Episode 046 – Called to Lead and Questions Worth Living with John Rinaldo

In this episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher sits down once again with longtime friend and pastoral leader John Rinaldo for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, accompaniment, and formation in the Church today.

John shares about a new season of ministry that includes launching the podcast Called to Lead, founding Accompaniment Partners, and continuing his work as an adjunct lecturer at Santa Clara University.

Together, they explore what it means to lead faithfully amid complexity, why accompaniment is more demanding than it sounds, and how leaders can resist the urge to rush toward solutions instead of formation. The conversation closes with a reflective invitation for listeners to consider the questions they are living with—not to solve them quickly, but to let them shape how they lead.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• The gap between leadership theory and lived pastoral reality
• What accompaniment actually asks of leaders—and why it’s uncomfortable
• Patterns John is noticing among ministry leaders navigating fatigue and change
• How leadership formation must move beyond programs toward conversion
• The importance of living the right questions, not just finding answers

About the Guest

John Rinaldo is a pastoral leader, educator, and consultant whose work bridges theology, leadership, and lived ministry. He serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Santa Clara University, teaching graduate-level courses in leadership, evangelization, and faith formation. He is the host of Called to Lead: Pastoral Leadership for Today’s Church, presented by the Markey Center, and the founder of Accompaniment Partners, which supports leaders and organizations through relational, mission-centered accompaniment.

Connect with John

• Podcast: Called to Lead: Pastoral Leadership for Today’s Church
  
  
• Organization: Accompaniment Partners
  
  
• Institution: Santa Clara University – Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries

Links coming soon

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