Pastor Abducted at Gunpoint—Would You Be Ready in His Place?

Pastor Josh Sullivan was abducted at gunpoint while preaching in South Africa. Learn what happened, why it matters, and how missionaries can protect themselves.

Apr 15, 2025

Pastor Josh Sullivan was preaching in a South African church when masked gunmen walked in, grabbed his wife, and asked a chilling question: “Josh, is this your wife?” Within moments, they shoved her to the ground, called him by name, and dragged him out of the sanctuary at gunpoint. He hasn't been seen since.

This isn’t just another overseas news story. A man was taken at gunpoint while preaching the gospel. It happened to him—it can happen to anyone serving in dangerous places. And it didn’t happen in an alley—it happened during a church service, in front of his family.

🎥 Want Even More Details? Watch the Full Video Here

I go deeper in this video than I can in writing. If you're a missionary, church security leader, or just want to know how to prepare, this is worth your time:

What Happened in South Africa

Josh Sullivan is a missionary from Maryville, Tennessee. He moved to South Africa in 2018 with his wife Meagan and their children to plant a church among the Xhosa-speaking people. He has a heart for the African continent and had just returned from Mozambique when he was taken.

During a Thursday night service at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell Township, four armed men entered the building. They grabbed Meagan, dragged her toward the exit, and asked Josh to confirm she was his wife. After pushing her to the ground, they called Josh by name, abducted him at gunpoint, and loaded him into his own Toyota 4Runner.

That vehicle was later found abandoned a few kilometers away. The entire incident bore the markings of a targeted operation—likely based on surveillance and pre-planning, not a random act.

Crime and Kidnapping in South Africa

South Africa has one of the highest violent crime rates in the world. In urban areas like Motherwell Township, robbery, carjacking, and gang activity are widespread. According to the South African Police Service, there were more than 4,000 kidnappings in just one quarter of 2022. Many of these were for ransom.

Foreign missionaries are particularly at risk due to their perceived connection to Western wealth. In many cases, kidnapping victims are chosen not because of who they are—but because of what their captors think their friends and churches can pay.

South African police assigned the case to their Anti-Gang Unit before escalating it to the Hawks, a specialized team investigating organized crime and kidnappings. The U.S. Embassy and its Diplomatic Security Service are also now involved. While a ransom was reportedly demanded, no details have been made public.

What Missionaries Need to Know

Africa is not monolithic. Security threats vary greatly depending on the region:

Nigeria, DRC, and northern Mozambique: Terror groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-affiliated extremists.
South Africa: Kidnappings, violent street crime, gang control, and political instability.

Basic safety tips for missionaries in high-risk areas:

Vary your routes and routines — predictability makes you vulnerable.
Be careful what you share online — avoid posting detailed schedules or locations.
Travel in groups and avoid moving around townships after dark.
Conduct local risk assessments — know the location of hospitals, police stations, and embassies.
Build relationships with trustworthy locals who can serve as guides or “pathfinders.”
Use secure communication tools like Signal and VPNs to coordinate movements.
Stay in daily contact with your home church or sending agency using encrypted platforms.

Join Keith Graves’s subscriber chat

Available in the Substack app and on web

What If You’re Taken Hostage?

It’s something no one wants to think about, but every missionary and church worker in high-crime regions should be trained for this.

Survive first, escape second. Initial compliance may keep you alive in the early moments.
Stay alert. Memorize how many captors there are, how they speak, what weapons they carry, and where exits might be.
Look for opportunities. During transport, when captors argue, or when they’re asleep are often the best times to escape.
Avoid major roads once free—gangs may have lookouts posted.
Get to a safe location like a police station or embassy as fast as possible.
Avoid using personal electronics unless you’re confident they aren’t being tracked.

SERE (Survive, Escape, Resist, Evade) training—usually taught to military or high-risk personnel—is something your church should consider offering to missionaries before deployment. Even simple escape tactics like breaking zip ties or using improvised tools could mean the difference between life and death.

How the Church Can Respond

Pray for Josh Sullivan, his wife Meagan, their children, and the ministry they planted.
Support their home church, Fellowship Baptist in Maryville, as they work with authorities and likely provide for the family’s needs.
Prepare other missionaries by equipping them spiritually, emotionally, and tactically.
Train teams before they leave—don’t wait until something happens. Give them tools to survive.

God calls many to dangerous places. But He also calls us to be prepared.

If you're reading this and you're part of a sending church, or you're preparing for mission work in a high-risk environment, don't take your safety for granted. Preparation isn't a lack of faith—it's part of our responsibility.

We’re praying for Josh. We’re standing with Meagan. And we’re committed to training those who go into dangerous territory to preach the gospel.