DELIVER US FROM EVIL

"Spirit of trauma out you go. In the name of Jesus out you go. By the power of God, by the stripes of Nazareth." Trevor Newport, Deliverance Minister performing an exorcism.

To many, the word ‘exorcist’ conjures up images of spinning heads, shaking beds, and a child who during the course of the film, grows an uncanny resemblance to a gremlin.

This is precisely why Trevor Newport of the church of Life Changing Ministries prefers the title, ‘Deliverance Minister’.

Demons are still active now

Trevor Newport uses the term Deliverance Minister rather than exorcist

Trevor’s dedicated congregation meet twice weekly to have demons exorcised from their bodies, in a confrontation between Jesus and the devil. And all this happens in the unremarkable town of Hanley, Stoke on Trent.

"Often my hands will be burning with God’s presence", claims Trevor Newport, who firmly believes that "demons are just as active as they’ve always been."

Inside Out gains exclusive access to the work of Trevor and witnesses several exorcisms, or deliverances, taking place.

Casting out spirits

Jenny Rowley of Stoke on Trent, turned to the church of 'Life Changing Ministries', after she reached a severely low point in her life.

As the spirit is cast from Jenny’s body, she screams out and falls to the floor, where she remains trembling, yet she reassures Inside Out that the process is painless.

"It’s the spirit crying out. It doesn’t want to lose its home. What he’ll (the spirit) sometimes do is throw you on the floor or roll you over, curl you up in a ball. Strangely enough, none of it hurts you." Jenny Rowley

Sceptics

So how do these demons get into people’s bodies in the first place?

Trevor Newport believes that a simple activity such as reading your horoscope, or performing yoga can allow a spirit to enter, so Geri Halliwell better watch out!

There are many who are highly sceptical of Trevor’s work. None more so than Elizabeth Baxter and Roger Granger, who run a Christian retreat in Yorkshire.

Opposition

As unconventional as the church of Life Changing Ministries may appear, the exorcising of demons is a practice, albeit an understated practice, carried out by the Church of England.

Roger Vaughan, Anglican exorcist

Roger Vaughan is the Anglican exorcist for the Midlands. Whilst he has carried out exorcisms, Roger stresses that major exorcism, similar to that of Jenny Rowley, would only be undertaken with the supervision of a local area bishop.

Back in the church of Life Changing Ministries, Trevor Newport is only too aware of his opposition, particularly towards his view that mental illness is usually the work of the devil.

The work of the devil

Roger Vaughan would be very reluctant to perform an exorcism on a person suffering from mental illness. He believes that as a medical condition, exorcism could only worsen symptoms, as the sufferer would believe their symptoms to be a demon too powerful to be exorcised.

Whether you believe Trevor offers divine deliverance, or is simply playing on the insecurities of the vulnerable, his congregation are certainly devout in their belief in him.

Just as well, considering the force of opposition he faces from sceptics and critics.

Unfazed by doubters, Trevor Newport remains firm in his belief.

"The more opposition, the stronger I get."

Lucky for Trevor, the same is not true of the demons he exorcises!