Tennessee missionary Josh Sullivan has been “miraculously unharmed” after a “high-intensity shootout” that killed three people five days after being lured by an armed man from a church in Motherwell, South Africa.
A statement from South African Police Service said the shootout took place in the safe home of Kwamagxaki, Gqeberha, where the 34-year-old pastor was taken prisoner.
“As officers approached the house, they observed vehicles on the property. The suspects who allegedly fired at the team as law enforcement tried to escape, responded with tactical accuracy, leading to a high-intensity shootout in which three unified suspects were fatally wounded.
“The victim was found in the same vehicle where the suspect launched the attack. Miraculously unharmed, he was quickly evaluated by medical personnel and is now in excellent condition.”
The statement said that the investigation into the temptation was still underway and “sought the privacy of the victim and his family as they navigated this recovery period.”
Sullivan, who heads the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, near Gkeberja, once known as Port Elizabeth, was lured by multiple armed men while sermoning at his church on April 10th. The temptation demanded a private ransom.
The invitation sparked a global prayer gathering that begins at Fellowship Baptist Church, Sullivan’s home church in Maryville, Tennessee, led by Rev. Tom Hatley.
Hatley celebrated the rescue in a statement on Wednesday on Facebook and urged his followers to continue praying for Sullivan and his family.
“Josh was released. I just went ahead to let that know,” he wrote. “Thank you for your support and prayers. Do not stop praying for the Sullivans. Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!”
The secretary of Heather Shirley Church told Christian Post in an interview Wednesday that the only message shared with the church regarding the rescue of Pastor Sullivan was that he was rescued. They had not yet understood the details highlighted by local police. She also pointed out that miraculous rescue was exactly what they prayed and praised for God.
“He (God) was the one who protected him and cared for him, and that’s what we prayed for us to take him and take him home,” Shirley said he looked forward to hearing Sullivan’s testimony in person.
“We like to get it directly. Everything is more correct (direct) once you get it.
“I don’t think any of us can understand how we felt in such a situation. We simply had to have a hedge of protection around God, provided by God. That’s the only explanation.”
The Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville said in a previous statement that Sullivan and his wife Megan first travelled to South Africa in 2015 for a six-month internship as part of their Bible training.
“At this point, the Lord began to stir up his heart in particular for the people of Xhosa. They decided to share the gospel in 2018, they decided to share the gospel, and returned to 2018 to plant missionaries,” says the church bio.
Sullivan spent two years at language school to become fluent in Xhosa, saying, “He can preach, disciple, serve more effectively.”
“That dedication led to planting a Fellowship Baptist Church in the town of Motherwell. The couple also took two Xhosa children to become part of a South African family.
Originally published by The Christian Post
