Pastor Jacob Birch and James MacDonald's "Dirty Laundry Blog"

I am reading through Vertical Church in the summer of 2013 with our congregation. It has been a tremendous blessing to me and to us. However James MacDonald is not God, nor is he inspired and he'd be the first to admit he isn't perfect. He is self-deprecating like all good Canadians and that is an endearing quality that keeps the shrillness of much of his writing bearable... at least it does for me.

I also read James' blog and upon reflection i often come round to his side on most things but am having trouble squaring his latest posting entitled "Why We Don't Air Dirty Laundry" with Chapter 7 Unafraid Witness in Vertical Church.

Go read that post before you continue here.

If you haven't read the post let me quote his last substantive paragraph::

Hang all the love you want on the line for the world to see, but keep the dirty laundry of disappointment with others out of sight. Too many times I have witnessed publicized conflict that was later resolved privately. That is 100% backwards. It is our love and reconciliation and mutual humility that are to be public, and our grievances and complaints with one another’s position or practice that need to be kept private. Hear me pastors: Beware when making your point misses the point that we don’t air our dirty laundry.

I found this whole blog post very irenic - peace loving - and perhaps the disconnect i am seeing between this latest blog post and his book is simply a product of his growth over the last 2 or 3 years since the book's publication. IF that is true... that he wants to basically re-write or expunge much of Chapter 7 of Vertical Church, then great. If not... then i guess I have a problem knowing which James is the real James.

Why? Because what he says above TOTALLY counters just about every page of his book Vertical Church and in particular runs contra to his attitude and message in Chapter 7 entitled "Unafraid Witness".

In that chapter every other approach to evangelism attempted in the last 60 years of evangelicalism here in North America are variously criticized and lampooned in a very biting and - contra his stated position in this latest blog post - a very public manner. The James MacDonald who wrote in his blog "keep the dirty laundry of disappointment with others out of sight" certainly cannot be the same Dr. MacDonald who:

• characterized Friendship Evangelism as "dishonest" (246)
• labelled Renown Evangelism as a "bait and switch" tactic (249) 
• Called the 4 Spiritual Laws (Bill Bright), the Roman's Road, Steps to Peace with God (Billy Graham) "formulaic... a drive-by experience... superficial"

Which is it Dr. MacDonald? Is it a situation where WE shouldn't air our grievances and disappointments with other churches, believers or brothers but you can because its your book?

To air or not to air... that is the question.