Responsibility. In today’s culture it’s become something of a dirty word. It’s tainted with the ‘spectres’ of answerability, obligation, loss of freedom, and even blame. But it’s also something we value (and even expect) from those we trust.

The lead article in the March issue of Youthwork magazine (a monthly UK publication for Christian youthworkers) asks the question: Where does the responsibility lie for young people’s spiritual growth – with youthworkers, the young people themselves or God? It’s a stimulating article which raises some interesting questions, especially about the overlap between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility. It looks at the role of the youthworker, the wider church and the young people, and considers how they can all ‘team with God’ in the spiritual nurture of young people.

But one omission particularly struck me. This four-page article makes no mention of parents. Not even once.

Compare that with these quotes from Ian Fry, the director of the Youth & Children’s Work course at Oak Hill Theological College in North London:

God says that the prime responsibility for the spiritual nurture of children and adolescents lies with parents.

Christian youth work involves partnering with parents. The notion that young people are ‘handed over’ by parents for the children’s and youth leaders to evangelise and nurture ‘in church’ must be resisted. At the very least, youth workers are to supplement what parents are modelling and teaching in the home. At the very best, youth leaders gifted by God to teach adolescents will be rendering vital assistance to parents in their God-given responsibility.

You can read the whole of Ian’s article, and ten others by children’s and youth workers in the UK, in FAQs: Biblical answers to youth and children’s leaders questions.

Here at The Good Book Company we aim to provide resources that will support parents in their spiritual responsibility. In particular, Table Talk is designed to help parents to explore a little bit of the Bible each day with their children as part of family devotions. Table Talk is also linked with XTB – Bible-reading notes for 7-11s – so that children can learn to read the Bible for themselves. Our hope is that these resources will be a help and support to parents as they seek to bring their children up to know and love the Lord.

Alison Mitchell, Children’s Editor, The Good Book Company