A wave of fear has swept through the South African city of Gqeberha after a shocking incident in which an American missionary, Pastor Josh Sullivan, was kidnapped during a live sermon at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell.
According to police reports, the harrowing incident occurred on Thursday night when four armed and masked men stormed the church while the pastor was preaching.
They robbed worshippers of two mobile phones and forcefully abducted the 45-year-old clergyman in front of his wife, six children, and a congregation of about 30 people.
Reverend Jeremy Hall, a colleague of Sullivan, told reporters the attack seemed pre-planned and financially motivated. “They knew him by name,” Hall said, describing the abduction as likely tied to a ransom plot.
The attackers fled in Pastor Sullivan’s own vehicle, which was later recovered about 1.5 kilometres from the church.
Pastor Sullivan, originally from Tennessee, had been living in South Africa with his family since November 2018.
This incident is the latest in a string of kidnappings plaguing South Africa. Police statistics reveal over 17,000 reported kidnappings during the 2023/2024 financial year — an alarming 11% increase from the previous year.
Authorities say the anti-gang unit has taken over the case, and investigations are ongoing. The public and religious communities both in South Africa and abroad are now anxiously waiting for updates, hoping for the pastor’s safe return.
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