Tom Powell
@bamfurlong.bsky.social
PCA Pastor serving out of bounds because coloring inside the lines is hard.
Early church (ThM in Historical Theology, long ago),
music (BA, even longer ago),
tech (decade in IT before ministry),
Tolkien, and general ramblings.
Early church (ThM in Historical Theology, long ago),
music (BA, even longer ago),
tech (decade in IT before ministry),
Tolkien, and general ramblings.
Grateful for Caroline Ross’s convicting label “Hubriscene” for this era.
November 26, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Grateful for Caroline Ross’s convicting label “Hubriscene” for this era.
The Christian ought to “know your enemy” so that they might better love them.
November 19, 2025 at 3:10 PM
The Christian ought to “know your enemy” so that they might better love them.
Timeless wisdom from the Old English Christian poem, Precepts: “Be ever wise in songs, wary of desires, a guardian of your words.”
November 12, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Timeless wisdom from the Old English Christian poem, Precepts: “Be ever wise in songs, wary of desires, a guardian of your words.”
A lovely meditation: "A Harvest Festival: The Theological Sophistication of Mice" by David Knowles over on his substack:
open.substack.com/pub/davidkno...
open.substack.com/pub/davidkno...
November 6, 2025 at 3:58 PM
A lovely meditation: "A Harvest Festival: The Theological Sophistication of Mice" by David Knowles over on his substack:
open.substack.com/pub/davidkno...
open.substack.com/pub/davidkno...
I am always amazed at both how wonderful and how dismal New York City can be. Really is an amazing place.
October 13, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I am always amazed at both how wonderful and how dismal New York City can be. Really is an amazing place.
Reposted by Tom Powell
The first Silmarillion map. Drawn by Tolkien on an unused page from a University of Leeds examination booklet.
October 8, 2025 at 3:53 PM
The first Silmarillion map. Drawn by Tolkien on an unused page from a University of Leeds examination booklet.
Disabling Twitter. AI and Social are a nexus I do not want to encourage.
October 8, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Disabling Twitter. AI and Social are a nexus I do not want to encourage.
A grumbling heart is a dangerous thing because it may be birthed with a true grievance, but it is maintained by sin.
April 28, 2025 at 4:40 PM
A grumbling heart is a dangerous thing because it may be birthed with a true grievance, but it is maintained by sin.
Rilke is reason enough to spend years learning German.
March 8, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Rilke is reason enough to spend years learning German.
“If you are a theologian, you will pray truly. And if you pray truly, you are a theologian.” - Evagrius Ponticus
February 27, 2025 at 1:51 AM
“If you are a theologian, you will pray truly. And if you pray truly, you are a theologian.” - Evagrius Ponticus
I occasionally use ChatGPT as a sparring partner to hone my thoughts. While still useful, it's remarkably dumb and a liar. When you point out that it has lied, you get:
"I misspoke..."
It's a savant with a penchant for lying. Great.
"I misspoke..."
It's a savant with a penchant for lying. Great.
February 25, 2025 at 1:42 PM
I occasionally use ChatGPT as a sparring partner to hone my thoughts. While still useful, it's remarkably dumb and a liar. When you point out that it has lied, you get:
"I misspoke..."
It's a savant with a penchant for lying. Great.
"I misspoke..."
It's a savant with a penchant for lying. Great.
Excellent article for pastors over on Substack: Humble Leadership and Humble Leaders open.substack.com/pub/a4mr/p/h...
Humble Leadership and Humble Leaders
By Mike Sharrett | Interim Pastor, Grace Covenant PCA in Williamsburg, Virginia
open.substack.com
February 23, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Excellent article for pastors over on Substack: Humble Leadership and Humble Leaders open.substack.com/pub/a4mr/p/h...
In some sense, most of American Christianity is captive to a political hermeneutic that blinds us to Christ's appearing in our midst in the least of these.
February 22, 2025 at 12:48 AM
In some sense, most of American Christianity is captive to a political hermeneutic that blinds us to Christ's appearing in our midst in the least of these.
Who'd have thought that Google would so screw up their own business of search, seeking to trap you in the search and not showing you results that DUCKDUCKGO would turn out to be easier to find things. We live in that world.
February 20, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Who'd have thought that Google would so screw up their own business of search, seeking to trap you in the search and not showing you results that DUCKDUCKGO would turn out to be easier to find things. We live in that world.
If you are in northern New Jersey and interested in being part of the regrowth of a historic reformed congregation (John de Witt's first pastorate), recently departed from the RCA into the EPC, PM me!
February 15, 2025 at 7:20 PM
If you are in northern New Jersey and interested in being part of the regrowth of a historic reformed congregation (John de Witt's first pastorate), recently departed from the RCA into the EPC, PM me!
My kids adjusted all the levels on the soundboard by my computer.
It could have been months or years ago—it's been collecting dust since COVID.
I forgot the joys dialing in audio levels.
But it means we can worship over Zoom even during a winter storm. It's worth it.
It could have been months or years ago—it's been collecting dust since COVID.
I forgot the joys dialing in audio levels.
But it means we can worship over Zoom even during a winter storm. It's worth it.
February 9, 2025 at 2:36 AM
My kids adjusted all the levels on the soundboard by my computer.
It could have been months or years ago—it's been collecting dust since COVID.
I forgot the joys dialing in audio levels.
But it means we can worship over Zoom even during a winter storm. It's worth it.
It could have been months or years ago—it's been collecting dust since COVID.
I forgot the joys dialing in audio levels.
But it means we can worship over Zoom even during a winter storm. It's worth it.
One of the less-loved Penn Stations, Newark, still has some of its grandeur if you look for it.
February 3, 2025 at 3:12 PM
One of the less-loved Penn Stations, Newark, still has some of its grandeur if you look for it.
Let me welcome any discipline, how ever sore, which deepens and widens my sympathy. Let me bear my brother’s burden,and so fulfil the law of Christ. -Alexander Smellie
February 1, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Let me welcome any discipline, how ever sore, which deepens and widens my sympathy. Let me bear my brother’s burden,and so fulfil the law of Christ. -Alexander Smellie
From Johann Gerhard’s Sacred Meditations:
January 31, 2025 at 12:54 PM
From Johann Gerhard’s Sacred Meditations:
Turns out the 2 miles from the parsonage to the church is all uphill. I biked to work while it was below freezing.
Folks at church thought I was nuts.
But the ride home tonight at 28° was glorious and it was worth it.
Folks at church thought I was nuts.
But the ride home tonight at 28° was glorious and it was worth it.
January 29, 2025 at 2:34 AM
Turns out the 2 miles from the parsonage to the church is all uphill. I biked to work while it was below freezing.
Folks at church thought I was nuts.
But the ride home tonight at 28° was glorious and it was worth it.
Folks at church thought I was nuts.
But the ride home tonight at 28° was glorious and it was worth it.
I bought some Werther's Originals to keep in my church office. It feels like a milestone.
January 28, 2025 at 8:58 PM
I bought some Werther's Originals to keep in my church office. It feels like a milestone.
The church is wonderfully huge.
United in Jesus as his body, and he as our head—he, the one in whom all things cohere.
Therefore, there is a sense in which in him we are intimately connected to all creation.
United in Jesus as his body, and he as our head—he, the one in whom all things cohere.
Therefore, there is a sense in which in him we are intimately connected to all creation.
January 28, 2025 at 2:04 PM
The church is wonderfully huge.
United in Jesus as his body, and he as our head—he, the one in whom all things cohere.
Therefore, there is a sense in which in him we are intimately connected to all creation.
United in Jesus as his body, and he as our head—he, the one in whom all things cohere.
Therefore, there is a sense in which in him we are intimately connected to all creation.
Awake, awake, to love and work!
January 21, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Awake, awake, to love and work!
Back here because Twitter and Reddit are mirrors of insanity—hoping this place is better.
January 21, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Back here because Twitter and Reddit are mirrors of insanity—hoping this place is better.