Demonic exorcism isn’t just a solid premise for horror films. It’s also the hook for an increasingly popular group of pentecostal pastors who leverage social media, spiritual warfare, and outrage to spread their message.

Tennessee pastor Greg Locke is the most prominent member of a supergroup of evangelical ghostbusters who call themselves the “Demon Slayers.” Together, they cross promote videos of supposed exorcisms (which they call “deliverance”), host live events that attract thousands of believers hoping to rid themselves of infernal forces, and even produce feature-length films.

Reporter Sam Kestenbaum embedded himself in Greg Locke’s operation, Locke Media, to see this algorithm-fuelled demon slaying first hand. He wrote about his experience in a longform piece for Harper’s Magazine and told us about personally witnessing a massive congregation shriek and convulse during a tent revival group exorcism.

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SOURCES:

https://harpers.org/archive/2024/08/the-demon-slayers-sam-kestenbaum-exorcisms/

https://www.ourmansfieldandarea.org.uk/content/topics/religion/john-darrell

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2016/05/01/target-blasting-pastor-greg-locke-channels-anger-new-way/83615088/