Sacred Texts and ‘Little Bells’: Arvo Pärt’s Musical Masterpieces
Arvo Pärt’s music feels both ancient and startlingly new. His tintinnabuli style — “little bells” of melody and harmony — distills sound into simplicity, letting sacred texts breathe. Silence is never absence but presence, the space where God speaks. At ninety, Pärt still teaches us that less can carry more, and that even a single note can draw us into eternity.
God, Are You Even Listening?
When God doesn’t answer, it can feel like he’s left the building. You’ve prayed, waited, knocked and nothing. But silence isn’t absence. Scripture says he hears before we even finish asking.
The Growth of Productivity and the Fall of Stillness
Our world glorifies productivity, yet silence is where we meet God. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, ‘Teaching about Christ begins in silence,’ but how often do we truly stop? We measure progress, check off boxes and chase efficiency — but what if our striving drowns out God’s voice? Maybe the most vital thing isn’t doing more, but learning to be still and attend to his presence.
Silence: Quieting Other Voices To Hear God’s
Are you in a season of great challenge? Remember Richard Foster’s words: “The purpose of silence and solitude is to be able to see and hear. The Spirit speaks to us when our heart is still and silent before the Lord — not when we’re rushing about and doing our own thing in our own way.”
Taizé Prayer: Seeking God’s Peace
Taize worship is marked by simplicity, silence, confession, reconciliation and prayer. This contemplative style of worship grew out of a community in Taize, France, founded after World War II to provide a place of refuge and forgiveness for those seeking healing and reconciliation after the distress and devastation of war. The service is a blend of Christian styles, both liturgical and free, both ancient and contemporary.
Listening Prayer: What Comes After Silence?
In Scripture, God spoke to Elijah by his “still small voice.” By telling this story, God seems to be revealing a preferred way of communicating with us, too—today.