It might not be well-publicised by the church, but every diocese in Britain has its own deliverance minister. Each is appointed, personally, by the Bishop. Many, like Stephen, become interested in taking on the role after having their own experience of some apparently supernatural phenomena . \u201cI used to live in a house that seemed to have some sort of presence,\u201d\u009d says Stephen. His haunting, though, was mild: more pest than pestilence. \u201cEven though it was a relatively modern house it was always very cold, particularly in my children\u2019s bedroom,\u201d\u009d he says. \u201cWe bled the radiators, we looked for a draft and there was none. The place just had an atmosphere. I went away for a couple of nights and my wife, who\u2019s fairly level headed, was freaked out just by being left in the house with my child.\u201d\u009d At a loss, he called in a deliverance minister who told him, \u201d\u02dcDon\u2019t worry, I can deal with this,\u2019 and blessed the house. As he said his prayers everyone gathered felt the temperature rise around them, right where they stood. \u201cIt went from cool to being very warm, and it wasn\u2019t just me that felt it,\u201d\u009d he says. \u201cThis is something I\u2019ve experienced a few times. The house is actually quite a pleasant place to live now.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Becoming a deliverance minister not only requires selection by the bishop, but the attendance of a compulsory training course. \u201cIt lasts three or four days,\u201d\u009d he says. \u201cIt gives you a huge amount of input along the lines of, \u201d\u02dcthese are things you may not have experienced before and how you go about dealing with them.\u2019 There\u2019s also a very heavy emphasis on the difference between people who are psychotic and people who might be manifesting evil influences.\u201d\u009d As part of his general training, Stephen says he completed an extended placement working at a mental health facility. \u201cI have quite an extensive knowledge and experience of people who\u2019ve got various psychiatric problems.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n