--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It’s impossible to be a disciple or a…" description: "\"“It’s impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but every..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/francis-chan-548_disciple_it-s-impossible-to-be-a-disciple-or-a-fo_1278116.png" --- # It’s impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone… ![“It’s impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). That’s the whole point of being a disciple of Jesus: we imitate Him, carry on…” quote by Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/francis-chan-548_disciple_it-s-impossible-to-be-a-disciple-or-a-fo_1278116.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/francis-chan-548_disciple_it-s-impossible-to-be-a-disciple-or-a-fo_1278116.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ae8/francis-chan-548_disciple_it-s-impossible-to-be-a-disciple-or-a-fo_1278116.png) > ““It’s impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). That’s the whole point of being a disciple of Jesus: we imitate Him, carry on His ministry, and become like Him in the process.”” [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explains discipleship as becoming like the teacher, emphasizing imitation of Jesus' life and ministry. **In simple terms:** Disciples become like their teacher. Key Takeaway Model your life after Jesus. Themes faith mentorship imitation Mood inspirational thoughtful Type theological practical When to use this quote - personal prayer - community service - leadership training Key Concepts spiritual formation identity mission Questions to Reflect On - In what ways can you uniquely express discipleship? - How to balance imitation with personal gifts? A Different Perspective Imitation may overlook individuality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Disciple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple/) [Disciple Follower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple-follower-4120427/) [Disciple Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple-jesus-384663/) [Disciple Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple-teacher-4120428/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Said Disciple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-disciple-762191/) ## Related quotes > [Liberation does not concern the person, for liberation is freedom from the person. Basically the disciple and teacher are identical. Both are the timeless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-klein/liberation-does-not-concern-the-person-for-liberation-is-freedom-from/) [Jean Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-klein/) > [“Said a disciple, 'I don't trade my love for money.' Said the Master, 'isn't itas bad - or worse - that you trade it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/said-a-disciple-i-don-t-trade-my-love-for-money-said-the-master-isn-t/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [So you have to be your own teacher and your own disciple, and there is no teacher outside, no saviour, no master; you yourself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/so-you-have-to-be-your-own-teacher-and-your-own-disciple-and-there-is/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-part-of-the-fellowship-of-the-unashamed-i-have-holy-spirit-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How we use our money is the clearest outside indicator of what we really believe. ... If someone is a true disciple of Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-burkett/how-we-use-our-money-is-the-clearest-outside-indicator-of-what-we/) [Larry Burkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-burkett/) > [After he has been following Christ for a long time, the disciple of Jesus will be asked, "Lacked ye anything?" and he will answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/after-he-has-been-following-christ-for-a-long-time-the-disciple-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [This extremely shocking and utterly revolutionary call is the essence of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus: we are not called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/this-extremely-shocking-and-utterly-revolutionary-call-is-the-essence/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [“there will be trials and difficulties ahead for his disciples and indeed for all disciples. All who want to follow the Lord Jesus in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-will-be-trials-and-difficulties-ahead-for-his-disciples-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Disciples are gospel people who introduce and reintroduce themselves and others to the person and power of Jesus over and over again. A disciple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-k-dodson/disciples-are-gospel-people-who-introduce-and-reintroduce-themselves/) [Jonathan K. Dodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-k-dodson/) > [One can be a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ without denying the flickers of the sacred in followers of Yahweh, or Kali, or Krishna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/one-can-be-a-faithful-disciple-of-jesus-christ-without-denying-the/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“You are ashamed to open your Bible and read that blessed Psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” You are ashamed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/you-are-ashamed-to-open-your-bible-and-read-that-blessed-psalm-the/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not an effort of once a week or once a day. It is an effort of once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/being-a-disciple-of-jesus-christ-is-not-an-effort-of-once-a-week-or/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“The gospel calls us back to look at Jesus over and over again. A disciple of Jesus is a person who so looks at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-k-dodson/the-gospel-calls-us-back-to-look-at-jesus-over-and-over-again-a/) [Jonathan K. Dodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-k-dodson/) > [I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed... My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-madrid/i-am-part-of-the-fellowship-of-the-unashamed-my-past-is-redeemed-my/) [Patrick Madrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-madrid/) > [“His teachings, said his disciple Musaeus, had one simple theme: 'Everything comes into being from the One and is resolved into the One again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-wroe/his-teachings-said-his-disciple-musaeus-had-one-simple-theme/) [Ann Wroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-wroe/) ## More by Francis Chan > [If you want to see the big stuff that God has, you've got to take some risk and trust only in the Gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/if-you-want-to-see-the-big-stuff-that-god-has-you-ve-got-to-take-some/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“In the midst of our failed attempts at loving Jesus, His grace covers us. Each of us has lukewarm elements and practices in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/in-the-midst-of-our-failed-attempts-at-loving-jesus-his-grace-covers/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Jesus' call to commitment is clear: He wants all or nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/jesus-call-to-commitment-is-clear-he-wants-all-or-nothing/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Yes, it is God who works in you. And, yes, there is work for you to do. Yes, the Spirit empowers you to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/yes-it-is-god-who-works-in-you-and-yes-there-is-work-for-you-to-do/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you are doing, God wants to be glorified, because this whole thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/the-point-of-your-life-is-to-point-to-him-whatever-you-are-doing-god/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Lukewarm people love others but do not seek to love others as much as they love themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/lukewarm-people-love-others-but-do-not-seek-to-love-others-as-much-as/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Life is comfortable when you separate yourself from people who are different from you. That epitomizes what my life was like: characterized by comfort.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/life-is-comfortable-when-you-separate-yourself-from-people-who-are/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Christ can come back at any time so the one thing you want to have in your life is a focused prayer time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/christ-can-come-back-at-any-time-so-the-one-thing-you-want-to-have-in/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“Awe Factor” video at www.crazylovebook.com to get a taste of the awe factor of our God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/awe-factor-video-at-www-crazylovebook-com-to-get-a-taste-of-the-awe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [“What I want you to do right now is to go online and look at the “Awe Factor” video at www.crazylovebook.com to get a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/what-i-want-you-to-do-right-now-is-to-go-online-and-look-at-the-awe/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Multi-tasking is keeping me from whole-hearted worship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/multi-tasking-is-keeping-me-from-whole-hearted-worship/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [The stress that some of us feel - it's a lack of faith, it really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/the-stress-that-some-of-us-feel-it-s-a-lack-of-faith-it-really-is/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [We have become dangerously comfortable- believers ooze with wealth and let their addictions to comfort and security numb the radical urgency of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/we-have-become-dangerously-comfortable-believers-ooze-with-wealth-and/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Not being able to understand God is frustrating, but it is ridiculous for us to think we have the right to limit God to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/not-being-able-to-understand-god-is-frustrating-but-it-is-ridiculous/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) [Explore all 479 Francis Chan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) ## More Disciple quotes > [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [“It is one thing being disciplined to plan and it is another thing being a disciple of great work. Be your own disciplinarian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/it-is-one-thing-being-disciplined-to-plan-and-it-is-another-thing/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [I have no disciples, being myself an aspirant after discipleship and in search of a guru.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-have-no-disciples-being-myself-an-aspirant-after-discipleship-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [If the civil magistrate be a Christian, a disciple or follower of the meek Lamb of God, he is bound to be far from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-williams/if-the-civil-magistrate-be-a-christian-a-disciple-or-follower-of-the/) [Roger Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-williams/) > [I am part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed... My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-madrid/i-am-part-of-the-fellowship-of-the-unashamed-my-past-is-redeemed-my/) [Patrick Madrid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-madrid/) > [A zealous disciple expressed a desire to teach others the Truth and asked the Master what he thought about this. The Master said, "Wait."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-de-mello/a-zealous-disciple-expressed-a-desire-to-teach-others-the-truth-and/) [Anthony de Mello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-de-mello/) > [Christ died. He left a will in which He gave His soul to His Father, His body to Joseph of Arimathea, His clothes to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/christ-died-he-left-a-will-in-which-he-gave-his-soul-to-his-father/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [It is conceivable that God might have ordained to preach the Gospel directly to man through dreams, visions and revelations. But as a matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/it-is-conceivable-that-god-might-have-ordained-to-preach-the-gospel/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [The real guru is the pure intellect within; and the purified, deeply aspiring mind is the disciple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinmayananda-saraswati/the-real-guru-is-the-pure-intellect-within-and-the-purified-deeply/) [Chinmayananda Saraswati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinmayananda-saraswati/) > [The Buddha gave his first talks, and three or four ascetics became his first disciples. They recognized his enlightenment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-buddha-gave-his-first-talks-and-three-or-four-ascetics-became-his/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“Smartass Disciple: But, you said that it's the truth?? Master of Stupidity: O Yes. That is yesterday's truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta-betelgeuse-incident/smartass-disciple-but-you-said-that-it-s-the-truth-master-of/) [Toba Beta \[Betelgeuse Incident](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta-betelgeuse-incident/) > [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The founder of any branch must be more ingenious than the common man. However, if his achievement is not carried on by disciples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-founder-of-any-branch-must-be-more-ingenious-than-the-common-man/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [The first duty of a Christian, of a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ, is to deny himself. To deny oneself means to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-of-alaska/the-first-duty-of-a-christian-of-a-disciple-and-follower-of-jesus/) [Innocent of Alaska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-of-alaska/) > [“meekness and lowliness of heart are to be the distinguishing feature of the disciple, just as they were of the Master. And further, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/meekness-and-lowliness-of-heart-are-to-be-the-distinguishing-feature/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) [Browse all 752 Disciple quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disciple/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It’s impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). 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