Strategic thinking is a skill needed by leaders at all levels of the organization. In this qualitative study, 10 experienced ministers were interviewed and identified the characteristics that were most important to the development of their expertise. The eight key experiences contributing to the development of the ability to think strategically for the study's participants were Being Mentored, Other Ministers, Spiritual Discernment, Education, Practical Ministry Experience, Challenging Experiences, Experience in Other Cultures, and Reading Books. Recommendations are made for developing strategic thinking skills.