In today’s church landscape, the word deliverance often stirs up confusion, skepticism or sensationalism. For some, it’s a deeply Pentecostal term tied to outdated emotionalism. For others, it’s a misunderstood practice that’s either overemphasized or completely ignored. In a new interview with Lecrae, Pastor Mike Signorelli is challenging both extremes by calling believers back to a biblical foundation.
“Let’s stop being denominational and let’s start being biblical,” Signorelli urges.
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Signorelli’s own journey into becoming an unexpected voice in the deliverance conversation started not with ambition but necessity. As the global pandemic hit, his multi-site church in New York City was suddenly forced online. “I had traveled all over the world ministering to thousands of people and it never occurred to me to film it and put it on the internet. If anything, that felt wrong to me,” he said.
But during the lockdown, a flood of online questions came pouring in, and one topic stood out. “People kept asking, ‘What about demons?’ So I thought, okay, I’ll bring clarity because of all the abuse in this area.” What began as a simple Bible study turned into something unexpected. “I start praying, and people are in the comments like, ‘I’m throwing up in my bathroom,’ ‘I’m convulsing,’ and I didn’t even know that could happen over the internet.”
While some have exploited deliverance as a show or a product, Signorelli sees it differently. “I’m not demon-obsessed. But I believe that when you host the presence of the Holy Spirit, there should be moments… where demons are manifesting in that environment,” he explains. “Deliverance is the children’s bread.”
But he also offers a sharp rebuke to the ways deliverance has been monetized and misused. “There are some ministers whose goal is to draw more demons than to draw people to Christ,” he warns. “Don’t let the people put you in the roster of a spiritual leader like a guru or a psychic. That’s paganism in disguise.”
For Signorelli, true deliverance is deeply tied to the gospel, not as the main point, but as its natural consequence. “Deliverance should be the unintended consequence of preaching the gospel,” he says. “Do you want the healer, or just the healing? Do you want the Deliverer, or just deliverance?”
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This distinction matters now more than ever. “The person who’s seeking relief is going to be manipulated by the person who’s monetized relief,” he says. “Are they giving you pain pills or are they giving you a cure?”
Deliverance was never meant to be a spectacle or a side hustle, it’s the natural overflow of a life centered on Christ. In a church culture that often leans into extremes, Signorelli is sounding a balanced alarm: Don’t forsake deliverance, but don’t forget the Deliverer.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
