What happens when you grow up in a closed, communal community, speaking your own language, wearing homemade clothes, owning nothing, and needing permission just to leave for a dentist appointment? This week, Jinger and Jeremy sit down with their friend Michael Wurtz, who was raised inside a Hutterite colony in South Dakota and made a daring midnight escape at just 18 years old. Michael opens up about life inside one of America's most secretive communities, from colony politics and strict dress codes to shared bank accounts, no back pockets, and a world almost entirely cut off from the outside. He traces the Hutterites' fascinating roots in the Anabaptist Reformation, their migration through Ukraine and Ellis Island, and how a community built on Scripture slowly drifted from the gospel into control and conformity. But this isn't just a story of escape, it's a story of answered prayer, God's providence, and life on the other side of freedom. Michael shares the prayer he prayed three days before his brother-in-law called, the flashlight signal in the field at 11pm, and what it looked like to walk away from everything he'd ever known with just $20 in his front pocket. Today, Michael is a seminary graduate serving at his local church, a husband, and a father of two little girls and he calls himself the richest man alive. 00:00:47 - Introduction 00:02:35 - Michael's Background 00:08:16 - Hutterite Community Structure 00:14:01 - Understanding the Hutterite Language 00:16:04 - Education and Schooling in the Hutterite Community 00:17:30 - Music and Secrecy in the Hutterite Community 00:24:45 - Hutterite Community Politics 00:25:07 - Personal Experiences in the Hutterite Community 00:26:44 - Subculture and Side Hustles in the Hutterite Community 00:31:59 - Identity and Beliefs in the Hutterite Community 00:32:28 - Questioning the Hutterite Community 00:33:11 - Views on Non-Hutterites and Apostates 00:36:41 - Hutterite Community as a Cult 00:37:42 - Escaping the Hutterite Community 00:39:26 - Introduction to the Gospel 00:43:38 - Becoming a Believer and the Role of Radio 00:46:18 - Leaving the Hutterite Community 00:47:23 - Religious Pressure and Suppression in the Hutterite Community 00:49:31 - The Hidden Reality of Sin in the Hutterite Community 00:50:54 - Understanding the Gospel Outside the Hutterite Community 00:51:45 - Planning the Escape from the Hutterite Community 00:51:48 - The Night of the Escape 00:57:33 - Life After Leaving the Hutterite Community OUR INCREDIBLE SPONSORS: PONCHO: This season, skip the guesswork and give him something he’ll actually wear. Whether it’s for your husband, dad, or son — Poncho makes clothes built for the men who do it all. Go to https://www.ponchooutdoors.com/SHOWCODE and enter your email for $10 off your first order. CURE HYDRATION: For our listeners, Cure is offering 20% off your first order! Stay hydrated and feel your best by visiting http://curehydration.com/jinger and using promo code JINGER at checkout. That’s http://curehydration.com/jinger—and use code JINGER for 20% off your first order! MOMENTUM SHAKE: Fuel your body with clean, powerful nutrition. Momentum Shake is a daily all-in-one supplement packed with protein, collagen, omega-3s, and more. It’s simple, effective, and actually tastes good. Visit https://momentumshake.com/JINGER to get started and receive a free $70 value welcome kit & travel collection with your order today. POCKET HOSE: Upgrade your outdoor setup with the Pocket Hose, the world’s #1 expanding garden hose. It’s lightweight, durable, and expands as you use it, then shrinks back down for easy storage. Text JJ to 64000 for a free pocket pivot and a 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of any size copper head hose. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
