Increase in armed robberies in South Africa leads to abduction of American pastor

The abduction of a Tennessee pastor in South Africa is part of a concerning trend of kidnappings in the country that has escalated over the past decade due to an increase in armed robberies.

Josh Sullivan, a 34-year-old pastor and missionary from Fellowship Baptist Church working in Motherwell, was reportedly taken captive by multiple armed and masked individuals who invaded his church in the Eastern Cape Province on the night of April 10. The perpetrators not only stole cellphones from the parishioners but also drove off with Sullivan in his own vehicle. 

“According to the annual crime data from the South African Police Service (SAPS), there has been a significant surge of 264% in kidnappings from 4,692 cases in 2014/15 to 17,061 cases in 2023/24,” as highlighted in a report by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Africa in December 2024. The latest quarterly crime statistics released on November 25, 2024, indicate a continued upward trend in these incidents.

Most kidnapping incidents over the 2023-2024 time period “were perpetrated during aggravated robberies, such as car or truck hijackings or armed robberies at businesses, homes, or in public spaces,” the ISS Africa report reads.

He added that Fellowship Baptist leaders “expected Josh to be returned that Thursday night, and when he was not, we hoped that he would be returned that Friday morning. But things have just not worked out that way.”

Joshua Sullivan, a Tennessee pastor doing missionary work in South Africa, was kidnapped on April 10. (Facebook)

Sullivan remains “cool and calm” and is “handling” the situation, Hatley said. 

In a live discussion posted by Sullivan’s home church in Tennessee, Fellowship Baptist Church, four months ago, Sullivan and his wife recounted stories of being robbed in South Africa. They have spent a total of six years in the country and planted a new church in Motherwell in 2021.

“Robbing is a very common occurrence. It’s super common,” Sullivan said in the video.

His wife then recounted a time when she was robbed of a new iPhone.

“The crime doesn’t stem from gangs. There’s gangs…but that’s not where the crime stems from,” she told the church, adding that many locals “can’t put food on the table.”

Josh Sullivan has a passion for sports and used to be a champion high school football player. (Facebook)

“They’re really just looking for money to live off of,” she said.

McDonald noted that “a little bit of money in certain areas can be a lot of money” in others. 

“Maybe this is something that’s going on quite heavily in that area, and there may be other kidnappings down the road from these gangs. … It’ll be interesting to see how the South African authorities want to handle this,” he said. “It’s never good when anybody’s kidnapped. It’s even worse when missionaries from other countries are kidnapped.”

Sullivan’s mother, Tonya Morton Rinker, described Sullivan’s “humor and wit” as a “blessing.”

“[H]e’s always ready with a joke, and forever seeking to make people laugh,” she said in a statement. “He’s an exceptional father, husband, and son, embodying kindness, strength and generosity. He has a servants heart, a kind compassionate spirit and is filled with selflessness. He has a burden for lost souls and has devoted his life to serving God in South Africa. I pray for his safe return, filled with faith and assurance.”

Missionary Mark Coffey described Sullivan in a Facebook post as “a kind, big-hearted, gentle giant.”

Josh Sullivan’s family are pleading for answers after his April 10 kidnapping. (Facebook)

“Originally from Maryville, Tennessee, Josh is 34 years old and a member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, where Pastor Tom Hatley is his pastor,” Coffey said. “Growing up, Josh developed a deep love for sports and was a standout football player at Maryville High School, where he was part of three state championship teams. That same passion and discipline now fuel his heart for missions and ministry. Josh and his wife, Meagan, first came to South Africa in 2015 for a six-month internship as part of their Bible training.”

Coffey continued: “It was during this time that the Lord began to stir their hearts specifically for the Xhosa people. They returned in 2018 as full-time church planting missionaries, determined to share the Gospel and see lives changed. Josh committed himself to two years of language school and became fluent in Xhosa so he could preach, disciple, and minister more effectively. That dedication led to the planting of Fellowship Baptist Church in the township of Motherwell—a community that has become home to their hearts.”

The Sullivans have also taken in two Xhosa children to raise along with their own children.