New leaders have tremendous potential to be the next generation of church leaders, but for many, biblical character development was not a foundational part of growing up. Pastor Philip J. Rasmussen, vice president of church relations and spiritual formation at Northwest University, draws on his experience working closely with pastors and students to outline the problems to developing the next generation of church leaders—as well as solutions. He knows how concerned church leaders are with finding qualified ministerial replacements, but he also knows most students have not been prepared to live a life in ministry. If they don’t get the guidance they need, a shortage of qualified individuals looms on the horizon. Lead Strong starts with the premise that a person must fully embrace the Fruit of Spirit as the vital elements for character development. When the Fruit of Spirit is present in a believer’s life, essential leadership qualities will naturally flow as the leader influences people. This book can be used for ministry training sessions, small group studies, or one’s individual devotional development. Its purpose is to reveal the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer and to clearly describe the fruit that His presence should bear in one’s character.