saved or follower?

So, I grew up in a world where camp/vacation bible school/church was all about the one big night where you went forward and asked Jesus into your heart and BOOM you're a Christian. It's that one big moment that life changed and now you are a disciple of Jesus....but I was 7. I am not thinking that it didn't count, but I'm wondering if that is what Jesus meant when he said "Follow Me"?

This makes me wonder, is salvation a one shot deal and then we learn to be a disciple, a follower of Christ? Jesus didn't say, "accept me" - he said, "follow me". Maybe salvation and discipleship are interwoven. Could salvation really be more of a journey, a discovery, an answer to the invitation "follow me"? To answer the invitation that really just shows a heart willing to follow. When we answer an invitation, we still have to show up to the party to participate in it. Jesus didn't say, "accept me" - he said, "follow me". We can answer his invitation, but does it stop there?

This raises a thought: Each disciple made a choice to follow Christ, to answer his invitation, but in that moment they actually knew nothing of what he would ask of them - so were they saved in that moment or was it a journey of discovery?

I raise these questions not to discount the faith of a 7 year old that loved Jesus, but to wonder if when we "share a testimony" and talk of that "one big moment" are we missing the point. Is it about that one moment we were 'saved' or the daily living for Christ that is the point. To say I was saved when I was 7 may not actually be accurate. Maybe I should be saying - when I was 7 I began the journey of discovering what it means to follow Christ and I am continually being saved by Christ as I goof up and go off course, it is a journey I am still figuring it out today - and that is called discipleship.

What do you think?