Community Prays for Abducted Pastor Josh Sullivan in South Africa
Josh Sullivan, a U.S. pastor, was kidnapped during a church service in Gqeberha, South Africa, by armed men who stole cellphones and his car before fleeing.
Kidnappings of pastors have increased in Africa over the past few years.
American Missionary Kidnapped At Gunpoint In South Africa While Delivering Sermon
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Kidnappings, including by criminal gangs that target people for whom large ransoms can be demanded, have been increasing in South Africa in recent years.
U.S. pastor abducted at gunpoint while delivering sermon in South Africa: "They knew him by name"
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Gqeberha police in March said armed men robbed another local church, stealing cars and cellphones.
American missionary kidnapped at gunpoint in South Africa
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Over the past decade, there has been 264% increase in kidnappings in South Africa, according to police statistics.
US pastor Josh Sullivan kidnapped during church service in South Africa
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The police Anti-Gang Unit has now taken over the investigation that was opened by the South African Police Service in Motherwell.
An American pastor was abducted at gunpoint in South Africa while preaching a sermon
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Summary
Josh Sullivan, a 45-year-old U.S. pastor, was kidnapped during a sermon at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, Gqeberha, South Africa. Four masked assailants robbed the congregation of cellphones before abducting Sullivan at gunpoint in his silver Toyota Fortuner. His family, including his wife and six children, were present but unharmed. The vehicle was later found abandoned, with no trace of Sullivan. Local authorities, including the elite Hawks unit, are investigating, while the U.S. State Department is in contact with the family. Mom Tonya Rinker expressed her heartbreak, noting that U.S. officials are working on his safe return.
Perspectives
Josh Sullivan, a missionary and pastor from Tennessee, was abducted during a church service at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, South Africa, by armed men, marking a serious incident amid a worrying increase in violent crime and kidnappings in the region.
The South African police, including the elite anti-gang unit, are actively investigating the kidnapping, which follows a troubling trend of increasing abductions for ransom in the country, with recent statistics highlighting a 264% increase in such crimes.
Supporters of Sullivan are rallying online, praying for his safe return as his family, including his wife and six children, witnessed the abduction but were unharmed.
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