By Michelle Ruschman
In a culture that often calls masculinity toxic, Mike Sanders, author of Seek. Adapt. Endure: Following the Way of the Authentic Man, has found a way for men to reclaim and discover the best parts of what they were created to be. He is doing that with a growing group called Junto Tribe. Although Junto Tribe is described as “a non-profit ministry dedicated to helping men realize their full potential in Christ,” Mike is quick to point out that this group is not just for Christian men. “Ben Franklin’s one of my heroes and he created a club when he was 19 years old called Junto. The goal was for men of action to gather, share their knowledge and experience and, in doing so, elevate the community. In Junto, there was an expectation that members be involved in the process, and we want thinking men. This isn’t just a group for you to come and listen to somebody else speak and talk about Jesus. I want to challenge men who will be part of the conversation whether they’re men who want clarification about their identity in Christ, or who have questions about what Christianity is all about.
We call ourselves a tribe, because we’re all one tribe. We have one creator. We have one God, and he’s our head. The idea of the Junto Tribe is we’re all included in that tribe, and everybody’s welcome.”
What makes Mike’s background so perfectly suited to this ministry is his exposure to many areas of what would be considered traditional masculinity. When he was getting ready to go to college, he thought he’d go into pre-med or sports medicine. But, his love for exercise would take him in a different direction. “I heard about becoming a strength and conditioning coach, where I could become an expert in kinesiology, physiology and anatomy in the preparation of athletes, where they could train to become stronger, bigger and faster. This gives them more endurance so they can go on the football field, the hockey rink, whatever it is, and win championships. That’s what I wanted to do, straight through to my master’s degree. I am ridiculously curious and fascinated about what we are capable of doing as humans.”
It was this curiosity that led to working with college athletics and helping the University of Denver’s hockey team win back-to-back championships in 2004 and 2005. But just as Mike was being considered as a strength coach for the National Hockey League, he didn’t feel the Lord calling him in that direction, so he declined. It was shortly after Mike learned the military wanted to take the concept of training athletes and apply it to the Special Operations community. In that moment, he knew this was his next chapter, and became one of the first civilians hired to train our military elite.
Even with his extensive track record of success, however, Mike’s start didn’t reflect the feeling of being worthy of that success. “I grew up believing I wasn’t smart enough or athletic enough and I had a lot of health problems. It kept me from being active so I wasn’t supposed to make it in life. I was going to be a statistic that was pushed off in the corner.”
What Mike knew, though, was that he wanted to help people. Junto Tribe was born when Mike was at his lowest point and sought answers for himself.
In 2011, Mike experienced a devastating loss when many of the special ops men he had worked with, lost their lives during an historical mission. “I started thinking about the kids that would grow up without dads. At that moment, I just hit the ground. I remember asking myself, ‘Did you do everything you could for them?’ I remember thinking yes, I did. I prepared them the best I possibly could to help them go in and physically outwork and outlast the enemy. I remember then asking, ‘Did you do everything you could for them mentally and spiritually?’ I didn’t think I had.”
It was at that moment, when Mike was trying to understand himself and what more he could do, the roots of Seek. Adapt. Endure. began to take shape. The book would eventually become the curriculum for Junto Tribe.
Many original members have now become leaders of their own groups, meeting at their individually designated times during the school year. Using Mike’s book, they discuss what it means to be the men God created them to be—Disciple, Servant, Warrior, Scholar, Explorer, Craftsman and Leader. There is even a group just for juniors and seniors where the young men are mentored through the same curriculum. Members also participate in activities that help them live out examples of what these aspects entail. During the Servant chapter, for example, the Junto Tribe comes together to work on projects for the community. The Explorer training has included a camping trip and the Warrior spirit was explored on the shooting range and through a game of paintball.
Current lessons finish in May, but Mike says it’s never too late to discover what Junto Tribe is about. To find a group, you can email juntotribe@gmail.com. You can also join Junto Tribe at their first Men’s Encounter on March 8-10th at Real Life in Marianna, FL. Additional information about this event and registration can be found at juntotribe.mykajabi.com.
In all that Junto Tribe does, it is executed with the spirit of collaboration, fun, camaraderie, faith, unity, elevation and freedom. As a result, these men are better equipped for their families, work and areas of service. If you are a man who has been looking for a tribe, Junto is ready to receive you.
