American Pastor Abducted at Gunpoint While Preaching in South Africa

A Baptist pastor dedicated to "missionary work" is now at the center of urgent prayers after being kidnapped mid-sermon in South Africa.

According to news reports, the Rev. Josh Sullivan was abducted on Thursday while preaching to his congregation near Gqeberha — previously known as Port Elizabeth — on South Africa’s Indian Ocean coastline, CBS News reported. Among the witnesses were Sullivan’s wife and children.

Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, Tennessee, Sullivan’s home church, shared news of the incident in a Facebook post on Thursday.

While the Fellowship Baptist post stated that "six gunmen" were involved, CBS News cited police who reported that "four armed and masked male suspects" stormed the church, robbed two mobile phones, and abducted the "45-year-old male pastor."

Roughly 30 people, including Sullivan’s family, were in attendance at the time, CBS noted.

The attackers appeared to have detailed knowledge of their target. "They knew him by name," said the Rev. Jeremy Hall, a fellow pastor in the area, according to CBS News.

Josh and Meagan Sullivan have served as missionaries in South Africa since 2018, according to Sullivan’s personal website. His regular updates conveyed excitement about their work, though he acknowledged challenges. In a February update, he mentioned facing threats from "troublemakers," who even talked of burning down his church. Their plans were thwarted by a local woman who, although not initially a Christian, had become "ready to be saved."

Speaking to WLVT-TV Knoxville, Sullivan’s father-in-law, David Witt, called on the public to join them in prayer: "We’re asking that everybody pray for Josh," he said. "We’re in a really tense situation right now."

Authorities confirmed that the kidnappers have contacted officials and are demanding a ransom, though no specific amount has been revealed, according to WLVT.

The situation has triggered a wave of support on social media platforms:

One user even reached out to U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, who represents Maryville, urging him to assist in the situation:

Meanwhile, a U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed to the BBC that the department is "aware of the situation" and emphasized that there is no "greater priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad."