We usually call our church leaders as "pastors". We attach this title to their name. "Pastor Joe", "Pastor Bill", "Pastor Dude". Lately, it's much cooler to just call them "Pastor" ... then the first letter of their name. ie. "Pastor J", or "Pastor B". In the church where I came from, if you finish a 4 year theology course, they will start calling you "Pastor" even if your job is teaching a University subject on History. 

At our church in Makati (LifeChurch Makati), we encourage our people to not call our leaders as "Pastor", rather just by their first name or just "Kuya", a typical Filipino term used to convey honor to an older person.

I'm not trying to make a case against other churches who call leaders as "Pastor". It's the current church culture, and I don't see anything wrong with it. It's just that we're trying to create a subculture different from the rest -- I'm going to explain in a while.

Here's why I believe it is OK not to call your church leader as "Pastor":

Pastoring is caring for people. It's a function. Technically, I'm pastoring my family. But I don't hear my kids calling me "Pastor Arnold". I'd prefer "Dad". If you lead a small LifeGroup of say 10 people, you're technically caring for them, thus "pastoring" them. Should you then be called "Pastor J"? 

You don't need a title to function as a pastor. You simply need to decide and stand up to take the challenge of leadership. Lead, care for people and be a pastor. No title is needed.

LifeChurch Makati's vision is to be a church people far from God love to attend. If it has to happen, things should function differently. "Church" should not look like the way "church" is right now (where at the heart of it's approach is to cater for the church people). The way we talk, the way we relate with people, the way we approach a problem and the way we deal with people far from God should be different. One step is to break the leadership titles attached to the names and be available as you are.

When people far from God looks for solution, they will not go to the clergy. They will not go to their "Pastors". They go to their friends who are trained by the leaders to take care of their friends. To be their "pastor".

Obviously, there are church leaders who take care of the affairs of the church on a high level capacity. They lead, the cast vision and makes sure the church is in the right direction, they teach, they train. But every leader functions as "staff" doing what they are gifted to do. Not to be higher than anyone else as a "Pastor".

So if you attend LifeChurch Makati, please don't call us Pastor Arnold or Pastor Prudy or Pastor Whoever. "Arnold" or "Kuya Arnold" works fine. Not "Tito Arnold". Kuya Arnold, alright?.