A Brooklyn bishop was robbed at gunpoint as he was delivering a sermon on Sunday, with the thieves making off with jewellery worth more than $1 million.

Lamor Whitehead, a bishop at the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in the south-eastern Brooklyn neighbourhood of Canarsie, was robbed of his chains, cross, wedding ring and watch.

The trio of masked robbers had burst into the church just as Mr Whitehead asked his congregation: “How many of you have lost your faith because you saw somebody else die?”

Having ripped the jewels and clerical collar from the bishop, who was forced to the ground, they moved on to his 38-year-old wife, snatching her jewels as the congregation cowered in fear.”