U.S. pastor Josh Sullivan was abducted at gunpoint by masked men while delivering a sermon at his church in Motherwell, South Africa.

The kidnappers, who knew him by name, forced him into his car and later abandoned it nearby.

Authorities suspect a ransom-related motive, though none has been confirmed.

Sullivan, originally from Tennessee, has lived in South Africa with his wife and six children since 2018, CBS News has reported.

The incident highlights a rise in kidnappings and gun violence in the country.

Written by B.C. Begley