18/08/2026
Back to Basics: Discipleship and Alignment
By Grace Mbalamweshi
16.08.2026
Welcome to ‘Back to Discipleship’ Sunday Service as we navigate the basics of discipleship and alignment.
We are children of God, and as a trained and qualified nutritionist, I will illustrate ‘Back to Basics’ using the information that is found on a child’s under five card, to monitor our spiritual and physical growth or condition.
There are five lines on the graph of the card that are coded in black, red, and green colors.
The black line curving on top of the graph [above line +3 Standard Deviations, SD] represents obesity while the red line curving on the top of the graph [above +2 standard deviations] means overweight.
Green, [lines between +2 and -2], represents normal, healthy growth, and adequate nutrition.
The other red line, falling between negative two [-2] and negative three [-3] standard deviations, indicates underweight [moderate under nutrition or a risk of moderate malnutrition. This signals that extra nutritional support or counselling is needed.
The black dotted line, falling below negative three [-3] SD, represents severe under nutrition or severe malnutrition. This acts as a critical flag requiring medical and therapeutic intervention.
Most of us are in the green line, and we look healthy and are reproducing ourselves by making disciples of Jesus Christ.
However, we may look or appear nice on the outside, but inside, there is a problem, “Chances of heart attack and stroke are very high.”
When in negative 2 SD [underweight], most of us do not want to admit that we have a problem. We want to appear ‘healthy’ and yet there is no fruit that we are producing.
“We do not want to acknowledge our status and refuse any intervention. Even when someone makes a follow up on us, we tell them, ‘I am fine,’ yet things are not okay.”
If in the black dotted line [severe malnutrition], one is inactive, they need someone to carry or move them from point A to point B.
“When a child is in acute malnutrition, there are interventions that are given to address the problem, but when it is chronic, no intervention can work, they only require palliative care.”
Now, let us get back to the basics of discipleship and alignment.
Matthew 4:18-22
One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
When Jesus called out to them, they immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
This is the basic, “to immediately obey and follow.” ‘Basic’ means the simplest, most important fact, rule, or need.
“It is the core building blocks of a subject, or the essential items required for living.”
In the New Testament, "disciple" comes from the Greek word mathētēs, which primarily means a learner, pupil, student, or apprentice.
Discipleship is the active process of following, learning from, and imitating a master.
A mathetes is not just someone in a classroom, he or she is someone that is attached to a teacher to learn their doctrine, imitate their character, and adopt their way of life.
“Discipleship is a long-life process of following, learning, and imitating a teacher or master.”
Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
What are you willing to leave to become a disciple?
We have looked at meaning of disciple from the word discipleship, the next is ship. The noun suffix, ship, means a state, condition, quality, skill, office, or group standing.
Discipleship has to do with ‘staying’ and staying has to do with ‘commitment.’
“Commitment calls for ‘responsibility’ and responsibility calls for ‘accountability’ which calls for ‘submission’.”
The Lord is calling us to a place of commitment, “What we learn, we must begin to replicate.”
Alignment is putting things in a straight line, making parts of a machine work together properly, or having people or groups agree on a shared goal.
Therefore, kingdom alignment is the continuous process of positioning your thoughts, choices, and goals to match God’s will and purpose.
Romans 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Align every part of yourself to God every day by bringing your heart, your thoughts, and your actions in agreement with God’s will.
Matthew 6:33
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
His kingdom is sacrifice, denying oneself, and diligence.
Righteousness means identity, purpose, and assignment. When we understand purpose, it becomes easy for us to align.
A disciple of Christ has characteristics. Let us examine some of them, the first one is a deep love for God.
Mark 12:30
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
Luke 9:23
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”
Discipleship is denying oneself, and to love what God loves. God gives us His love and burden that we may begin to see the world from a different perspective.
“Our love for God is translated to how we love others as well.”
Obedience to God’s commands is another characteristic.
John 13:34-35
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.
This is a direct reflection of the love of God.
The other characteristic is bearing fruit.
Romans 10:14-17
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” So, faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
This is a call for us to go out and take the gospel from our households to the outermost parts of the world, with the fruit of the spirit manifesting in us.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
Studying God’s Word is also a characteristic of discipleship.
Joshua 1:8
Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.
When you display active love for others, you are aligning to the character of a disciple.
Mark 12:31
The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.
Our love and impact must be felt in the way we relate.
Another characteristic of a true disciple is a life or lifestyle of prayer.
James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
We must always maintain a constant and dependent lifestyle of prayer.
Making other disciples is also a characteristic of discipleship.
2 Timothy 2:1-2
Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.
Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Discipleship is all about products. If we neglect purpose and obedience, then we are misaligned.
“If we are misaligned, we are producing under and malnourished disciples.” Poverty and malnutrition are a deficiency of God’s word.
Discipleship is not an easy journey, but there is gain of eternity or eternal life.
Now, let us look at the 7 ‘D’s of discipleship:
The first one is ‘Desire’. This means having a deep yearning to draw close to God and know Jesus Christ.
The second is ‘Discerning’ or ‘Discernment’. This is listening to God’s Word and guidance in our daily challenges.
Thirdly, it is ‘Decision’, choosing to align one’s life with values and actions of the gospel.
The fourth is ‘Discipleship’ which is cultivating spiritual habits such as prayer, reflection, and commitment.
Number five is ‘Dwelling in the Word’ by immersing oneself in scripture, to let it shape thoughts and actions.
The sixth is ‘Depending on the Holy Spirit’. This deals with acknowledging personal limitations and relying on God’s power rather than self.
And the seventh is ‘Doing.’ Discipleship is about doing, “Moving faith out of the heart and mind into active service, love and hands on witness to others.”
John 15:13-17
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other.
Colossians 1:28-29
So, we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
Hebrews 3:12, 14
Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.
Above all, always remember that you are the King’s seed, you carry the invisible, and establish the impossible, and the Holy Spirit is backing you and therefore you cannot fail.
