Yesterday, I posted a little bit about this post from a guy who is in authority at my former church.

He realizes it’s self-refuting. He shouldn’t have posted it at all, and it’s false the way it’s written. However, giving him the benefit of the doubt, I can reword it a little bit, and I think I can find some truth in what he’s saying.

I’m the type of personality that enjoys having written debates more than face-to-face. I don’t care that much about whether someone who knows a lot actually cares about me or has a relationship with me. I want to hear what they have to say.

However, not everyone is like me. Some people care more about relationships, and if he wants to spread his knowledge face-to-face in the context of deep relationships, I’m not going to criticize him for that. But, I find that favor is often not reciprocated. The existence of this post is him criticizing those of differing personalities.

Relationship may be his personality, but he can’t carry it out in real life. Has he ever gone to a doctor or consulted with some sort of expert that he didn’t have a close relationship with? Has he ever hired a contractor or taken his car to a mechanic without supping at his house weekly for years? Does he care how much those people know even though they don’t give a crap about him personally, other than they have to do a good job to get paid?

Did Jesus and the prophets and disciples only do relationship evangelism? They open-air preached and spoke to strangers. Jesus spoke with the woman at the well and told her she was an adulteress after speaking with her for only a few moments. Philip appeared out of nowhere, “offered truth” to the Ethiopian Eunuch and disappeared. Did the Ethiopian care how much Philip knew before he knew how much he cared? What a stupid thing to say!

But, Jesus and the disciples cultivated relationships as well. Do what you can to spread the truth to people. Use strategies that work for your strengths and work on your weaknesses.

I need to improve my relationship skills, no doubt. But headsmacker here needs to learn to speak the truth to strangers, too. God uses all of us. He made us all different. I have trouble empathizing with people like this guy, but it seems too many of his type are quick with the criticism of my type. I think this post reveals a lot of immaturity in him and it’s not good that he’s in a position of leadership in a church.