Sabbath, March 21st, 2026 | Pastor Kerry-Ann Butler | A Leader Worth Following

We don't just need outer calls, which is important. Don't get me wrong, but we need after care. We need to care for people after the outer calls. Amen? Because salvation is not just is is both a decisive moment and a continuous process that needs to walk out with others. Yes. There's a moment where you say yes to god. But after that moment, there is a journey. There's spiritual warfare. There's ups and downs. You you feel me on that? There's spiritual warfare, like, intense sometimes. [01:23:44] (38 seconds)

And in this journey, it's a journey of learning, of growing, and of becoming. And that's where discipleship comes in. Discipleship plays a crucial role in helping someone walk out their salvation. Because one thing to say, I believe in God, but another thing to learn how to trust him, how to follow him, and how to live like him. And without discipleship, people can come to God but not know how to grow in God. [01:24:24] (43 seconds)

Now everyone wants transformation, but transformation is a process. Like a butterfly, I love this analogy. A butterfly has to struggle before it flies. If you help the butterfly out of their cocoon, they're gonna drop to the floor and their their wings won't be able to work. They have to struggle through it so that they so that their wings can explain and they can learn how to fly. I went through the struggle, like I said before, just like many of you are going through it right now. But I know if if God transformed me and he still is working on me and transforming me, he can do the same for you. [01:45:06] (43 seconds)

I want to ask you today, who is discipling you? Who is speaking into your life? Think about it. Who is helping you grow? Who can correct you lovingly, not condemningly, pray with you, and walk with you when life gets hard. Because we were never meant to do this journey alone. The Christian journey is not easy. I mean, life is not easy in general. But when we have people with us that are helping support us and walk with us, it may it makes life all that better and more meaningful and and joyful. [01:40:33] (48 seconds)

So discipleship is not just taught. Right? It's caught. It's not just taught. You catch on. You caught it? Okay. Good. You catch on by beholding what your leader is doing. By beholding, we become changed. Amen. I've seen this in my own life. There were things I didn't always know how to do spiritually. I didn't always know how to pray deeply. I didn't always know how to trust God sacrificially. I didn't always know how to lead confidently, and these are still areas that I'm growing in. [01:32:48] (40 seconds)

But through discipleship, through people walking with me, I learned. And as I learned, I changed. And I'm still changing. Like I said, it's a process. And here's the beautiful part about discipleship. So listen to this closely. It doesn't make you a copy of someone else. It's not meant to make you exactly like the person that's leading you or guiding you. It helps you become the best version of who God created you to be. Amen. Because you are not called to be your mentor. [01:33:28] (35 seconds)

And the reality is people will fail us. We're human. We're not always gonna get it right. Mentors are human. Leaders are imperfect. Even the people who pour into you, they might let you down at some point. They may fall short. And if we're not careful, we can become discouraged when people don't meet our expectations. And as as someone in ministry, you know, pastors, elders, people that hold church positions, it can be tough because you want to live up to a certain standard, [01:35:27] (41 seconds)

And I also want to challenge you. Who are you discipling? Who are you pouring into? Who are you encouraging? Who are you helping take their next step in their walk with God? Because discipleship is not just something we receive. It's something that we give. Amen? And here's the truth I wanna say. Discipleship is not a luxury that some people have. It's a necessity. It's necessary. It's not just for pastors. It's not just for leaders. It's not just for people who have it all together. [01:41:27] (42 seconds)