By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
GQEBERHA, SOUTH AFRICA (Worthy News) – A U.S. missionary has been kidnapped in South Africa’s port city of Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape province, and his family has urged prayers for his “safe return,” Christians confirmed Friday.
Josh Sullivan was abducted Thursday evening while delivering a sermon at the Fellowship Baptist Church Motherwell at around 7 p.m. local time, his family said.
In comments monitored by Worthy News, the family’s spokesperson, Jeremy Hall, explained that his wife and their children were at the church when the kidnapping happened but escaped unharmed.
“They [the attackers] knew his name,” Hall said in published remarks.
“The men entered the church and initially held Meagan and walked her towards the door before saying, ‘Josh, is this your wife?’ They then pushed her to the ground and took Josh before driving off in his vehicle.”
He added, “The car was found a few kilometers [miles] away shortly afterward.”
FAMILY SHOCKED
He told local media that the family was “still shocked by the incident” as there had been “no warning signs” before Thursday night’s incident, “and no ransom” demand had been made since.
“We are just praying for his safe return,” Hall stressed
Police spokesperson Captain Andre Beetge said four armed and masked men abducted the 45-year-old pastor. “They stole two cellphones and then took the 45-year-old male pastor with them and fled the scene in the pastor’s vehicle. The silver Toyota Fortuner was recovered shortly later in [the nearby township of] Motherwell.”
He said “a kidnapping and armed robbery case was opened” by local law enforcement agencies, adding that residents were encouraged to contact police if they have information.
Sullivan is “a church planter missionary” who specializes in establishing new churches or planting new congregations in areas where there are few or no existing Christian communities for the Fellowship Baptist Church denomination.
He has been a missionary to South Africa for almost seven years, having moved to the country with his family in November 2018 to establish a church within the Xhosa-speaking community, Worthy News learned
BAPTIST CHURCH
Together with his wife, Meagan, he established the Fellowship Baptist Church Motherwell, and sources said they have been providing humanitarian aid to families in the area.
The case in Gqeberha, formerly named Port Elizabeth, has been closely followed by an advocacy group in Pakistan where Christians have also reported violence and kidnappings.
Sardar Mushtaq Gill, founder of LEAD Ministries Pakistan, said his group has urged prayers for fellow believers in South Africa, which is known for its massive crime problems.
“This incident has sparked renewed concerns about the safety of missionaries and religious workers in volatile regions, highlighting the ongoing risks they face in the pursuit of faith-based service,” Gill told Worthy News.
“We have issued an urgent appeal to the global Christian community to unite in prayer for the safe return of American missionary Josh Sullivan.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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