Thursday, January 22, 2015

The CHILL 2015

Hello All!

It has been a while since I blogged, but I think it is time for me to at least write a little something!

In 2007, I became the sponsor of a Christian group called the CHILL at T.L. Hanna High School, where I teach. I had no idea what I was doing or exactly how to get where I felt we needed to be but I had a vision.

The Vision was simple: To equip and motivate Christian students to take the GOSPEL to their schools.

I knew of Christian organizations, but none of them did what I felt God laying on my heart.

FCA is great and I encourage my students to attend, but The CHILL is completely different than FCA in mission, vision and purpose.

YoungLife is very popular at TLH and does great things as well, but it is still not the vision God has laid on my heart.

So...I was left with this thought, how do I do this?

You see the CHILL is an insane idea. It is completely STUDENT led, STUDENT leadership, STUDENT EVERYTHING! In case you are unaware, students aren't always the most reliable! haha.

So, I have floundered around for years tweaking structure and trying to find the best way to get students to understand that this CHILL thing is all about their obedience and willingness to change their schools. Finally, it hit me...I have to plug students in to their passions! So, in 2013 we started changing our leadership from people filling roles that we deemed important to plugging people in to their passions and watching God use their passion for HIS glory! It is a leap of faith, without a doubt. I have mentioned to the leadership team, that if no one is passionate about The CHILL and playing guitar, then your CHILL will have to find a way to survive without it! I am crazy enough to believe that Jesus can and will provide what we need to be successful where he has called us!

So what is the CHILL?

It is an evangelical, non-denominational group of students from youth groups throughout our community saying that they are putting their differences aside for the sake of the lost. I am so thankful for students that understand that a person that has hope, must GIVE hope.

So, every service in 2015 will have the following things:

1) Equip and Motivate Christian Students
2) Encourage EVERYONE
3) Preach the GOSPEL

We are going to give students the opportunity to accept Christ every week!

Now...as a public school teacher, I am not allowed to speak or do anything at school in regards to the CHILL other than observe, but the vision, mission and purpose of the CHILL is a passion of mine that I convey to the leadership teams outside of school.

This school year we have had 118 salvations so far. 118! In public schools!

On a side note, if your first reaction to that is anything other than PRAISE THE LORD than we just don't have the same view of Christianity, which is possible.

To quell any concerns, we do assign each convert a student mentor that checks up on them and disciples them. The last thing I want to do is leave a 'baby Christian' to die!

So...pray for the CHILL! Pray for our campuses at TL Hanna, Greenwood, Wren, Easley, Dixie, Powdersville, Palmetto, Westside, Glenview and Robert Anderson...10 campuses

To what God calls us to, he will lead us through...so let's just listen to God and do what he says!

I WILL GO
Chase Culbertson

Monday, December 31, 2012

Closing the book: 2012

Well, well, well...here we are, the end of another year. Some things have not changed, some things have and some things will never be the same. I definitely can look back at this year and appreciate it, but to be honest, I need a new year. I need a fresh start (even if only in my mind). I have had some great successes this year and some of the worst failures as well. I haven't posted much this year and its mostly because I haven't felt worthy of saying anything worth reading. I have spent most of this year running from God, running from what I know I must do to find the happiness that I know I want. I have come to grips with a lot of things over the past couple of days and really hope this year will be the one that I dream it will be. I am not a super reflective person...and I have a terrible memory, but I am going to try to recap this year in my life and hopefully help someone else that needs to be reminded of how much God loves us (them).



Here are some highlights (I believe we are to rejoice with each other, so I hope you can rejoice with me in this stuff).

1) My C-team went undefeated. That was cool.

2) I had the opportunity to do sports camps in Trinidad and Tobago in April, I learned tons about myself and will never forget that Spring Break.

3) We had the 5th annual Culbys. Okay, so back in May I did an awards ceremony for my students, each student got an award and I danced around and acted like an idiot for them. It is so much fun to do and it reminds me just how much I love teaching and working with students.

4) I had the most unreal worship experience of my life at The Vous Conference 2012 in June. I CANNOT WAIT to go back to Miami in June for that conference! Nothing I have been to compares to it.

5) I got a chance to take a group of high schoolers to Peru again! This year we had 3 SALVATIONS!!

6) I went to The Gauntlet 2012 with my church (NewSpring Church) and we had a great time. I hope that my guys were encouraged by me as I was by them. It is amazing to see God move in such an awesome way.

7) Football started...we had players accepting Christ at practice, things were going incredible. I felt the God was calling me to meet with some guys throughout the football season to keep the fire going from Gauntlet. I met with them a few times and felt that I needed to stop...but we had a somewhat successful year.

Here are some lowlights.

1) I dated several people that I knew I had no business dating and wasted another year looking in all the wrong places for the 'right one.'

2) I didn't finish my reading plan...I try to finish the bible in its entirety every year...that didn't happen this year.

3) I got really cynical at times this year.

4) I struggled with the same sins for another year, doing the same stupid stuff.

5) I got really mad at myself and frustrated in general this year.

Okay, so I say all of that to say this: This year can be different for me and for you! I know that the people that read my posts struggle with some of the same things. I don't know what you did this year that you would like to forget, but I KNOW that God can forgive you of it and HE will forget it (its as far as the East is from the West).

The thing I know about me (and believe about all Christians) is that the thing that is keeping you from the breakthrough you are looking for, is me (or in your case, you). Some of you are chasing all the wrong things and wondering why you aren't finding contentment in life.

We can change the World, our schools/workplaces, our families...but we have to change ourselves first.

AND...thats what I am planning to do in 2013.

LOVE YOU ALL, Thanks for reading.

Chase Culbertson


Sunday, March 25, 2012

I'm Glad We Didn't Have Social Media!

Hello All!

Every once in a while, I think of something that is worth sharing (its very rare). Today I saw a tweet about where we would be if there was no social networking. That is such a fascinating topic. It has been such an important part of our lives for several years now and it has seemingly changed the fabric of our society.

Instead of giving you the checklist on what NOT to do in social networking, I will tell you what I would have probably done that would have been wrong/stupid/irresponsible when I was in high school...

I would have definitely vented on social media. What I mean is I would have complained about work, school, friends, parents, etc. This is obviously a terrible, terrible platform for such things! Everyone would have seen it and you can't take it back! Not to mention that as a Christian, it is counter-productive to winning souls to Christ! I would have definitely been guilty of this. Here is the thing, as a teenager, you are going to get frustrated. You are close to adulthood, but without the privileges that come with it. Its a tough time. So, do what we did growing up, call a friend and talk! It is private, you get your frustrations out and you don't say something that is destructive (and in some cases illegal) on twitter or facebook.

In short, there is nothing wrong with social media in and of itself. I personally will not follow anyone that complains, why would I listen to negativity by choice!

So, be careful what you do on social media!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Post 4: I honestly (think) I love you

Wow...it has been almost a year since I have blogged about relationships! I promised that I would finish it soon, so I am going to get started on post number four immediately.

The first three posts, biggest distraction ever, you can't handle the truth and you are too ugly to get a girl were seemingly well received and I have had many people talk to me about it. I am glad that those posts have helped some people! This post will be very, very personal...just to warn you.

The year was 1999 and I was a teenager in love. She was all I could think about, all I wanted to think about, all I wanted. I would watch romantic movies and cry, it was hopeless. Admittedly, I can be a bit emotional on occasion, but this was ridiculous. I was so in love that I was convinced we would be together forever, no one could tell me differently. Luckily (or unluckily) she felt the same way, we were all about each other. I couldn't sleep at night because I would be thinking about her. My friends wanted to kill me and they had every right because I was super annoying. I had never felt like that before, you know, the butterflies, no appetite, completely head over heels in love.

Teenager, have you ever felt that way? Are you dating them right now??

In my other posts, I have called the heart a 'lying whore' so I will change my tone a little with this post. Those feelings are real, those thoughts are validated by how you feel, I know, I have been there.

Here is the fear. What if those feelings are the enemy trying to keep you from a greater calling? Remember that our primary goal as a follower of Christ is to live worthy of the calling on our lives, not to chase an emotion. I see so many high school students jumping from relationship to relationship, trying to catch that feeling. Granted, feeling 'in love' is fun, I know, but there is a problem when that 'feeling' is felt for a significant other and NOT Jesus. You can be in love with a person AND Jesus, but if the love for this other person, takes your eyes OFF of Jesus, then that is a problem.

I told you want I did while I was 'in love,' but I never told you want I didn't do. I didn't read my bible, I didn't pray about Gods will, I didn't take the advice of Godly counsel, I didn't have peace. You see, the Devil wants you to be ineffective by ANY MEANS NECESSARY. He will place EXACTLY what you want RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU, if what you want is something other than Christ. The tough thing is that he will package it in such a way that you (without consulting God) will rationalize it as a good thing. I did that, heck...I have done that many times!

In conclusion, you may truly love that person, but you may not. Those feelings mean very little, remember I told you about all the feelings I felt, yet I am unmarried. Not only am I unmarried, I know without a doubt that God does not want me to be with that particular woman (she is married now, but I have known that long before the fact). This is what I beg of you, pray for Gods will in it.

The next post is entitled "Stuff your parents don't have the guts to tell you." Should be fun...

May God bless each of you!

Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Role of Politics...

Hello All...

I really suck at keeping up with a blog, mostly because it requires me to sit down and concentrate on something! You will probably notice that most of my posts occur when I am not coaching a sport, mostly because thats when I have the most free time. Anyway, I would like to give my opinion on politics...yep, its a controversial topic, but I think my spin on it will not be!

I have heard it said that you cannot trust in a person or political party to fix America. That when we put our hopes in things other than God, we will always get disappointed. This statement is most definitely true...without a doubt. So, with that said...here I go!

Have you ever had an old car...like a piece of junk car that barely runs, it costs you money in oil, because it leaks...the transmission keeps needing work, its just a terrible, terrible car. What if I told you that you could trade in that car for something more reliable and something that more suits your needs? And...what if I told you that it is completely and totally free?!?! I know, sounds great, right? Here is the problem...unlike cars, people look at politicians differently (like the old phrase one mans junk is another mans treasure) and people view the role of government differently as well! So...if you think we have a 'piece of junk' car that keeps costing you money, then vote to remove him. But, if you think he is like an Aston Martin against a field of Ford Pintos, then don't!

My major concern with Americans that do not vote, is that they truly think that both political parties are the same, that they really do not have many differences...you could say, they are the same car...so why should I care?!?

They are most definitely NOT the same...there are fundamental differences between the two on almost every single major issue. So...research, find out where you stand on issues, always ignore TV ads and then vote for the person that meets your needs, it may not be a luxury car, but voting is a luxury you can't afford not to take!

This blog post does not endorse any candidate, however the blogger does (I am just not saying).

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Relationship: Post 3: You are too ugly to get a date (And other lies of the devil).

Well, let me start this post by saying thank you for reading this blog! I have been amazed by the amount of students that have read this series so far and has asked me to hurry up with the posting! Anyway, my prayer is that through this series, God will show you His plan for YOUR dating life...there isn't an exact science for all students, but through following hard after Christ and praying for guidance, you can make the decisions best for your situation and spiritual walk.

Now, to tonights post...

I would like to do this post in two sections.

Section One: What the World says (the lie)...

Listen, you have to have a date, I mean what kind of loser doesn't? Do you want people talking bad about you and running that mouth behind your back? Of course you don't...Dudes, you know your friends are gonna think you are gay if you don't date somebody, right? You don't want your friends thinking you are gay do you? (Let me stop here...remember this is what the world says, not my opinion, my opinion is in the next section)! What if all your friends have dates, what are you gonna do on the weekend? All your friends are going on dates, making out at the movies and messing around at each others' houses, don't you want to experience that stuff? Maybe the reason you aren't dating anyone is because everybody thinks you are ugly...maybe, just maybe you aren't good enough for a date, or at least a good one. Maybe you should just settle for that slutty chick or that player thats just trying to get in your pants, after all, isn't that what its all about? I mean, its not that big of a deal, if everyone is doing it, then no one can point the finger, right? (I'm reading someone's mail on this...)

Do any of these examples hit home with you? If so, the ENEMY is attacking you. Please understand that these things can easily be believed if we allow it.

Section 2: What God says (the truth)...

Do you know how much He loves you? Do you understand that no guy or girl can EVER replace His affection for you? Did you know that He pursued you and wooed you unlike any guy or girl ever would? Do you know that there is no end to His love for you? Did you know that He made you in His image, which makes you completely and totally beautiful? Did you know that if you NEVER have a date that you can still find hope and love in Him? Did you know that you NEVER have to settle for anything less that His BEST for you? He loves you so much...I would say that he would do anything for you, but he already has...remember? Can I remind you of it...John 3:16 sums it up. Why do you try to replace His love for the love of some boy who is just trying to see how far he can go with you?

I hope you can feel my heart and love for you as you read this blog! I have and still deal with some of the insecurities that you deal with and all I can say is that OUR GOD IS BIGGER! His love is BIGGER! You are not ugly, you are beautiful...and God wants to remind you of that daily.

Lastly, girls...if you do not have a Father at home that tells you that you are beautiful...I am so sorry, you deserve better. You are beautiful and my heart breaks for you...I am actually tearing up as I write this. Here is the good news...you can ensure that your daughter is told that she is beautiful by a GODLY husband someday, if you follow hard after Christ and trust that he will keep his promise to you.

Do not trade the truth for a lie...

The Next Post: I honestly (think) I love you...this one is gonna be FUN!

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Relationship: Post 2: You Can't Handle The Truth

Alright…its time for the next blog post in my relationship series. Remember that this is meant to help us single people understand God’s purpose behind our relationships with those of the opposite sex and I am in no way an expert! However, I have learned through some experiences the things that I could and should have done differently in the past. The hopes of each of these posts are to help someone keep from making the mistakes that I have made.

The first post was about how relationships can be the biggest distraction in our pursuit of sanctification (becoming more like God). To sum up that again, if you are in a relationship that isn’t leading you and the other person towards Christ, you need to end that relationship right now!

Now, to my second post…the break-up post. Let me start by saying I have done my share of breaking up and being broken up with and it is never fun! Break-ups are tough and there will never be the perfect time to break up with someone! Gosh…I think back to some of my break-ups and looking back to each of them since becoming a Christian, none of them caught me completely off-guard. I knew in every case that something wasn’t right and sometimes I had the nerve to break it off and sometimes the girl had to break it off. So, based on my life, here is how a Christian needs to look at break-ups.

1) Understand that they probably already know it is going to happen!
This is an important thing for us to understand…if both people are following hard after Christ, then they will feel the same problem with the relationship as you do. This is not always the case, but as you mature spiritually, this will be more and more likely. ( I do want to remind you here that I think dating in high school is a complete waste of time for most high school students and will inevitably end in heartbreak and spiritual setbacks). For example, if you have noticed that your relationship has moved your eyes off of Jesus and onto that person, they probably have been doing the same thing.

2) Life goes on…
No matter how long the relationship lasts, life will go on. It is so important for us to realize being in the wrong relationship is way worse than being in no relationship at all, so if the relationship is wrong for you then it is also wrong for the person you are breaking up with! Many times the time of most clarity about the relationship is the point at which we are obedient to God in breaking up what God doesn’t want together (like you and that guy).

3) The longer you wait, the deeper the pain…
As soon as you know the relationship is not what God wants, end it. If you fight this feeling and refuse to handle the truth, you will actually become more attached to that person because you are at that point in rebellion to God…in essence, they have become your god at that point. This is the most dangerous place to be and the longer you wait, the deeper the pain.

4) The true feelings will come out…
This is my favorite one…if the person you breakup with will not talk to you anymore, they do not love you. I see this with high school relationships all the time and it makes me laugh out loud sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that the broken relationship should be best friends immediately, but they shouldn’t be enemies either! Listen, break up with them…then watch how they react to you for the next month, your break-up will become more and more validated.

5) It is simply not that big of a deal.
The reason we can’t handle the truth is because we put WAYYYYY too much importance on the relationship! The quicker we understand that the relationship is simply not as important as we think it is, we will be more likely to break up with that person. If you are 14 or 15, let me assure you that the 18 or 21 year old version of yourself is not even going to resemble who you are now…if you are lucky!

Be obedient…break-up with him/her…that is if you can handle the truth…

Post #3 is You are too ugly to get a date (and other lies of the Devil)…read it please!