Yes, But, Maybe, Ok, I Don't Know...
Such were my thoughts as I read the following quote from Dallas Willard as posted by Darryl over at DashHouse.com:

It is, I gently suggest, a serious error to make "outreach" a primary goal of the local congregation, and especially so when those who are already "with us" have not become clear-headed and devoted apprentices of Jesus, and are not, for the most part, solidly progressing along the path. Outreach is one essential task of Christ's people, and among them there will always be those especially gifted for evangelism. But the most successful work of outreach would be the work of inreach that turns people, wherever they are, into lights in the darkened world.

A simple goal for the leaders of a particular group would be to bring all those in attendance to understand clearly what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and to be solidly committed to discipleship in their whole life. That is, when they are asked who they are, the first words out of their mouth would be, "I am an apprentice of Jesus Christ." This goal would have to be approached very gently and lovingly and patiently with existing groups, where the people involved have not understood this to be part of their membership commitment.

Perhaps my first reaction was, "I've heard that given as an excuse so many times in the past that I can't go along with it." Just about every time I in my pastoral life that I or the greater church would talk about outreach or evangelis, somebody would inevitably give a variation on what Dallas Willard said.

"We have to do in-reach first. We have to get our people ready. We won't have anything to offer if we don't."

Yes, true, very true. But in my experience inreach has not been a prelude to outreach. It has been the defusing of the excitement. It has been the way to make sure it doesn't truly happen. It becomes a diversion from going and making disciples because we don't even work to make disciples in the church.

I am certain that Dallas Willard doesn't mean it that way, of course. He has been a true leader in the church and the development of discipleship in churches. Which is why I am going to pay attention to his argument here. I cannot dismiss it out of hand as a way to avoid living as disciples. Perhaps the answer to the dilemma is the old one- it is a matter of BOTH outreach AND inreach. Or, in other words, it is developing a full life of discipleship.

Such a life is a life of piety, a life of study, and a life of action as disciples. Put them together - for everyone in the church - and you will have no need to separate the two issues.