Interview with Josh Sullivan by Gillian Fraser
Article originally posted in the August issue of JOY! Magazine
You will remember April last year, when news broke that American missionary and pastor Josh Sullivan had been kidnapped while preaching at Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, Eastern Cape. The story gripped South Africa and stirred believers across the world to pray. For five long days, Josh’s family waited, his church pleaded with God, and believers around the world followed every update with heavy hearts. Then, in a remarkable rescue operation in Gqeberha, Josh was rescued – alive and unharmed. I had the privilege to chat to Josh and listen to his story, where he shared what happened that night, how God sustained him in captivity, and why he believes the Lord has still called him to serve in South Africa.
Q For readers who may not know your background, can you tell us a little about yourself, your family,
and how the Lord first called you into ministry and missions in South Africa?
We are the Sullivan family, and we are missionaries in South Africa. We were married in 2010, and we have four children. We are sent out of Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. We believe that God has called us to be church-planting missionaries. We want to do more than just give everyone a chance to hear the Gospel. We want to plant churches. This is a huge task because of the many languages throughout South Africa. That is why we spent the first two years learning isiXhosa. We planted Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell in 2021.
Q Take us back to the night of the kidnapping. What do you remember most clearly about those moments before everything changed?
After our worship service and time of prayer, I began to preach. Less than two minutes into my message, four to six men entered the building. At least two of them had guns. The leader waved his gun in the air and was yelling something at us. I assumed they were there to rob us all of our phones and money. As the leader came to me, I attempted to hand him my iPad. That is when he pistol-whipped me. He forced me to the ground. The others were looking for the keys to my vehicle. Moments later, they picked up my wife as if they were going to take her. He called me by name and asked me if this was my wife. I said yes. I assume this was to keep me compliant. He threw her down and picked me up. The last thing I heard as I walked out the door was my eight-year-old son saying, “Please don’t take my daddy.” They then forced me in my own vehicle and explained that I was being kidnapped for a ransom.
Q During the five days you were held captive, what sustained you spiritually and emotionally?
Spiritually, it was prayer. I prayed nearly every moment I was awake. As Christians, when we accept Christ, we also receive the Holy Spirit. Although God does not speak to us in an audible voice, our spirit can bear witness with the “Comforter”, as John 14 speaks about. So I knew all I could do, and needed to do, was talk to God. I received much comfort in the first 24 hours. I felt as though God was comforting me that I would be able to see my family again. But after that, God fell quiet. On the fourth day, I was told that I would be killed in 24 hours if there was no ransom money paid. I held onto the peace He gave me on the first day. On the last day, God renewed me again, and I remembered that God keeps His Word. I believed I would be freed. Emotionally, it was very difficult. I had a hard time keeping my heart rate slowed, my stomach was sick, and my head was covered so I couldn’t see anything for the entire time. It caused my emotions to be all over the place. I kept thinking back to the book of Daniel. God was with the three Hebrew boys in the fire. He was also with me in my fire.
Q Many believers around the world were praying for you during that time. Looking back now, how did you personally experience the faithfulness and protection of God throughout the ordeal?
I felt it. Especially on the Sunday. I felt them all. I felt others praying on my behalf. I am very grateful to every single person who prayed for me. After I was rescued, I received notifications from churches in at least 17 countries that were praying for me. It was because of those prayers that God performed the miracle He did. If you prayed for me, this is not just a miracle for me and my family, this is your miracle that God gave to you for your prayers.
Q Your wife and children also walked through this trauma alongside you. How has this experience impacted your family, and what has the healing journey looked like for all of you?
It was very difficult for us. Very hard to understand. Although, like I said, we experienced a miracle, we still felt many hard feelings, a lot of tears, shame, embarrassment, anger, and fear. But our entire family received so much love and grace from our home church. Our pastor, Tom Hatley, was very wise in his leadership and guidance to us. We also received help from Biblical counsellors. The Lord was very gracious to us, and we received healing from His Word. By miracle, I mean this: Four Hawks officers somehow found our location at the exact time the captors were moving me. I was in the vehicle with them. The captors jumped out of the car and began shooting at the officers. Three of the men were killed, and no ransom was paid. I was rescued. I also want to thank Pastor Jeremy Hall. He is a fellow missionary who took all of the ransom phone calls, worked with the Hawks, the FBI, and the US Department of State. Without his help, my wife would have had to do it all alone. We are forever grateful for him.
Q Did this experience change the way you view suffering, fear, spiritual warfare, or the cost of following Christ?
Of course. I now have personal experience with tragic situations, family uncertainty, and trauma. I hope that I can use this knowledge to help someone in their life. I know there are many other families, even in my city of PE, that have gone through the exact same thing I have. I would be more than willing to try to help those who have experienced kidnapping as well. It is also good to remember that Christ experienced much shame in His years on this earth. Who are we, as Christians, if we run away at the first sign of some embarrassment? We can experience some shame on this earth for His Name.
Q What would you say to believers who are currently walking through fear, uncertainty, trauma, or situations that feel impossible?
Nothing is impossible to God. James 4:2 says, “You have not because you ask not.” God is willing and able to spiritually help us if we seek Him. Do not look for your help to come from worldly ideas. They may work for a short time, but they do not last. The peace that passes understanding only comes from the Word of God. Read His Word. Memorise it. Study it. I mentioned earlier that God does not speak to us in an audible voice. That is because everything He needs to say to us is available at our fingertips. If you have a phone, you have access to God’s Word! It is not just a book of nice sayings. It is God’s wisdom given to man.
Q After something so traumatic, many people would understandably choose never to return. Yet you are preparing to come back to South Africa and plant a new church. What has led you to make that decision?
I prayed every day for eight months about the decision. I know that God called me to be a missionary in South Africa. I prayed for guidance with an open mind to see if the Lord had changed my calling. After many months of prayer and speaking to many trusted counsellors, my calling has not changed. We no longer work in Motherwell every Sunday like before. God has provided for that church for the time being. But we believe the Lord is leading us to plant a new church. I have read comments and heard others speak of this decision as foolish and dangerous. All that I can do is what I believe is the will of God for my life. I answer to Him alone. When I get to Heaven, I will truly know if I made the right decision. At that moment, I do not believe I will care about what anyone else has said, only what Christ thinks.
Q What vision has the Lord placed on your heart for this new church?
God called me to plant churches. That is what I plan to do. Planting churches and training leaders to lead those churches is the goal. Then we will repeat the process. We are planting a new English church in the Humewood area of Port Elizabeth. It is called Cornerstone Baptist Church. We have a goal to reach out to the university in our area, preach the Gospel, and hope to see people come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We know that just because someone may have head knowledge of Jesus does not necessarily mean they have heart knowledge of accepting Christ as their Saviour. We want to preach the Gospel and disciple believers in their journey of obedience and trust in Christ.
Q Looking back over the past year, what testimony or message do you most want people to take away from your story?
God is able. God is good and worthy to be served. God loves you. That is why He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you. Read and remember all of John chapter 3. God is not looking to condemn us for bad behaviour. We are already condemned because of our sin. We are all sinners. There is not one of us who has not sinned. There is not one of us who is righteous. One of the most righteous people, according to the world at the time of the Bible, was Saul, who would become the Apostle Paul, but he called himself the chief of all sinners. We all deserve hell because we have broken God’s law. But Jesus came to save sinners. He sent His Son from Heaven down to us to pay our sin debt. A sin debt so large that there is no amount of good works we could do to pay it ourselves. Now anyone who comes to God through the door, Jesus Christ, will receive salvation from sins. They will receive eternal life through Jesus Christ.
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Date published: 14/08/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in the August issue of JOY! Magazine
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