Falling in love with the Word of God.

Michelle L. Nipp was born and raised in the great state of South Dakota. After graduating with a B.A. in History and Classical Music, she moved to Nashville, TN, and began working in Christian Music. After six years in the industry, Michelle left the music business to pursue one of her life passions: world missions. This full dive into full-time ministry opened doors to serving in multiple capacities, including organizational development, leadership training, team building, curriculum development and Bible teaching.

One her greatest achievements has been the development and implementation of an orphan and foster care program in Sierra Leone in partnership with local ministry and NGO. The one-of-a-kind program offers long term care for orphans as well as training for foster parents and social workers. In addition to her work in Sierra Leone, she has led teams around the world, including: Belize, Haiti, India, Ireland, Israel, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine.

In 2016, Michelle started her own business, HaGesher, LLC., to facilitate and lead study tours to Israel. Working specifically with Messianic believers in country, her passion is connecting believers with the culture, history and people of the Land. Her time in Israel proved to be one of the greatest catalysts in teaching the Word of God.  It also prompted her to pursue an MDiv in Biblical Studies and Islamic Studies through New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, currently in pursuit.

Michelle currently serves as the Partner Relations Director for Israel Firstfruits Center for Economic Advancement, a non-profit organization that empowers and equips Jewish and Arab believers in Israel through business and economic development.

I love teaching the Bible. I do not, however, consider myself some great theologian or Bible scholar. I don’t hold any prestigious degrees or have a grand platform. I am simply someone who fell in love with the Word of God and has done my best to walk in obedience to His call.

Along the way, I’ve been privileged to work with some of the most precious and dynamic pastors and teachers in the world. My time with these dear brothers and sisters encouraged me, grew me and inspired me. And it fanned the flame in me to learn and share the Word of God.

My approach is a bit different. I’m not interested in traditional studies or messages that offer “5-steps-to-a-better-whatever.” Motivational speeches are left to motivational speakers. Holy self-help is left out entirely. In all truth, I’ve grown weary of contemporary Western Christianity’s seeker-sensitive, contextually corrupted approach to Bible study.

What does interest me – what inspires, motivates and moves me – is the richness, beauty and depth of the unadulterated Word of God. The Bible. Its culture, history, geography and language. The ways and words God used (and continues to use) to communicate His story to all humanity. 

It isn’t “what the Bible means to me” but “what the Bible means.” Period.

This kind of study has a way of challenging presuppositions and upending preconceived notions. As one of my favorite Bible teachers often says, “Studying the Bible ruined all my best sermons.”

My venture into the study of the Bible didn’t just ruin all my best lessons (I can’t say sermons because I’m not a pastor…); it ruined me. It ruined me for all the shallow, sugar-coated and saccharine-induced messages and lessons pouring out of pulpits and displayed on retailer bookshelves. One taste of the real thing, and I simply couldn’t go back.

More than this, it fueled in me a desire to share the wonder of the Word of God in its original context. The only thing I love more than learning it is sharing it. My absolute greatest joy in the whole world is seeing that spark burst into flames in others as they encounter the realness of the Word.  

Perhaps you are on this same journey: looking to discover (or rediscover) the beauty of the Bible in its original context. And desiring to know and understand this wondrous story.

If so, I welcome you! And I invite you to join me on the wondrous journey of discovery.