How can I restore my relationship with a brother?

Question:

Dear Bro. Hamilton,

I trust you are doing well. Thank you for the great work you continue to do in the Lord's vineyard.

I’m writing to seek your opinion on an issue that has been troubling me. A brother offended me, and I reached out to him directly to address the matter. However, he dismissed my concerns, claimed he had forgotten the incident, and subsequently blocked my phone line.

In an effort to resolve the situation, I involved two other brethren who then contacted him on a conference call to discuss what had happened. During the call, he said he was sorry for all the evil things he had ever done, but he did not specifically mention or acknowledge what he had done in relation to the matter we were discussing. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the way I handled the issue—particularly that I had spoken to some brethren before approaching him directly. I had already admitted and acknowledged that I was wrong in that regard when I spoke with him in person, before involving the two brethren.

Despite his general apology, he still has my line blocked, and there seems to be no effort on his part to restore fellowship. This makes me wonder whether true repentance has taken place, especially considering that Matthew 18:15–17 emphasizes restoration between brethren.

My concern now is: what can I do to facilitate repentance and the restoration of our relationship? We no longer worship in the same congregation, and I do not even know which congregation he currently attends. We live far apart, and the only means of communication is by phone, which, as mentioned, has been blocked.

I truly desire to handle this matter in a godly and scriptural manner, and I value your wisdom on how best to proceed.