Deliverance ministry

{{short description|Type of prayer used by some Christian groups}}
In [[Christianity]], '''deliverance ministry''' refers to groups that perform practices to cleanse people of [[demon]]s and evil spirits. These groups attribute certain people's physical, [[Mental disorder|psychological]], spiritual, and [[Emotional and behavioral disorders|emotional problems]] to the activities of these evil spirits in their lives.<ref name=":0" /> Not all Christians accept the doctrines and practices of these ministries. 

Deliverance is meant to cast out evil spirits (a.k.a. "demons"), helping people overcome negative behaviors, feelings, and experiences through the power of the Holy Spirit.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Csordas|first1=Thomas J.|title=The sacred self : a cultural phenomenology of charismatic healing|publisher=University of California Press|year=1997|isbn=978-0-520-91906-8|location=Berkeley|oclc=43476838}}</ref> Each event is different, but many include some or all of these significant steps: diagnosis, naming the demon, expulsion, and some form of action taken by the afflicted person after their deliverance to keep the demon from returning.<ref name=":0" /> The distinction between deliverance ministry and [[exorcism]] is that while exorcism focuses largely on possession and is for believers and unbelievers alike, deliverance focuses more on spiritual oppression and is more for believers.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Irish exorcist calls for extra help for people oppressed by evil spirits |last=Carroll |first=Rory |newspaper=The Guardian |date=9 June 2022 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/09/irish-exorcist-extra-help-people-oppressed-by-evil-spirits}}</ref> In both cases in casting out spirits, intercessors  are following the example of [[Jesus in Christianity|Jesus Christ]] and his [[Disciple (Christianity)|disciples]] given in the [[New Testament]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Silcock|first1=Jeffrey G.|date=2013|title=A Lutheran approach to the ministry of deliverance|journal=Lutheran Forum|volume=47| issue =  4|pages=51–57|via=EBSCOhost}}</ref>

== History ==

=== Biblical precedent ===
Many believers in deliverance ministry cite [[Bible|Biblical]] precedent as an authoritative source for their [[ritual]]s; this forms a significant part in arguments surrounding deliverance practices.<ref name=":1" /> The Biblical precedent for cleansing people of evil spirits returns to Jesus.

The [[New Testament]] mentions Jesus casting out [[evil spirits]] fifty-five times but only describes the events in detail five times.<ref name=":1" /> He casts demons out of a man in a [[synagogue]] ([[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 1) and two men near tombs ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 8). In both episodes, Jesus converses with the demons, and they acknowledge him as the [[Son of God (Christianity)|Son of God]] before he casts them out.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=New International Version (NIV) - Version Information - BibleGateway.com|url=https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/|website=www.biblegateway.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref> This{{what?|date=June 2022|reason=jesSomeoneersing? someone conversing? acknowledging?}} is a common occurrence in modern deliverance rituals as well.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last1=Hunt|first1=Stephen|date=May 1998|title=Managing the demonic: Some aspects of the neo-Pentecostal deliverance ministry|journal=Journal of Contemporary Religion|language=en|volume=13|issue=2|pages=215–230|doi=10.1080/13537909808580831|issn=1353-7903}}</ref> Jesus also casts demons out of a little girl ([[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 7) and a young boy ([[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 9), both events that the Bible expressly connects to strengthening the faith of their parents;<ref name=":2" /> modern practitioners of deliverance ministry interpret their experiences expelling demons as an opportunity to strengthen their own faith as well.<ref name=":1" /> Jesus heals a [[Demonic possession|possessed]] man (Matthew 12) to show his [[Messiah in Judaism|Messianic]] calling and the fulfilment of [[prophecy]],<ref name=":2" /> leading modern believers to see successful exorcisms as evidence of Jesus' power in their lives.<ref name=":1" />

Jesus' [[Disciples (Christianity)|disciples]] also cast out demons many times throughout the New Testament as a sign of their own [[Faith in Christianity|faith in Jesus]].<ref name=":2" /> This occurs before and after Jesus' death. After his death, believers interpret the events as proof of the authority the disciples still have through faith in Jesus.<ref name=":2" /> Each exorcism event is different in the Bible, and the methods used to cast out demons change; some participants in modern deliverance ministry interpret this to mean that there is no "right" or single way to cast out demons, but that many methods may be used as long as they are rooted in Christianity.<ref name=":1" /> Practitioners of deliverance ministry pay careful attention to each of these Biblical examples as they navigate and interpret demonic activity and deliverance rituals in their own lives.<ref name=":1" />

=== Post-Biblical deliverance practices ===
[[Exorcism in Christianity|Exorcism]] was practiced by [[Catholic Church|Catholics]] throughout the [[Middle Ages]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Sluhovsky, Moshe, 1958-|title=Believe not every spirit: possession, mysticism, & discernment in early modern Catholicism|date=2007|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-76295-1|location=Chicago|oclc=309871210}}</ref> [[Martin Luther]] practiced it in Germany during the 1500s as a way of participating in the "war with the [[Satan|devil]]," a tradition continued by [[Lutheranism|Lutherans]] throughout the [[Reformation]] to the present day.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="Harris2019">{{cite web |last1=Harris |first1=Elise |title=Exorcists see ecumenical agenda in fighting 'voluntary possession' |url=https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2019/05/exorcists-see-ecumenical-agenda-in-fighting-voluntary-possession |publisher=[[Crux (online newspaper)|Crux]] |access-date=21 April 2023 |language=English |date=14 May 2019}}</ref> He simplified the ceremony too avoid drawing attention to evil powers.<ref name=":1" /> Deliverance practices became somewhat more widespread with the growth of the [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]] movement, and especially with the [[Charismatic movement]] that began in the 1960s.<ref name=":3" /> These movements continue to understand themselves as part of [[spiritual warfare]], in which Christians are understood to be at war with the forces of evil which work in the world in efficient ways, afflicting people with all kinds of problems (physical, emotional, spiritual).<ref name=":3" /> People believe they can combat these evil forces through the power and authority of [[God in Christianity|God]].<ref name=":3" />

== Sources of demonic presence ==
According to believers in oppression, demons are believed to be able to enter a person's life in many different ways.<ref name=":0" /> Some believe that objects, by their very nature, harbor demons; for example, certain types of literature, especially if it leads the reader to question their faith and other media such as [[fantasy]]/[[Horror fiction|horror]] [[Novel|novels]] or films, [[Dungeons & Dragons|Dungeons and Dragons]] or other types of [[Role-playing game|role-playing games]], [[Compact disc|CD]] recordings of alleged [[Satanic panic|satanic]] music, art with non-religious or [[Blasphemy|blasphemous]]/sinful themes, or artifacts depicting [[Deity|pagan gods]]. [[Religious text|Sacred texts]] (false religious texts) or simple decorations from a non-Christian religion may also be a hiding place for demons. Other types are objects with a [[sin]]ful history (e.g. a piece of [[Jewellery|jewelry]] from an [[Adultery|adulterous]] relationship, an object purchased with [[greed]], etc.).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=McCloud, Sean, Verfasser.|title=American possessions : fighting demons in the contemporary United States|year=2015|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-020538-6|oclc=950475394}}</ref>

Demons can also be said to "[[Ancestral sin|run in families]]." The usual cause is ancestors who were [[Satanism|Satanists]], [[Freemasonry|Freemasons]], or [[Witchcraft|witches]], or who died unrepentant of terrible sins such as abuse, adultery, or murder. Some claim that negative traits and practices run in families because of the demonic presence that is passed down from parent to child.<ref name=":0" /> Others claim that physical ailments and persistent problems such as [[poverty]] and addictive behaviors ([[drug]]s, [[pornography]], etc.) can be caused by ancestral sin and the resulting [[family curses]].

==Methods==

=== Diagnosis ===
Deliverance ministries focus on casting out the [[Demon|spirit]] or spirits believed to cause an affliction. The person must first be "[[Diagnosis|diagnosed]]" with the presence/possession of an evil spirit, which often requires the participation of a person who is trained or experienced in this area.<ref name=":3" /> This expert may ask questions to learn about the person's life and try to discover if they have committed any [[sin]]s that might invite a demonic presence; if they have, they must [[Repentance|repent]] of that sin as part of the deliverance process.<ref name=":0" /> The expert might question the person about their relationships with their spouse, children, and friends, as poor relationships with closer circle may be evidence of a demonic presence.<ref name=":3" /> They may also ask about their extended family and [[ancestor]]s to determine if the demon might be the result of a family [[curse]].<ref name=":3" /> They can attempt to discern if an object or a room is the source of the demonic activity and help the person understand what may have attached the demon to that object or space.<ref name=":0" /> Some may be able to see demons or hear their names through the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit.]]<ref name=":3" /> Once the source of the demonic presence is identified, it is cast out through the renouncing of any contract made with the spirit and any lies accepted, and commanded to leave by the power of the Holy Spirit.<ref name=":3" />

Some believe that an [[Ordination|ordained]] member of a [[clergy]] must perform the deliverance, while others believe that anyone can have that spiritual power.<ref name=":0" /> [[Diagnosis]] may occur in private spaces, or during public meetings as the Holy Spirit is invited to reveal the presence of demons in the attendees or while the "preacher" walks through the audience forcing demons to manifest themselves in the audience.<ref name=":3" />

=== Naming the demon ===
Revealing the demon's name may be part of the expulsion process, as it gives the person casting out the demon authority over it. This process is not required to cast out the demon, and some adherents do not accept it (some believe that demons can give the wrong name). Still, others believe it is necessary.<ref name=":3" /> The presence may identify itself or be identified as a specific demon (e.g. Jezebel, Asherah, Baal, etc.)<ref name=":0" /> or its "name" might be the name of the sin or affliction it represents (e.g. rebellion, [[gluttony]], sexual perversion, [[anorexia nervosa]]).<ref name=":3" /> Explicitly identifying the problem may prep the healed preacher and the healed personed to expel the demon.<ref name=":3" />

=== Expulsion of demons ===
Various methods are used to expel demons.<ref name=":3" /> Some adherents recite [[Bible#Christian Bibles|Biblical]] verses about casting out demons, or [[Prayer|pray]]; many also invoke "the [[Blood of Christ|blood of Jesus]]," a reference to [[Crucifixion of Jesus|Jesus suffering]] for people's sins and [[Intercession of Christ|intervening]] with [[God in Christianity|God]] on behalf of humanity.<ref name=":3" /> In this context, invoking the blood of Jesus is calling on him to intervene specifically on behalf of the possessed individual.<ref name=":3" /> The person performing the deliverance might touch the possessed person, or [[Anointing|anoint]] them with [[Holy anointing oil|oil]] or [[Holy water|water]].<ref name=":3" /> People may also perform rituals over objects that contain evil spirits, destroy them by breaking or burning them, then remove them from the home.<ref name=":0" /> If a place has evil spirits because of sins committed there in the past, people may repent on behalf of those who committed the sins as part of casting out the evil spirits.<ref name=":0" /> This is meant to force a demon to leave an afflicted person, place, or thing.<ref name=":0" /> The demon may resist the expulsion using the body of the possessed person and may speak, scream, cry, laugh, vomit, or lash out physically.<ref name=":3" /> exorcism or deliverance rituals can be loud, dramatic, and highly emotional experiences for those involved.<ref name=":3" /> Once the demon is gone, people often feel like a weight or darkness has left them.<ref name=":0" />

=== Post-deliverance maintenance ===
According to believers in possession, a demon may return after a successful deliverance meeting if proper precautions are not taken.<ref name=":0" /> To avoid this, a person must pray over their own being as well as their home for God's protection over them. Because the Holy Spirit is believed to be stronger than the demons, the person remains protected. If needed, the person may have to take other steps of action as well, such as removing certain media from their home and creating boundaries with certain individuals who may have "spread" the spirit(s) to them.

Certain Christian theologians have held that the wearing of a [[Christian head covering|headcovering]] by Christian females confers protection against [[Fallen angel#Christianity|fallen angels]], which they teach is referenced in {{Bibleverse|1 Corinthians|11:3-10|NRSV}}.<ref name="Gordon2015">{{cite web |last1=Gordon |first1=Greg |title=Are Head Coverings Really for Today? |url=https://evangelicalfocus.com/yourblog/929/Are-Head-Coverings-Really-for-Today- |publisher=Evangelical Focus |access-date=2 May 2022 |language=English |date=31 August 2015 |quote=[[K. P.  Yohannan]] [founder of the [[Believers Eastern Church]]] says, "Have you considered why there is so much tension and fighting over placing a small piece of cloth on one’s head? When a woman wears the symbol of God’s government, a head covering, she is essentially a rebuke to all the fallen angels. Her actions tell them, 'You have rebelled against the Holy God, but I submit to Him and His headship. I choose not to follow your example of rebellion and pride.'"}}</ref><ref name="Richmond2018">{{cite book |last1=Richmond |first1=Raymond Lloyd |title=The Veil of Purity: The Supernatural Purpose of the Chapel Veil |date=11 November 2018 |isbn=978-0-9831171-6-2 |pages=3–6 |publisher=R. Richmond, Ph.D. |language=English}}</ref><ref name="Weaver2014">{{cite web |last1=Weaver |first1=Brenda M. |title=Why We Wear a Headship Covering |url=https://wilkesbarremennonitechurch.com/about-2/why-we-wear-a-headship-covering/ |publisher=Wilkes-Barre Mennonite Church |access-date=21 April 2023 |language=English |date=20 August 2014}}</ref>

== Formal work of ministries ==
Ministries can organize the removal from homes of items that are believed to harbor demons. Members are instructed to burn items that are related to [[Idolatry]], "demon drawing" symbols, and music that summons demons. Rev. Don Jeffrey, an exorcist in [[Arizona]], states that any of these objects should be exorcised of evil spirits and blessed before burning them or sending them to the dump. For example, some believe that [[Ouija|ouija boards]] can act like a gateway for the demonic and must be exorcised and blessed, as the gate must be closed before it is destroyed.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Linse|first1=Pat|last2=Shermer|first2=Michael|last3=Loxton|first3=beep beep lettuce|last4=Smith|first4=Jim W. W.|date=2018|title=SECRETS OF THE OUIJA BOARD|journal=Skeptic|publisher=Skeptics Society & Skeptic Magazine|volume=23|issue=4|via=Gale Academic OneFile}}</ref>

For some Christians, deliverance ministries are activities carried out by specialists such as Bishop Larry Gaiters, Rev Miguel Bustillos, and Rev Vincent Bauhaus,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bornagainministry.org/deliverance-ministry-exorcism/|title=Deliverance Ministry Exorcism|date=July 29, 2023}}</ref> or groups aimed at solving problems related to demons and spirits, especially possession of the body and soul, but not the spirit. Ministries like [[Ellel Ministries International]], Don Dickerman Ministries, and Neil T. Anderson explicitly teach that a Christian cannot have demons in their spirit because the [[Holy Spirit in Christianity|Holy Spirit]] lives there. However, they can have demons in their body or soul due to inner emotional wounds, [[sexual abuse]], or [[Satanic ritual abuse]].<ref>{{cite web|title=How Can Evil Spirits Live in a Believer?|url=http://www.dondickerman.net/id70.html|publisher=Don Dickerman Ministries|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723102814/http://www.dondickerman.net/id70.html|archive-date=2011-07-23}}</ref> This is usually known as partial possession or demonic infestation, as opposed to outside demonic oppression which does not reside in any of the three parts of a person: body, soul, spirit.

==Deliverance vs. exorcism==
While some people interchange the terms "exorcism" and "deliverance," others distinguish between the two. According to the latter school of thought, [[exorcism]]s are carried out through the use of various rituals of exorcism, such as those in the [[Roman Ritual]], and often utilize attendant [[Sacramental|sacramentals]] such as [[holy water]]. In contrast, deliverance focuses on spiritual oppression as opposed to spiritual possession. Others claim that "deliverance" and "exorcism" refer to the same practice but that exorcism is a more intense form and is used in more complex or extreme cases.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Illueca|first1=Marta|date=December 2018|title=Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Spirit Possession and Deliverance Ministries|journal=Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling |language=en|volume=72|issue=4|pages=269–277|doi=10.1177/1542305018795887|s2cid=149808602 |issn=1542-3050}}</ref> Deliverance ministries seek to remove any influences that allow the demon to take control over the individual. The individual must take responsibility and be involved in the process.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=McDonald|first1=Joe|date=2013|title=The Ministry of the Unbound|journal=The Furrow|volume=64|issue=10|pages=546–549|jstor=24635784|issn=0016-3120}}</ref><ref name="Euteneuer">{{cite book|last1=Euteneuer|first1=Thomas|title=Exorcism And The Church Militant|publisher=Human Life International|year=2010|isbn=978-1-55922-060-6|pages=135}}</ref>

Some deliverance ministers do use [[crucifix]]es, holy water, and [[Holy anointing oil|anointing oils]], as well as the [[Bible]]. Some deliverance ministers who also use the term "exorcist" wear the [[clerical collar]] (first used by  [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterians]]) and also incorporate a [[stole (vestment)|stole]].

==Prominent figures==

[[Frank Hammond]] and his wife Ida Mae have been called "perhaps the most influential practitioners of deliverance ministry."<ref name="Reece">Gregory L. Reece, ''Creatures of the Night: In Search of Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves and Demons'', I. B. Tauris, 2012, [https://books.google.com/books?id=PhUCrpIqmX4C&pg=PA149 p. 149].</ref> Their book ''Pigs in the Parlor: A Practical Guide to Deliverance,'' published in 1973, is one of the most influential books on the topic,<ref name="Reece"/> and has sold over a million copies.<ref name="Cuneo">Michael Cuneo, ''[[American Exorcism]]'', Random House, 2010, pp. 107–109.</ref> In diagnosing demonic presence, they focused more on the moral, ethical, and spiritual signs of possession rather than more dramatic physical manifestations like writhing on the ground.<ref name="Reece" /> As the title indicates, their book takes less of a theoretical/theological approach to deliverance; it's meant to be used by believers in real-life situations and includes tools like seven signs of [[demonic possession]] and how to recognize when a demon has departed following a ritual.<ref name="Reece" />

[[Bob Larson|Reverend Bob Larson]] has also achieved widespread public notoriety, not just within the deliverance ministry movement itself. Larson is known for drawing media attention to deliverance practices; he performs exorcisms in front of live [[audience]]s, teaches [[exorcism]] workshops, and even had his own [[Reality television|reality TV]] show, bringing a sort of theatrical quality to exorcism.<ref name="Reece" /> His daughter Brynne and her friends Tess and Savannah were featured on [[news]] channels in 2012 under the title "the teenage exorcists,"<ref name=":0" /> even gaining the attention of [[News agency|news organizations]] and publications as well known as [[BBC News]]<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Wallis|first1=Lucy|date=2013-09-10|title=Meet America's teenage exorcists|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23986595|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref> and [[People (magazine)|People magazine]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=How the Teenage Exorcists Got Their New Name|url=https://people.com/celebrity/how-the-teenage-exorcists-got-their-new-name/|website=PEOPLE.com|language=EN|access-date=2020-05-20}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Christianity}}
* [[Demonic possession]]
* [[Ancestral sin|Generational curses]]
* [[Exorcism in Christianity]]
* [[Spiritual warfare]]
* [[Charismatic movement]]
* [[Johann Blumhardt]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.ccr.org.uk/about-ccr/goodnews-articles/the-catholic-ministry-of-deliverance/ The Catholic Ministry of Deliverance] - CCR 
*[https://www.fontanellelutheran.org/ministry-teams-1/adult-ministry/deliverance-ministry/ Deliverance Ministry] - [[Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ]]
*[https://firebrandmag.com/articles/thunderstruck-the-deliverance-ministry-of-john-wesley The Deliverance Ministry of John Wesley] - Firebrand Magazine

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[[Category:Spiritual warfare]]