Johannesburg, April 11, 2025 - A U.S. missionary was abducted at gunpoint from his church in South Africa while delivering a sermon, according to police reports and a statement from a colleague. The incident occurred late Thursday at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, a town near the coastal city of Gqeberha.

Pastor Josh Sullivan, 45, was reportedly taken in what authorities suspect was a ransom-related kidnapping. Kidnappings for ransom have become increasingly prevalent in South Africa in recent years, often carried out by organized criminal gangs seeking substantial payouts.

According to a police statement, "It is alleged that while a sermon was being conducted at the church, four armed and masked male suspects entered the church. They robbed two cell phones and then took the 45-year-old male pastor with them and fled the scene."

Reverend Jeremy Hall, a fellow pastor from the southeastern city, believes the abduction was "financially motivated." Hall stated that approximately 30 people, including Sullivan's wife and six children, were attending the prayer meeting when the four abductors entered. "They knew him by name," Hall added, emphasizing the targeted nature of the kidnapping. The perpetrators forced Sullivan into his own car at gunpoint and drove away. The vehicle was later found abandoned about 1.5 kilometers from the church.

Sullivan, originally from Tennessee, moved to South Africa with his family in November 2018, according to his personal website. The police anti-gang unit is currently investigating the case. Authorities also reported that a Chinese national was kidnapped on Tuesday in the same city, which is located on the Indian Ocean, approximately 920 kilometers (570 miles) southeast of Johannesburg.

Police statistics indicate a concerning rise in kidnappings across South Africa. In the 2023/2024 period, over 17,000 kidnappings were recorded, marking an 11-percent increase compared to the previous year.