Miracle in the News: Kidnapped at Gunpoint | Ep. 35

Summary

The Miracle Files: Episode 35 – "Miracle in the News: Kidnapped at Gunpoint"

Release Date: June 9, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 35 of The Miracle Files, hosted by Holly and Emily from Radio America, listeners are presented with a harrowing yet uplifting true story of divine intervention and unwavering faith. Titled "Miracle in the News: Kidnapped at Gunpoint," this episode delves into the real-life ordeal of Joshua Sullivan, a Baptist pastor from Tennessee, and his family's miraculous escape from a life-threatening situation in South Africa.

The Kidnapping Incident

The episode opens with a tense recounting of the traumatic event that befell Pastor Joshua Sullivan and his family. While serving as missionaries in South Africa, Joshua and his wife Megan, along with their six children, experienced a sudden and violent attack during a church service.

[00:30] Unknown Host 2: "So the gunman actually stole Josh's keys, took him out to his own truck, they put a hood over his head and just took off with him."

The unexpected intrusion by four masked gunmen turned what was meant to be a place of worship into a scene of terror. Initially perceiving the assailants as common robbers, Joshua's fears escalated when one of the gunmen struck him, signaling the severity of the situation.

[01:10] Unknown Host 2: "And this is what actually happened to Josh Sullivan."

The Family's Experience

Megan Sullivan, Joshua’s wife, shares her profound fear and immediate response during the kidnapping. Faced with the abduction of her husband and the distress of her children, Megan turned to prayer as a source of strength.

[02:04] Megan Sullivan: "When they did take Josh and I saw my kids crying and screaming, it took me about two seconds. And then I just started screaming at everybody, like, pray. What are you guys doing?"

Megan's reliance on prayer not only provided solace for her but also unified the family in faith amidst chaos. Holly and Emily reflect on Megan's actions, highlighting the depth of her faith and resilience.

[03:00] Unknown Host 1: "I know obviously she is hurting and worried and stressed, but, like, you can't just check out."

Joshua's Captivity and Faith

During his six-day captivity, Joshua faced unimaginable fear and uncertainty. Despite the dire circumstances, he maintained his faith and even took the opportunity to share his beliefs with his captors.

[03:46] Unknown Host 1: "He says they tied him up, then took him to a room where he sat and prayed for six days."

Joshua recounts his inner turmoil and the peace he found through prayer, even as he constantly questioned his fate.

[03:51] Joshua Sullivan: "I was praying for my life. As I said, I felt peace, but still the fear is just the constant. I would ask God, can I have that peace again?"

Notably, Joshua's unwavering faith led him to share the gospel with his kidnappers, a testament to his deep-rooted beliefs and courage under pressure.

[04:26] Unknown Host 2: "He actually shared his faith. He actually shared his faith."

The Miraculous Rescue

The climax of the episode centers on the unexpected and miraculous rescue of Joshua. By sheer chance, the police arrived at the scene pursuing an unrelated lead, inadvertently stumbling upon Joshua's location.

[07:24] Joshua Sullivan: "He said, are you the American pastor? I said, yes, I am... he put his gun down. And he pulled me out of the car and hugged me."

The convergence of Joshua's desperate prayers and the police's erroneous route culminated in a dramatic rescue, where the kidnappers were neutralized, and Joshua was safely freed.

[08:02] Unknown Host 2: "They took a wrong turn, and they ended up in the very driveway. They were just going to back up in the driveway, turn around."

The Family's Response and Forgiveness

In the aftermath of the rescue, the Sullivan family exhibited remarkable strength and forgiveness. Despite the trauma, they chose to forgive their captors and remained committed to their mission in South Africa.

[11:07] Unknown Host 1: "They've already forgiven their captors, so I thought that was pretty amazing."

Joshua reflects on the power of forgiveness, emphasizing that recognizing God's grace in their lives enabled them to extend that grace to others.

[16:31] Joshua Sullivan: "How could I not forgive with all that I've done against God?... How could I not forgive those that wanted to harm us?"

Lessons on Forgiveness and Faith

Holly and Emily segue into a personal anecdote illustrating the importance of forgiveness over revenge. They recount a childhood incident where they contemplated retaliating against a bully but ultimately chose forgiveness, reinforcing the episode's central theme.

[16:13] Unknown Host 2: "When we realize how much grace God has for us, then we can have a lot more grace for others."

This story serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of faith and forgiveness, mirroring the Sullivan family's experience.

Conclusion

Episode 35 of The Miracle Files masterfully intertwines a gripping true crime narrative with profound spiritual insights. Through Joshua and Megan Sullivan's story, listeners are reminded of the prevalence of miracles even in the darkest moments. The episode not only highlights the unyielding faith of a family under siege but also underscores the belief that divine intervention can manifest in the most unexpected ways.

[17:27] Joshua Sullivan: "Whether you're a believer, non-believer, that doesn't matter. What happened to us was a miracle from God."

Holly and Emily conclude the episode by encouraging listeners to seek and recognize miracles in their own lives, leaving them inspired and uplifted.

Key Takeaways:

• Faith in Crisis: The Sullivan family's unwavering faith provided strength and guidance during their kidnapping ordeal.
• Power of Prayer: Both Joshua and Megan found solace and direction through prayer amidst chaos.
• Divine Timing: The timely and accidental arrival of the police underscores the belief in divine intervention.
• Forgiveness Over Revenge: Choosing forgiveness can lead to healing and prevent the cycle of retaliation.
• Commitment to Mission: Despite their traumatic experience, the Sullivans remain dedicated to their mission, showcasing resilience and dedication.

Notable Quotes:

• Megan Sullivan [02:04]: "When they did take Josh... I just started screaming at everybody, like, pray."
• Joshua Sullivan [03:51]: "Can I have that peace again?"
• Joshua Sullivan [07:24]: "Are you the American pastor?... I'm the police. It's okay."
• Joshua Sullivan [16:31]: "How could I not forgive those that wanted to harm us?"
• Joshua Sullivan [17:27]: "What happened to us was a miracle from God."

Final Thoughts

"The Miracle Files" Episode 35 stands as a testament to the triumph of light over darkness and the enduring power of faith. For listeners seeking inspiring and faith-centered true crime stories, this episode offers a compelling blend of drama, spirituality, and hope.

Transcript

[Ryan Seacrest]

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[Unknown Host 1]

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[Unknown Host 2]

So the gunman actually stole Josh's keys, took him out to his own truck, they put a hood over his head and just took off with him.

[Unknown Host 1]

This is Miracles in the News.

[Unknown Host 2]

Welcome back to Miracles in the News. You may have already heard of this story because it has been in the headlines, but it's an amazing one. So let me give you some context.

[Unknown Host 1]

Okay?

[Unknown Host 2]

Imagine that you're a pastor. You're standing at a pulpit ready to deliver a sermon, and your wife and your six kids are sitting in the congregation and suddenly four masked gunmen charge into your church.

[Unknown Host 1]

That would be terrifying, right?

[Unknown Host 2]

And this is what actually happened to Josh Sullivan. He and his wife were Baptist missionaries from Tennessee that were serving in South Africa with their kids. When these gunmen came into their church, Josh thought at first that they were just going to rob them because that happens quite a bit in. But one of the gunmen actually hit Josh over the head with a gun and that's when things really began to escalate.

[Unknown Host 1]

34 year old Joshua Sullivan is a pastor from Tennessee who's been living in South Africa with his wife and children. Last week, four armed men in masks stormed his church, took cell phones from congregants and drove away with Sullivan in his own truck.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah, so the gunman stole Josh's keys, took him out to his truck, put a hood over his head and drove off with him. And so here's what Josh's wife Megan said.

[Unknown Host 1]

I don't know, I can't even tell you all the different thoughts I had in my head. But when they did take Josh and I saw my kids crying and screaming, it took me about two seconds. And then I just started screaming at everybody, like, pray. What are you guys doing? Like, just start praying. And then we kind of just snapped into action. Wow, it's so interesting that like first pray and then snap into action because for me I'm like, I probably would just run out the door and try to chase him down. I don't know what I would do in this situation. But.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah, well, these guys had guns, and the people in the church definitely didn't have guns.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yeah, that's true. What are you gonna do?

[Unknown Host 2]

I mean, and they just took Josh so fast. Like, they just took off with him. So I really don't think there was anything else they could do except for prayer.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yeah, that's true.

[Unknown Host 2]

And I can't imagine what she was going through. Like, how do you comfort your kids at that time and be like, your dad was just kidnapped.

[Unknown Host 1]

I know obviously she is hurting and worried and stressed, but, like, you can't just check out. I would want to go crawl in a hole and same cover my head with a blanket and just cry. But as a mom, you can't just check out.

[Unknown Host 2]

No, in fact, she. She, like, knelt with her kids. They would pray together, and. And she said it was really a hard time because she was struggling between, like, trying to be strong and have faith and also just worrying sick about her husband. But prayer started pouring in from all over the world. You know, the. The news spread fast about this, and people just started praying everywhere. And meanwhile, Josh had been taken to this house, like, who knows where, and was being held prisoner in a back bedroom.

[Unknown Host 1]

He says they tied him up, then took him to a room where he sat and prayed for six days.

[Josh Sullivan]

It was a different kind of prayer, you know, I mean, it was praying for my life. As I said, I felt peace, but still the fear is just the. Constantly I would ask God, can I have that peace again?

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh. Like, what do these guys even want with him? Like, why are they holding him? What's happening?

[Unknown Host 2]

Well, the kidnappers messaged Megan and on WhatsApp actually, and they were demanding 5 million rand, which equates to over a quarter of a million US Dollars.

[Unknown Host 1]

Are these guys, like, why did they pick them? Are these guys super wealthy? Like, I mean, most people probably wouldn't.

[Unknown Host 2]

Have a quarter of a million dollars.

[Unknown Host 1]

In their back, right?

[Unknown Host 2]

No, no, these guys were not wealthy. They were missionaries, and they didn't have that kind of money. And during that time, even though Josh was uncomfortable and terrified, he says he did share something unexpected with his captors. He actually shared his faith.

[Josh Sullivan]

I was able to tell them about the death and burial resurrection of Jesus Christ. You know, why I'm here giving them the gospel. They had never heard that message before.

[Unknown Host 1]

Wow, that's like a true show of faith. I mean, what courage and faith and character. Like, a true test of character. It reminds me of our story about Bob Meek, where he was a captive in Mexico. And then he did the same thing. Like, he shared the gospel of Christ with these people who were his captors. I mean, it really. It shows you that he is truly converted.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host 2]

When you're in a life and death situation.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host 2]

And I think it can really show where your priority priorities are at and how strong your version is. And I love that Josh was telling me, testifying and teaching his kidnappers.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yeah. It's amazing.

[Unknown Host 2]

It is amazing. And unfortunately, Megan back at home was, like, going through an absolute nightmare. And the kidnappers kept messaging her and demanding the money. And she told them, I don't have the money. Can you give me more time? And they were like, nope, you're not in a position to negotiate with us. We want the money now.

[Unknown Host 1]

How was she gonna get the money?

[Unknown Host 2]

She'd be like, well, she didn't have it, so. No, she didn't really have a plan. So she just continued to pray while she was trying to figure it out. While she was trying to. And she wasn't even sure. Like, you know, the police were not sure if she should even pay them money for, you know, because that can make it worse. So while she was trying to figure it out, six days went by and things got really crazy. And I'll read what Josh says happened next.

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh.

[Unknown Host 2]

Quote, they moved me into a car. I didn't know where we were going, but I had this sinking feeling maybe they were planning to kill me. I couldn't see anything. My head was covered. I tripped over a step, got up, tripped again. Then they rushed me into a vehicle, pulled out of the garage. And then I hear gunfire non stop.

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh.

[Unknown Host 2]

For five to seven minutes, I just lay there praying. I thought, do I run? Do I hide? I couldn't see a thing.

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh. It's like when you're watching a movie and you get to this point where, like, everything is stacked up against them.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host 1]

And there's no way out. They're trapped. It's like, what are you gonna do?

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah, seriously. And then the gunshots just stopped. And Josh heard footsteps, and a car door opened and. And suddenly a man pulled the hood off of his head.

[Josh Sullivan]

He said, are you the American pastor? I said, yes, I am. And I looked at him, I said, are you the police? You know, his uniform said police and all that. But I was still like, you know, is this a good guy or a bad guy? And I didn't want to get out of the car because I was just nervous. I was just scared, I guess. He said, it's okay. I'm the police. It's okay. It's okay. He put his gun down. He said, it's okay. And he pulled me out of the car and hugged me. I began to cry, you know, and he was. Well, he was trying to calm me down when I just got on my hands and knees and just praised the Lord. Just thank the Lord and prayed.

[Unknown Host 2]

Wow.

[Unknown Host 1]

So how did the police find him?

[Unknown Host 2]

Okay, you're not going to believe this. So this is where it gets even more incredible. It turns out the police found Josh by mistake. They had been heading somewhere completely unrelated. They took a wrong turn, and. And they ended up in the very driveway. They were just going to, like, back up in the driveway, turn around.

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh.

[Unknown Host 2]

And that's where Josh was being held captive. And the kidnappers panicked and opened fire. The police fired back. Three of the suspects were killed. And yet, despite all of the gunfire, Josh was fine, and he ended up being saved.

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh. Okay, I want to know more about, like, the police. Like, why were they there? Why would. How did they take this wrong turn? What were they doing there in the first place?

[Unknown Host 2]

Okay, so the police had gotten a tip about a suspicious vehicle, and they were out looking for that. But that wasn't related to Josh's disappearance at all. It was a completely different thing. And they were heading out to try and find this vehicle, and they literally just made a wrong turn.

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh.

[Unknown Host 2]

So they went to turn around in the driveway where Josh was being held captive. I mean, it's just. Wow. Obviously, divine intervention.

[Unknown Host 1]

Obviously more than just a coincidence that they have to be there.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host 1]

That is amazing. I love it.

[Unknown Host 2]

I know. Josh says that he's just been telling everyone that God deserves the credit for this. Like, yeah, people get kidnapped in South Africa a lot, but for things to work out the way they did, I mean, how do you deny that God was involved in this?

[Unknown Host 1]

You can't. I mean, obviously he sent them there.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host 1]

It wasn't a mistake.

[Unknown Host 2]

No. Even. Here's another kind of crazy cool part of this. Even Josh tripping on the way out played a part in the timing of his rescue.

[Josh Sullivan]

So if I hadn't fell, if I hadn't busted my knee, if they hadn't changed their mind, if that hadn't took so long cleaning and wiping down the room, if I hadn't tripped the SEC trip the second time, if the guy had opened the garage door a little bit quicker, I mean, who knows? It's a sovereign hand of God. They Pulled into the driveway at the moment. The moment I was pulling out.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yeah. The timing of everything is what's so crazy.

[Unknown Host 2]

Right.

[Unknown Host 1]

Because, like, if he had, like, anything, any one of those things had changed, the place would have been there too early or too late. It's just. It's amazing how God works.

[Unknown Host 2]

It is. And even though this family has survived, like, one of the scariest experiences imaginable, they say they feel more committed than ever to their mission in South Africa, and they're going to spend a little bit of time in Tennessee, just kind of healing emotionally from the experience, but they want to go back as soon as possible.

[Unknown Host 1]

It's like, you know what? You did your service. You're good. But the fact that they want to go back is.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host 1]

So inspiring. Like, these people are truly converted.

[Unknown Host 2]

They are. And they also just love the people of South Africa. They said that that is their home now.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host 2]

And they've raised their children there. And they also said that they understand that the poverty there and a lot of the circumstances there are a big part of why there's so much violence that happens. And people are. Yeah, they are. And they said they've already forgiven their captors, so I thought that was pretty amazing.

[Unknown Host 1]

Wow. Wow. I'm always inspired when people have these horrible things happen to them and they choose to forgive.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yes.

[Unknown Host 1]

I mean, like, I know there are times in our lives where so cruel and people are mean, and it's so much harder to do than it sounds.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah. And I. I mean it. Forgiveness is tough, like it really is. And I have to say, I am not the best example of that. Sometimes it's hard. It's hard to forgive, and. And I'm actually thinking back to times when I have been an example, and. Yeah. Do you remember the poop cookies, Emily?

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh. We do not need to share that story on our podcast.

[Unknown Host 2]

Oh, I've. I've brought it up now. So now we have to.

[Unknown Host 1]

Oh, my gosh. Our listeners will never think of us the same. They won't.

[Unknown Host 2]

But this is us. So whatever I. Do you want to tell the story, or do you want me. You want me to tell it?

[Unknown Host 1]

Okay, I guess we're going there.

[Unknown Host 2]

We're going there.

[Unknown Host 1]

We're all. All right. Well, so we have another sister. Her name's Julie. We've mentioned her before.

[Unknown Host 2]

Oh, wait. Do we want to give a warning first? Like, kids, if you're listening to this, please don't do this.

[Unknown Host 1]

This is not an idea. Don't get any ideas from this.

[Unknown Host 2]

This is.

[Unknown Host 1]

We're not good examples.

[Unknown Host 2]

This is like a story about what not to do. So let's just. We're just gonna put that out there first.

[Unknown Host 1]

Okay. So we have a sister. Her name is Julie. We've mentioned her multiple times in the podcast. When she was in middle school, she was bullied. And there was this one girl who was especially mean to her. She was and was always just picking on her. And one day, this girl invited Julie to a party. And we're like, oh, maybe she's finally being nice. Maybe she's finally going to include Julie. When Julie gets there, there are a bunch of kids who are all standing there with water guns and buckets of water, and they just soak her. She comes home in tears. We're so frustrated that this girl is so mean. She's awful. She was a bully anyway, so we wanted to do something about it.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yes.

[Unknown Host 1]

And right at this, I'm like a kid. But Holly, you were like. You were like in college. You were like. You were like an adult. Holly gives me this terrible idea.

[Unknown Host 2]

I gave you an assignment.

[Unknown Host 1]

So what we do. This is so gross. We put on some rubber gloves.

[Unknown Host 2]

I gave you gloves. At least I didn't touch. You guys did this. You and your friend.

[Unknown Host 1]

So my friend and I put on some rubber gloves, we went over to my friend's house, and we collected some of her dog's poop. We rolled it into balls and rolled it into powdered sugar. Yes, they look like chocolate cookies.

[Unknown Host 2]

They looked really quite delicious if you didn't know what they were.

[Unknown Host 1]

Put a little nice bow on it.

[Unknown Host 2]

We wrote a little card, some Saran.

[Unknown Host 1]

Wrap over the plate from your secret admirer. We go to this girl's house, leave it on the doorstep, ring the doorbell, and run.

[Unknown Host 2]

Run.

[Unknown Host 1]

And fortunately for her, our mother intervened. When you told Mom, I think you had a conscience a little bit, I.

[Unknown Host 2]

Felt a little guilty.

[Unknown Host 1]

She made us go get it off the doorstep.

[Unknown Host 2]

And at the time, I was like, oh, my gosh, this girl deserves it. She deserves the poop cookies. And I was so mad, but I know.

[Unknown Host 1]

But we did. She is very lucky. She wasn't home when we were in the doorbell.

[Unknown Host 2]

Like, yes.

[Unknown Host 1]

Probably a miracle for her.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yes.

[Unknown Host 1]

But we went and grabbed the plate of cookies. We never actually gave them to her. She never ate them or anything.

[Unknown Host 2]

But no, and we learned it. We learned a big lesson from that. Right? I mean, I know I did. Like, mom talked to us about how that was not the best way to handle things. She talked to us about forgiveness.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yeah, we did. We Talked about how, like, is that going to accomplish anything? Like, it was kind of funny. But if we had done that, it's not like this girl would have all of a sudden been kinder to her sister. It's not like she would have been sorry. It's not like anything good would have come from it.

[Unknown Host 2]

Yeah, honestly, mom was totally right.

[Unknown Host 1]

The best thing we could do in that situation is recognize this girl was probably going through a hard time herself. She was probably struggling with her own things. And our sister Julie turned out great. Everything turned out fine. But we really did learn a lesson that, yeah, forgiveness is better than.

[Unknown Host 2]

Forgiveness is better than revenge.

[Unknown Host 1]

Yes, it's not easy, but it is better.

[Unknown Host 2]

No, no, it's not easy. I think it's something we all struggle with and all have to work on. And back to the story. I mean, Josh was such a great example of this. His whole family was. And I loved what Josh said about forgiveness.

[Josh Sullivan]

How could I not forgive with all that I've done against God? And he still uses me, you know, how could I not forgive those that wanted to harm us?

[Unknown Host 1]

Wow, that is such a good perspective. Because none of us are perfect. We all make mistakes.

[Unknown Host 2]

And yeah, obviously I've made my fair share of mistakes, including telling my little sister to make poop cookies. But we're perfect. I really just believe that when we realize how much grace God has for us, then we can have a lot more grace for others. And I think our mom taught us that that day. And the Sullivan family is such a great example of that.

[Josh Sullivan]

Whether you're a believer, non believer, that doesn't matter. What happened to us. What happened to me was a miracle from God.

[Unknown Host 2]

I just want to thank everyone for joining us today because this is such an amazing story and we hope that this story has brightened your day. Thank you for joining us. If you have a miracle to share, contact [e-mail] or find us on Facebook.

[Unknown Host 1]

Book we're now releasing multiple episodes each month, so subscribe on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube for amazing video content as well.

[Unknown Host 2]

Join us next time as we discover more of God's miracles. And don't forget to look for his light in your own lives.

[Josh Sullivan]

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[Ryan Seacrest]

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