Sausages to soldiership – a Dalby couple’s faith story
BY CLIFF WORTHING
It’s amazing how a sausage and message from God combined to bring transformation into the life of Graham Culbertson and his wife Debbie.
In Graham’s words, he was a “strictly funeral and wedding” churchgoer with “no interest in someone who didn’t exist”. Debbie had family connections with The Salvation Army but wasn’t involved in any church.
Graham and Debbie live in Dalby, a rural town in the Western Downs Region of Queensland.
One Friday night, a chance encounter with the Dalby Salvos’ ‘Sausages on the Street’ ministry encouraged Graham to say he might visit the corps sometime. A short time later, he became seriously ill and was admitted to hospital.
While resting in his hospital bed, Graham heard a voice say to him distinctly, “Go to church!” There was no one else in the room. He was shocked and amazed but knew God had spoken to him. So, once he was released from hospital, he turned up at church.
Graham and Debbie immediately gave their lives to the Lord. They both engaged in the Soldiership Course and recently enrolled as Senior Soldiers of Dalby Corps.
“Since Graham and Debbie started attending our corps in 2021, we have seen a remarkable transformation in them both,” said Christine Brooks, Dalby Corps Leader.
“Graham still has some serious health issues, but through his trust and faith in Jesus, he grows stronger daily. They are both growing in the Lord and serving together.”
The Culbertsons tend the corps gardens and have created a flourishing community vegetable garden that enables the corps to give out fresh veggies for others to enjoy. Debbie regularly cleans the church building and keeps things tidy.
“Graham and Debbie have a great understanding of what it means to have boots on the ground,” Christine said. “They are so grateful to have the Lord in their lives, and we are blessed to have them as part of our corps family.”
Coming full circle in the story, Graham and Debbie now cook sausages on Friday nights, looking to facilitate transformation with a sausage and message from God.
