A US missionary was dragged from the pulpit at gunpoint by armed kidnappers who forced him down the aisle in front of horrified worshippers.
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.
Josh Sullivan was dragged out of church at gunpoint[/caption]
The dad-of-three and husband was taken by four armed men[/caption]
The 45-year-old was dragged straight from his pulpit, to outside the building[/caption]
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 have put into place a 72-hour specialist kidnap procedure where they will not discuss details of the ongoing investigation except confirm basic details.
But police spokesperson Captain Andrew Beetge confirmed the pastor was kidnapped at gunpoint by four masked men while church members were robbed and ordered to keep schtum.
Beetge said: “Just to give assurance this case is taking top priority for the police and in all kidnapping cases certain protocols come into place as well as a 72-hour action plan.
“We limit the information that goes out to the public to ensure the safety of the kidnapped persons but we can assure the public we are doing all we can to get this man back.”
His mother Tonya Morton Rinket, from Tennessee, said on her Facebook page: “My heart is breaking please continue to pray for my son, daughter-in-law and all of our family.”
“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 men took off in Sullivan’s car[/caption]
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