Common wisdom says that inwardly focused churches need to focus on outreach in order to change. Dallas Willard challenges this wisdom in Renovation of the Heart:
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. Read More.
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2 comments:
Is he infering that we be very balanced in our approach and being sure that "no stone is left unturned" in our teaching and building the church
I think that is correct. We need to make sure that the people in a local church are becoming spiritually mature. He's not talking about the church becoming navel gazers.
I would like to read his book to know exactly what he's getting at.
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