Police in South Africa have rescued kidnapped U.S. pastor Josh Sullivan following a "high-intensity shootout" that left three of his suspected captors dead in the Eastern Cape Province.

"Miraculously unharmed, he was immediately assessed by medical personnel and is currently in excellent condition," South African police said in a statement.

The 45-year-old U.S. citizen from Tennessee had been conducting a service on April 10 at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell when four masked men broke in and abducted Sullivan.

The assailants also stole two cellphones from members of the congregation before taking the pastor away in his light truck, a silver Toyota Fortuner that was later found abandoned, Newsweek reported.

Lt Col Avele Fumba, of the Hawks special police unit, said Sullivan was "miraculously unharmed" and found to be in an "excellent condition" after being assessed by medics.

"As officers approached the house, they observed a vehicle on the premises. The suspects inside the vehicle, upon seeing law enforcement, allegedly attempted to flee and opened fire on the team," police said.

Tom Hatley, a pastor at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, Tennessee, and a mentor to Sullivan, confirmed the release. "Josh has been released. I just got 'the go-ahead to let it be known, '" Hatley posted to his Facebook page.

"Thank you for your support and prayers. Please do not stop praying for The Sullivans. Praise The Lord Jesus Christ."

     - Ransom demand   

The BBC reported there were no immediate details on the kidnappers, who had made a ransom demand.

There has been a dramatic increase in kidnappings for ransom in South Africa over the past decade.

Sullivan's kidnappers had made a ransom demand, which prompting the intervention of South Africa's elite police unit, the Hawks.

Hawks spokesperson Fumba said that as the officers approached the house, the suspects attempted to flee inside a vehicle, while opening fire.

"The officers responded with tactical precision, leading to a high-intensity shootout in which three unidentified suspects were fatally wounded."

Sullivan is a "church planter missionary", a missionary specializing in establishing new churches, or planting new congregations in areas where there are few or no existing Christian communities — for the Fellowship Baptist Church.

He has been a missionary in South Africa since moving to the country with his family in November 2018 to establish a church within the Xhosa-speaking community.

Xhosa is one of the 11 official languages of South Africa and was the mother tongue of Nelson Mandela.

Sullivan arrived in South Africa with his family from Tennessee in November 2018, according to his personal website.

"We are looking to finish language school soon and plant a church to the Xhosa-speaking people," he writes on his site.

Sullivan had been on the staff at Fellowship Baptist Church in Maryville, Tennessee, from February of 2012, according to the website.