Senior pastors are disappearing. So are "associate" and "assistant pastors." Scan church bulletins or church websites and you'll see that a crop of "Lead Elders" and "Community Servants" have sprouted in their place. Not all of the new titles are so modest. You're also apt to spot "Lead Visionaries" or even "Cultural Architects."

If these new titles are any indication, people are rethinking the pastoral role. We figured it was time to join the fun. So we asked our readers what other titles might be apt. Suggestions ranged from the serious to the silly, and we've printed a few that caught our eye. We hope these novel monikers help you think about church leadership in fresh ways, and make you laugh a little, too.

Sheep Dog

Jesus is the shepherd, but he uses pastors to keep his sheep in line. "Sheep Dogs" may be a little mangy, but they have an important role.—Ginger

Linguist

The pastor is ...