, including the pastor’s wife and six children.

Witnesses say the attackers demanded valuables, stealing two mobile phones before turning their weapons on Pastor Sullivan, 45. They forced him into his own vehicle at gunpoint and drove off. The car was later found abandoned less than a mile from the church, with no sign of the pastor.

Reverend Jeremy Hall, a fellow clergyman in the area, described the attack as “deeply shocking” and said it appeared financially motivated. “They seemed to know exactly who they were after,” Hall added.

Pastor Sullivan and his family relocated from Tennessee, United States, to South Africa in 2018 as part of their missionary work. His kidnapping has drawn international concern and intensified scrutiny of the growing trend of abductions for ransom in South Africa.

Police say Thursday’s abduction may be linked to a broader pattern of organized criminal activity. Just days before, a Chinese national was also reportedly kidnapped in Gqeberha, underlining the escalating threat posed by criminal gangs in the region.

As the investigation continues, local authorities and the U.S. Embassy have yet to issue further updates on Sullivan’s whereabouts or the identity of the kidnappers.