Thank you for the good, sane and balanced coverage of Christian youth work in Young People Now issue 335 (YPN, 21-27 June, p13). Yes, Christian youth workers face the same - or rather parallel - tensions between keeping employers and funders happy while being true to their "calling" and perception of what youth work is about.
On a different note, however, I have been frustrated over the years by the often repeated cry from secular youth workers that "we are neutral but you guys are biased because of your faith and beliefs". Nobody is ever really neutral. If you are not a Christian, then most likely you are a humanist, socialist, feminist or a mixture of all these and more. At least Christians are aware of their own values and how these can have an impact on their work. Being conscious, honest and upfront about your own value base and beliefs seems, perhaps paradoxically, to be a much more integrated and liberating approach to youth work.
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