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From CBS News: American pastor Josh Sullivan was rescued Tuesday amid a shootout between South African police and his captors that left three suspects dead, authorities said Wednesday. Sullivan, originally from Tennessee, was abducted at gunpoint during a prayer meeting at his church in South Africa on the evening of April 10.
According to a statement issued by the the South African Police Service, a specialized unit dedicated to serious crime, known as the Hawks, they led the operation to rescue the 45-year-old.
The American was abducted from his Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell Township, outside the coastal city of Gqeberha, and was rescued from a safehouse being used by his captors in that city.
“The operation followed verified intelligence wherein a coordinated team (of several police units) moved swiftly to the identified location,” police said. “As officers approached the house, they observed a vehicle on the premises. The suspects inside the vehicle upon seeing law enforcement allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the team. The officers responded with tactical precision, leading to a high-intensity shootout in which three unidentified suspects were fatally wounded.”
Police then revealed that Sullivan was in the same vehicle and was found “miraculously unharmed, he was immediately assessed by medical personnel and is currently in an excellent condition.”
Sullivan, who is from Tennessee, his wife Megan and their children, have reportedly been living in South Africa since 2018.
Sullivan was holding a prayer service with about 30 people, including his wife and six children, when the armed kidnappers entered the building and took him away last Thursday.
Tom Hatley, Pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church Maryville TN, announced, “Josh has been released. I just got “the go ahead to let it be known”. SA media has started broadcasting. American media will follow. Thank you for your support and prayers. Please do not stop praying for The Sullivans. Praise The Lord Jesus Christ!”
Mark Coffey, Africa Field Director at Vision Baptist Missions, Inc., shared a link to the police report and posted the following announcement on Facebook:
To Our Friends Around the World, We’re overjoyed to share that Missionary Josh Sullivan has been safely rescued. After days of uncertainty and fervent prayer, we rejoice in the faithfulness and protection of our great God.
Thank you to the countless people who prayed, encouraged, and supported us during this time. Your care was deeply appreciated. We’re also grateful for the local authorities and rescue teams whose efforts helped bring Josh home.
Above all, we give glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He sustained Josh through captivity, comforted our hearts, and reminded us that He is “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
Josh’s rescue is a powerful picture of the greater rescue we all need. Because of sin, we’re separated from God (Romans 3:23), but through Jesus—who died and rose again—we can be forgiven and free (Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 3:18). As Josh was delivered from captivity, so too can we be saved from spiritual bondage through Christ. If you’ve never trusted Jesus as your Savior, we urge you to consider the One who gave His life to rescue yours.
Thank you again for your prayers. Please continue to lift up the Sullivan family as they recover, and pray for the ongoing Gospel work in South Africa.
With gratitude,
Mark & Amy Coffey
Missionaries to South Africa
Vision Baptist Missions
Josh Sullivan, a pastor from Tennessee who was kidnapped at gunpoint while delivering a sermon in his church in South Africa last week, has been rescued in a shootout that left three suspects dead, authorities say. https://t.co/5id7XwmTIL
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 16, 2025
REPORT: U.S. pastor abducted at gunpoint while delivering sermon in South Africa
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