Customer Reviews

The Devil Called Collect: The Exorcism of Jessica Leek

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In the Foreword to this book Grady Mosley writes, "The Devil Called Collect is a gift to today's Christian culture that often ignores, if not denies, the reality of demonic holds on peoples lives." I agree completely. Although I was not privileged to be an eyewitness to this exorcism, as was Rev. Mosley - a United Methodist Pastor - I agree with him in saying, "I am thankful that Stephen has recorded this memoir in such detail."

Having read several different accounts of demonic possession and exorcism, this one stands out from the rest on several counts. It is told in the first person by the exorcist himself, J. Stephen Conn and was verified by several credible witnesses. It is a contemporary, true story which took place in our "enlightened" United States. The author does not brag about his experience in casting out demons, but shows due humility and awe at being used of God in such a miraculous way. The result is a book that is at once incredible and yet believable.

This account of a successful exorcism takes place in an Evangelical, Protestant setting. Lasting over several days, the casting out of multiple demons is performed with reliance only upon the power of Jesus' name and the authority of the Bible.

The Devil Called Collect is a relatively short book that can be read in a single evening, but one what will stay in your memory for a very long time. I highly recommend it.

Perhaps some would recoil when asked to review a book that tells the story of an exorcism. Like it or not, there is good and evil in our world and often the evil takes souls captive, and they are lost forever. This is the story of one young woman's soul, trapped in the world of the dark Occult, and crying out to be free, battling against forces that would chill even the seasoned worker for the Lord.

Our author, J. Stephen Conn, is a true man of God. One who did not turn his back to the cries of another human being. One who opened his heart,and called upon his God to help free this soul. In this book you will read the story of Jessica. You will travel with her as she battles the forces of darkness that have kept her captive for most of her life. You will see the power and leading of a loving God through Pastor Conn and his friend, Paul, as they refused to lose this precious soul to the dark force within her.
Many read stories like this that are fiction, not realizing that this does indeed happen in our world everyday. It is the story of a battle between light and dark, death and life, winner take all. It is not a pretty story, but is one that has a beautiful ending.
I, for one, know that there are many in our society that face the dark side every day of their lives and often don't know where to turn to for help to escape their bondage. Perhaps this book will be placed in their hands and give them the courage and hope they need to be free. That is my prayer.
This is a sensitive subject, but Pastor Conn has told it with honesty and integrity. Very well done, a book all Christians should read to understand, indeed we do have an enemy, but our God is greater.
"The Devil Called Collect," is the story of a young woman, a woman who was overcome by the dark side of the spiritual world, one who desperately wanted to be free, and her quest at achieving that freedom.

This book is a fascinating account of the victorious power of God over the kingdom of darkness. Especially noteworthy is that love is the motivating force during the struggle to liberate "Jessica". Continued trust in the reliablility and power of God's love delivered the exorcist from fear. It is encouraging to see how far God's love and grace reaches. It builds faith. I'm glad the author chose not to analyze the events but simply to report them as they occured. His non denominational approach is also refreshing. Those interested in reading further should pick up a copy of Freed from Witchcraft by Doreen Irvine. She was a very powerful British witch who became a strong Christian and wrote the book herself.

This was a very interesting and detailed story. I was a little hesitant about reading it at night before bed, but it was fine. The story showed how God's power trumps satan's displays of power, using the power of prayer and the tenacity of the author and friends. I especially liked the reminder that the devil is always a liar. That continues to be an applicable truth.

This is one of those rare gems of literature that actually increase your faith in our awesome Lord Jesus Christ. I'd put it in the same class as truly credible and well documented testimonies to the power of even just the Lord's holy name as was the case of the 1928 Iowa Exorcism. For an awful long time now, only exorcisms by Catholic priests (like the Iowa Exorcism, "Hostage to the Devil" by now deceased Malachi Martin, and "An Exorcist Tells His Story" by Father Gabriele Amorth) were reported. Now, finally, the ministers from the rest of the Lord's Church are telling about their struggles with the demonic. Pastor J. Stephen Conn's well documented and well written encounter is guaranteed to leave you with a stronger faith and a lasting belief in the supernatural (God) and preternatural (demons and fallen angels). I could not put this excellent book down. /s/ Steve Keohane, BibleProbe.com

FINALLY!!! A book that clearly shows the "realness" of demonic forces at work in our world. There was no jumping through hoops or swinging from chandeliers to force the demons out--only the powerful and faithful use of the name of Jesus and a fierce, persistent claim of His Blood being enough! My faith is soaring to new heights tonight, after having finished the book's last pages. I am revitalized and renewed in my strength! Jesus said "in My name they will cast out demons..."(mark 16:17) and that Name is exactly what did these demons in. I am excited. I am exhilarated. I am confident in the Name and Blood of Christ covering me in my spiritual battles today, tomorrow, and for the rest of my earthly life. I highly recommend this powerful and insightful book.

Just when I thought the story couldn't get any better, a very precious and tender twist-ending came out of nowhere, gripping my heart so tight I could scarcely breathe.


Simply outstanding.


Carrie Lynn Jones
Author of: It All Began... When Jesus Gave Me Sneakers

Intriguing and hard to put down! Non-Christians may not warm up to the narrative, but it's all believable to me.

While the book content is good, it is too short for the price (100 pages total). The book felt like it should have been a few chapters in a much larger book. Not worth the price.

Interesting narrative account of an exorcism by a Protestant pastor from a Protestant perspective. A testimony that all who accept and call upon the Most Holy Name of Jesus will be saved! It shows how God can use a willing servant to accomplish a task to save the life of an afflicted victim. God works in mysterious ways!

Pastor Conn tells of how he received a call in the middle of the night that led him on the path to his first ever deliverance/exorcism in which he had no prior experience. It was his strong faith and obedience to the will of God that led him to save the possessed junkie, Jessica. This is to be his first personal case of direct experience with the evil ones and what a fright that would be!

Despite several attempts at toying and delaying deliverance, the afflicted ex-junkie Jessica Leek swayed between amnesia during possession. You get to read how she even tried to kill herself and attack the unprepared pastor. She was delivered once, then got possessed again and finally delivered after much prayer. The author fasted sometime so that was a good point to note. The victim Jessica ended up having a surreal personal vision of Jesus - this was the touching point of this book. The sad part was that the pastor's deliverance assistant, Paul Dana, was killed about 8 months after Jessica's deliverance. The pastor has since retired.

This book is presented as a narrative testimony, not as a manual for deliverance.
The author admits that there are many things that can never be known on this side of life. Based on the questions raised in his testimony, it poses some theological implications for Pastor Conn and whatever he has learnt about his version of Christianity.

p.6: "And who are you to tell me to go? You have no power over me."

p.55:

"After her deliverance, we had plainly heard Jessica
renounce Satan and all his emissaries. She had invited Jesus
into her heart and had confessed that Jesus alone was her
Lord and Master.

According to everything that I had everthing that I had ever
believed and preached, demons cannot possess a Child of God.
Had I been wrong?"

If he continues to pursue these challenges, questions and their implications,
he'll be on the road to the Church of Rome which holds the longest historical records of such cases! LOL!

Why did the author take more than 20 years to publish this work?
Maybe this story is best read during these unbelieving times.
The pastor's struggles with his theological training, whatever they taught him in school, have not ended, and rightly so if he won't question them. The good outcome about experiencing such cases directly is that you start to ask yourself serious questions and get answers that most unquestioning folks will never attain in this lifetime.

If this victim Jessica is looking for a lasting solution to her affilictions, the only solution is to turn to the Catholic Church for answers. However, applying for an official exorcism in the Catholic Church could take months for formal approval as the applicant is being checked out and examines by secular medical community and then by the ecclesistical authorities. There are many reasons for this seemingly bureaucratic process. The Church has had enough of its skeptical and time-wasting scoffers. In the majority of cases, most common applicants need not have a formal exorcism in the first place. Most afflicted applicants give up before they even begin. Compound the bureaucratic process with the fact that the current establishment is Liberal, you'd just have to find a listening ear by looking for a validly ordained Conservative or Traditional priest. There are also the informal rites that an applicant could seek out within the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Charismatic Movement would probably be sympathetic to Jessica Leek and she could go to their weekly or fortnighly prayer and deliverance sessions. Back to this Jessica Leek case, if she displays all those signs narrated in this book, she can be assured of a speedy approval of a formal Catholic exorcism.

This is the official Catholic ritual text:

The Roman Ritual [Rituale Romanum]: Vol 2: Christian Burial, Exorcism, Reserved Blessings, etc [Latin/English]

If Pastor Conn had the Roman Ritual among his tools, it could have saved him a lot of time and frustration. Pastor Conn correctly points out to readers that the Bible he used was not a charm (p.56). He's right. Same principle applies to Catholic sacramentals if he uses them, but he wouldn't know that, would he?

The prayers in the following books are useful:

Roman Rituals 3 Volume Set (Roman Ritual - 3 Volume set, Volume I, Volume II, Volume III)

Beware the Night

St. Michael and the Angels: A Month With St. Michael and the Holy Angels

An Exorcist Tells His Story

An Exorcist: More Stories

The Dark Sacrament: True Stories of Modern-Day Demon Possession and Exorcism


Case studies:

Begone Satan

The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren

Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans

All I can say is WOW! What a amazing book! I was so excited after I read it. I am a Minister who also has cast out demons. This book is totally real,and those who criticized it are not saved. Demons used them to criticize this great book! I have read hundreds of Christian books,and yet this is the best one I have ever read! I was thinking of buying many copies to pass out to Ministers and others who want to be used by God to cast out demons. But make no mistake about it. This book is about more than just casting out demons. The woman at the end of this book who had legions of demons cast out of her went into a vision,and talked with Jesus over a half hour-for those who read this and think........ Ok,I am no longer interested........ Read the book,her vision will make the bible come to life like you cannot imagine! To me,the vision this lady had at the end made a great book even greater. Those who know the Holy Spirit and His power,will know this was a true life event,and a true vision. There was things she revelealed in the vision that only God could know,and if you are open minded,you will find this book LIFE changing! If you say bad things about this book,you possibly need deliverance from demons yourself,or you do not know Christ in your heart,but simply in your mind. For the one comment about this being too short - this is a real story - not a movie. The author told it like it was and added nothing or took nothing away! This book is simply a MUST read!!!!! And no,I do not know the author or work for him,but I will be contacting him about this amazing TRUE STORY!