Disciple like a parent.
What is the image in your head as you try boil down the essence of disciple-making? Is it a demanding coach? …a warm, gentle friend? …a guy who has every discipline down?
I was reading Bill Hull’s “Disciple Making Church” and reminds us what a discipler looks like. We are to disciple like a mother and a father. This isn’t his idea. He takes it from 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, 11-12 NIV
Instead, we were like young children among you.
Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
This is a great think about this attitude and qualities needed in spiritual mentors. We need the sensitive care and encouragement like a mom. We also need the guidance and direction of a father. We need someone urging us to take the next steps in maturing.
You may as you lead people favor the mother or father qualities. The reminder from the Word is that we need to practice both tenderness and firmness.
Groups Guy 
Good things to remember as we lead our groups; and Paul mentions in vs. 10 how he lives holy, just and blameless before God. In our groups–the subjects and depth we go into will go as far as we’re searching the scriptures and living the Christ life.