In this episode of The Church Podcast, Christopher sits down with John Rinaldo, Catholic speaker, writer, and former co-host of The Church Podcast, for a Reboot Episode revisiting one of the most downloaded conversations from the show's original run.
John brings years of experience in Catholic ministry, communications, and social media — including early adoption of platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, and a history of leading diocesan workshops on responsible social media use. His thinking on the subject has evolved significantly over time, and this conversation captures that honest evolution in real time.
Together, Christopher and John revisit the pros and cons of social media for ministry leaders — covering the shift in algorithms, the personal toll of comparison culture, the challenge of posting with charitable intent in a negative online environment, and what responsible, strategic use of these platforms actually looks like today. The conversation is sparked by a real-life moment: a tweet John posted during the Notre Dame Cathedral fire in 2019, and whether Christopher thought it was too soon.
In This Episode
- The tweet that started it all — John's Notre Dame post about caring for people as much as we care for buildings, and how even 200 well-crafted characters can land differently depending on timing and audience.
- How social media algorithms have fundamentally changed who sees your content — and why organic reach for ministry pages has become increasingly limited without paid promotion.
- The personal cost of social media for ministry leaders — including the comparison trap, doom-scrolling, and the research showing a correlation between heavy social media use and increased depression.
- Why posting "truth" on social media — even with good intentions, solid sources, and careful wording — rarely leads to conversion and often creates more conflict than clarity.
- The difference between using social media as an organization versus as an individual ministry leader, and why those two uses require different strategies and standards.
- Practical best practices for intentional social media use: email marketing to drive engagement, private Facebook groups for community, scheduling tools like Buffer and Hootsuite, and building a network of advocates to amplify your message.
- Why the Lenten social media fast has become more and more common — and what that cultural shift might be telling us about where we are as a society.
- The bottom line: social media is here to stay, but word-of-mouth and personal relationships remain the most effective form of evangelization — and social media works best when it supports that, not replaces it.
About John Rinaldo
John Rinaldo is the host of Called to Lead: Pastoral Leadership for Today's Church podcast and founder of Accompaniment Partners. He is also affiliated with the Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries at Santa Clara University. John is passionate about equipping Church leaders with the tools and formation they need to lead well in today's complex ministerial landscape.
Resources Mentioned
Connect with John
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