Angry Young Men

In the 1950s in the United Kingdom, there was a group of authors, playwrights, and poets who were loosely described as “angry young men”. Their anger and youthful passion was obvious in their writings and their themes for their writings.

Their anger was mainly aimed at the establishment – they felt let down by the state and were angry at the powers that be for being less than perfect, and for failing to help those who they felt truly needed the state to help.

The “young” was not just a commentary on the age of these writers but also a reflection on the immaturity of their arguments, which were seen as abrasive, almost incoherent and inconsistent. They reminded many of a young child simply yelling “it’s not fair”, while adding nothing to the conversation other than their tantrum at the establishment.

Many of the authors described as the angry, young men ended up angry with each other, refusing to appear in publications with some of the others due to what appeared to be minor disagreements. Some of them were happier being on the outside and attacking the mainstream, even when the mainstream wanted to listen to their views and even learn from them.

Why am I discussing this on a blog for people who want to live the grace life as disciples of Jesus?

Because very sadly, I can see the grace movement is raising a generation of angry, young men. The way they talk to each other is marked by their anger at the establishment, which for them is the denominational church. They hate the denominational churches, they hate religion and they hate legalism.

The angry young men in the fifties hated the state because they felt the state didn’t provide enough for its people, to quote one of them “the wrong people are going hungry”. They hated the state, but a more mature approach would realize what was to truly be hated was hunger.

The angry young men of the grace movement would grow up and impact the world if they were half as angry at sin, selfishness, anger, rage as they are at the establishment. But, sadly they are often as angry at each other, dividing into smaller and smaller factions, until some seem to be factions of one, disagreeing with everyone but themselves, often ripping the Bible to pieces to defend their rage at the institutional church!

Try to suggest these people calm down, speak with a sweetness in their voice and immediately you are now vilified as part of the institute. Their anger quickly will turn personal.

And that is where you can see a deep immaturity. Listen, I’m not against saying things strongly. Listen to me preach, I will tell it like it is. So will Andrew Wommack, Duane Sheriff, Greg Mohr or any Grace preacher worth their salt. But some of the “grace” people blogging today need to start growing up. Just shouting into the wind “it’s not fair”, “correcting people is not grace”, “i hate the god of Andrew Wommack”, “everyone who disagrees with me is a Pharisee and a slave to the institute” helps no one. You sound like that little child stomping his feet and shouting it’s not fair.

The angry young men in the fifties had a mediocum of success because it’s easier to listen to a rant and get angry than seriously think about how to solve the issue facing a post-war Britain.

The angry young men in the grace move have a mediocum of success because it’s easier to listen to a rant and get angry at the institute, the other, something external, than actually be a disciple of Jesus, to renew your mind, to dream big, forgive, to minister out of the Spirit and flow in the gifts.

It’s easier to join in a Facebook discussion about how rubbish and tragic the church is than lie down on your face and say “Lord, help me have wisdom to change my life and see who I am, and live from my spirit”

Andrew Wommack isn’t getting any younger. The new generation of grace preachers must mature, must become less reactionary, and must become the kind, mature men thay can shepherd, teach, equip and train. Any donkey can knock down a barn.

The church deserves better. Be better.