Watch: Called to be... a disciple

As part of the Called to Be video series, Captain Tony Kakande (Gateshead) speaks about how he is called to be a disciple.

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Video transcript

I’m called to be a Salvation Army officer who follows Jesus closely in the everyday and serves him faithfully where I am appointed. My calling isn’t mainly about a role or a uniform. It’s about being a visible sign of God’s love and hope in everyday life here in Gateshead. 

I believe Jesus calls ordinary people like me in ordinary places and invites them to trust him with their whole lives. I’m called to be a disciple by listening to Jesus, trusting his word and responding with obedience even when it feels uncomfortable or costly. 

Discipleship for me means allowing Jesus to shape my character before I do anything in his name. So my call to spiritual leadership flows from seeking him in prayer to know his love and experience his grace, not from position or performance. On a daily basis, following Jesus looks like showing up each day – not as one with all the answers, but walking alongside people and being present in places where hope can feel fragile. It means choosing compassion over convenience, hope over programmes, and faithfulness over quick results. 

In communities facing real pressure, discipleship is lived out through a consistent presence, practical love and faith in action with the knowledge that Jesus is already at work. As an officer in The Salvation Army, my calling is following Jesus into hard places, standing with people and helping them discover that God has not forgotten them. I’m called to be a disciple who follows Jesus into the margins of Gateshead, leading with grace, with faith and compassion so others can find hope.