It seems a steady stream of students continually file in and out of Rich Bruce’s office. Whether you have questions about class, need help working through something you are struggling with, or just want to chat about life, Rich is your guy. Compassionate and relatable, Rich is always willing to impart wisdom into the lives of his students, as well as point them back to who they are in Christ. He teaches several heavy and sobering, yet vitally important classes. His courses on Old Testament History and Hamartiology call us to grapple with sin, the flesh, and the dark capabilities of mankind, while his teaching on Ruth, Ecclesiastes, Pastoral Epistles, 2 Corinthians, and others remind us of our true identity as God’s people.
Where are you from originally? Vandercook Lake, MI
When did you join the Jackson team? Fall of 2006
What is your favorite thing about serving at New Tribes Bible Institute? Watching students connect biblical truth to life’s realities. Students get here and their kinda like forcing smiles because of lies they are believing. As they start to connect the truth to their lives their smiles become genuine.
What is something the student body might not know about you? I have chickens at my house. We throw them garbage, they eat, then they make eggs.
At what point in your life were you convinced to become involved with missions? When my dad sold our house and went to Bible school. I was 18. I came here with him and our family and I was going to a different college. I saw how excited the students here were about tribal missions, and I was like, “ok that’s cool I wanna do that too”. And then I came here and I realized that’s just who we are. It doesn’t matter where we are, evangelization and discipleship is who we are.
What’s your favorite place to eat in Jackson? Virginia Coney Island-we went there all growing up, so it’s nostalgic for me.
What pastimes do you enjoy? Deer hunting
Do you have a “hero of the faith” that you admire, and if so, what about them is inspiring? My dad. He trusted God when there was no reason to. He quit his job, sold his house, and came to Bible School. That must have taken a lot, to have lived your life, and then just throw it all away.
Who is your favorite author or musician? C.S. Lewis is probably my favorite author. A guy named Keith Green is my favorite musician – old school.
Where is your favorite place to spend time? The woods
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