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FACT: At best, you get to spend time with your students a couple of hours each month. 

FACT: God desires for parents to be the primary spiritual influencers in their children's lives.

FACT(?): You didn't sign up to minister to parents.

I was in your same shoes not long ago (assuming you wear size 9.5). In my years of ministry to students, I had come to the realization that the biggest spiritual influencers should be parents. I also learned that not all parents took on this role. Not all parents wanted this role. Most parents wanted to outsource this role...to you: the Youth Pastor. It's "what you do", right? 

Here, fix my kid. Put some of that kumbaya in him.

But, I knew that this wasn't what was intended in Deuteronomy 6. Shepherding children in God's way is a parent's responsibility! How would I get parents to understand and own this responsibility? What if they question my ability to give advice in child-rearing? 

I serve in New England,...