A PRIEST was dragged from the pulpit at gunpoint by armed kidnappers who forced him down the aisle in front of horrified worshippers.
US Pastor Josh Sullivan, 45, was abducted in front of his wife and kids, as well as up to 50 of his flock at a sermon in South Africa.
His frightened family watched in horror as the dad was pushed out the church with a pistol aimed at his head.
One man escorted him out while three others robbed the congregation.
The four men then drove off in a getaway car and Sullivan’s silver Toyota Fortuner.
The vehicle was later found abandoned several miles away with no sign of the gang of ruthless gunmen.
South African Police mentioned in a statement that during a church sermon, four masked and armed men entered the church.
“They robbed two cell phones and then took the 45-year-old male pastor with them and fled the scene.”
Police spokesperson Captain Andrew Beetge verified that the pastor was abducted at gunpoint by the masked men while the church attendees were robbed and instructed to remain silent.
Tonya Morton Rinket, the mother of Sullivan from Tennessee, appealed for prayers on her Facebook page, expressing her distress over the situation.
“Joshua is still missing but our congressman and the American Embassy are aware and working on finding them and I know he is doing God’s work and will be kept safe.”
South African Police Motherwell and the elite SAPS Anti-Gang Unit have opened the case and reportedly have several leads.
Churchman Sullivan was taken at 19:00pm on Thursday.
The church he was at is based in the largest township in Nelson Mandela Bay.
He has moved to South Africa from Maryville, Tennessee, in 2018 to become a “church planter”, which is a Baptist missionary who establishes new churches and congregations in new areas.
On the Fellowship Baptist Church Motherwell website, Sullivan expressed his desire to work with South Africans and “plant a church for the Xhosa-speaking people”.
The pastor’s brother-in-law Zach Witt said: “Please pray for the safety of my brother as he was abducted and is still missing but let us all pray for his safer return to his family.”
Friends of the Sullivan couple, Jeremy and Rebekah Hall, are looking after the three kids and mum at their home.
Jeremy Hall said: “The police have a lead on a suspect they are pursing at the moment.
“I pray for a safe return and grace and comfort from the Holy Spirit for this family.
He suggested that the armed men knew Sullivan personally, explaining: “The gang came into the church and initially held Meagan and walked her towards the door before saying ‘Josh is this your wife’ so they knew them and then pushed her to the floor.”
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said that they were aware of the situation involving an American citizen in South Africa, according to BBC.
Kidnappings in South Africa have surged massively in recent years, with big money to be made in ransoms for big businessmen.
In the year 2023/24 there were 17,061 reported kidnappings.
