By Hope 103.2Monday 24 Jun 2024SponsoredReading Time: 4 minutes
Scripture Union NSW volunteer Katie Stringer supports student-led Christian lunchtime groups in high schools in Sydney’s Inner West. She’s seeing lives changed by Jesus.
Key Points:
- In lunchtime groups Christian students can find friendship and encouragement. It’s a space where you (SRE educators) can get to know kids a bit more personally, even connect them into a youth group.
- You can help back the brave Christian students in our public schools to persevere in faith, so that more young people would hear the Good News of Jesus and be saved.
- Please pray and consider supporting SU NSW today.
It’s seven years since Katie Stringer’s minister tapped her on the shoulder and asked “Would you consider teaching high school scripture?”
Now, Katie describes the joy of seeing young people come to know Jesus through SU schools ministry.
Katie supports student-led ISCF groups, and teaches SRE (special religious education) classes in several high schools in Sydney’s Inner West.
“I think the goal for school ministry should always be a great SRE program AND a great lunchtime group. Lunchtime groups are really special. It’s a space where you can get to know kids a bit more personally, even connect them into a youth group. It’s different to SRE, it’s more informal and it attracts different people,” says Katie.
Persevering despite the challenges
School can be a challenging context for Christian students to keep shining bright for Jesus. In most schools they experience some pushback, and they may even be tempted to give up on their faith. In lunchtime groups Christian students can find friendship and encouragement.
In one Inner West school, students don’t have permission to use a classroom or have volunteers come into the school. Nevertheless, two brave Year 9 students started a group that meets in the playground called ‘Friends who read the Bible.’
And SU has the experience and resources to support students to creatively lead lunchtime groups that will help them share the gospel in diverse contexts or in the face of opposition.

Source: Image supplied by Scripture Union NSW Back the Brave
Gospel hope for all
Any student can come along to this strategic gospel ministry. Katie explains:
“We have some kids coming along who normally spend their lunchtimes on detention! So, sometimes there might be some bad language … but we keep loving them without throwing them out or being offended. And I think even that is a witness. They’re almost shocked that you let them stay and ask questions. And after a few weeks you win their respect, and you see a shift in behaviour.
Katie has also seen students who are Muslim or atheist come along to lunchtime groups. And many kids whose parents have given permission to come to a lunchtime group, even though they have opted out of SRE.
Young people face many challenges today. Many are most worried about mental health, climate change, and justice issues, according to Mission Australia’s 2023 Youth Survey Report*.
“Worries about the future are eating these young people alive. I don’t know how they navigate through it without knowing Jesus.
Working closely with high school students in different schools, Katie has observed:
“Worries about the future are eating these young people alive. I don’t know how they navigate through it without knowing Jesus.
In the Inner West region, Aboriginal students, students from Africa, Middle East and Asia are coming along. Some of these young people have never heard the good news of Jesus.
But no matter what their race, they face common challenges. They feel lonely, things aren’t going the way that they thought…”
That’s where SU supported lunchtime groups can make an incredible difference, as fellow students get opportunities to share gospel hope, and their own stories of faith, in a relaxed, welcoming space. There’s games, food, time to ask questions and have deep conversations.
But no matter what their race, they face common challenges. They feel lonely, things aren’t going the way that they thought…”

Source: Image supplied by Scripture Union NSW Back the Brave
Support that changes lives
Motivated by her love for Jesus, Katie says:
“If you simply give your time and love them, they might just keep coming to hear more… then you get the privilege of witnessing God do his powerful work in their hearts.”
“…I just want to encourage them – to not shrink away from being the amazing Christians that they are.”
Katie seeks to build confidence in the students who lead and run these groups:
“They’re teenagers and there’s lots of popular things to ‘hitch a wagon to’. But I just want to encourage them – to not shrink away from being the amazing Christians that they are.”
And Katie, like many of our amazing SU volunteers around NSW, has seen young people’s lives changed. She recounts how at the end of 2022, she received a note from a student who became a Christian through a lunchtime group:
Dear Mrs. Stringer, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Thank you for showing me the beautiful Christian life I love.
You can help back the brave Christian students in our public schools to persevere in faith, so that more young people would hear the Good News of Jesus and be saved. Please pray and consider supporting SU NSW today.
Article supplied by Station Sponsor Scripture Union – empowering high school students for vital lunchtime ministry.
* Mission Australia, (2023) Youth Survey Report https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/publications/youth-survey