Two takes on a 'new' religion

[The Market] promises nothing less than the blossoming of a new civilization that will eventually bring an end to international conflict, resolve hitherto intractable problems like poverty and environmental degradation, and produce increased prosperity for all--even though all the current evidence seems to contradict these promises! We are dealing with something here that is bigger than free trade, the lifting of tariffs, money speculation and exploitation. We are facing the most powerful, fastest-growing and most successful religion in the history of the world. And what is fantastic about this religion is that it actually doesn't require any volitional choice of its converts

Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat
Colossians Remixed

[We need] to embrace a "new bottom line" in which corporations, social practices, government policies and individual behaviors are judged rational, efficient or productive not only if they maximize money or power, but also to the extent that they maximize love and caring, kindness and generosity, ethical and ecological sensitivity, enhance our capacity to treat others as embodiments of the sacred and to respond with awe, wonder, and radical amazement at the grandeur of the universe.

- Rabbi Michael Lerner

1500 a month?

The latest post on the Leadership Journal site, Out of Ur, makes for good reading, as do the many comments following, both for and against by Skye Jethani says.

The particular post is called, Great is Thy Effectiveness?, and starts in the following way:
Something’s wrong. We pastors are the stewards, the spokespeople, the advocates of a message of hope, life, and peace. And yet so few of us seem to be experiencing these qualities in our own lives. Something’s wrong. In a world saturated with fear, insecurity, and stress, we are to show a different way. And yet those at the centre of the church are burning out and leaving ministry at a rate of 1,500 per month. If that’s what’s occurring at the heart of the church, why would anyone on the fringe want to move in closer?
I’ve just read an article by two Christian counsellors about the soul-killing impact of church ministry on leaders. (The statistic above comes from them.) They note that the pressure to grow the church is a significant factor leading to pastoral burn out. And some pastors “admitted they promoted growth models that were incongruent with their values because of a desperate need to validate their pastoral leadership.” It seems too many of us have our identities wrapped up in the measurable outcomes of our work rather than in the life-giving love of the Christ we proclaim. Something’s wrong.
The rest of the article makes interesting reading especially for anyone concerned about burnout, whether amongst pastors or in other professions, as do the many comments.

Two books on pastors’ burning out are mentioned in the comments:

Grace Walk, by Steve McVey, and The Bonsai Conspiracy, written by Paul Anderson Walsh, are books by pastors who 'burned out'. What God revealed to them should be part of the foundation of our faith, rather than the truth that we eventually come to. And not just for pastors.

Walsh's book is not generally available in normal outlets such as Amazon. Check the link on the book title for more information.

Meek inheriting the earth

The meek do not assume to control the earth, nor do they live beyond their means. The realize that people cannot continue to abuse the earth with impunity, because they are receptive enough to the forces of creation that are beyond our control. If it is true that the meek will inherit the earth, then a community that embraces meekness as a virtue will want to make sure there is an earth worth inheriting. Reducing the production of waste, reusing materials as often as possible and recycling waste once it cannot be used any further should be second nature for such a community.

Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat
Colossians Remixed