Why We're Moving the Workshop (and Unlocking the Archive)

If you're here, it probably means you're curious. Or hungry.

Or quietly desperate for something real. Same here.

So why move the workshop?

Because Substack wasn't built for formation.

Now don’t get me wrong — I’ve enjoyed the past 2½ years here.

And yes, I love the community of supportive writers and creatives. (Though there’s a few too many “How to get rich on Substack” growth-hack-secret-recipe posts.)

What we’re building?

It’s more than content. More than stories. More than a newsletter. And it’s definitely not about getting rich and famous.

Well — not rich and famous in the way the world celebrates it.

We’re building a workshop for the misfit, the broken, the lost, and the seeking.

Here, we're not offering shortcuts or self-help hacks. And definitely not a get-rich-quick scam (sorry, scheme).

We’re building something slow, deep, and real. Something that walks with Jesus first — and invites you to come along.

Patreon gives us more space for that:

• Private and public layers — for those still watching from the shadows, and those ready to show up.
• Tiers of apprenticeship — because formation takes time and steps.
• A long table where we can build, share, and grow together without algorithms or noise.

What happens now?

• The entire archive is now free here on Substack.
• You can read The Insiders, Difference Makers Stories, MAD Habits, Sparks — whatever you need, whenever you need.
• But the main workshop — the community, the new MAD Habits, the raw Black Sheep Stories, the deeper formation — that’s now inside Patreon.

👉 Step Into the Workshop

Who is this for?

If you've got it all together, this probably isn’t your place. Come back when you’re broken. Or ready to admit that you are.

Because this space is for the ones who:

• Are tired of the hype and want something holy
• Know there are lies in their story but want help to see them
• Want to be made new, not just made better

You don’t have to be a “super Christian.” And you can leave “Religion” in that stiff-backed pew. You just have to be curious, humble, and hungry.

What’s Next?

We’ve launched a limited Founding Apprentice tier.

It’s just $3 SGD/month — for life — but only if you qualify.

(Yes, that’s SGD — about $2.33 of your weakening USD currently. And yes, I know it’s cheap — because the real cost isn’t money. It’s way more precious than that.)

And not everyone’s ready. Or ready to pay the real price.

That’s OK. If you are:

👉 Take the Founding Apprentice Check

And if you're not? Stay here.

Read. Watch. Pray. Heal.

We’ll still be telling stories.

But if you’re ready to build something with us — we’d love to have you. If you are: 👉 Take the Founding Apprentice Check

With grace and grit,

John Michael

The Mad Engineer

"Come to me, all who are weary and burdened..."

— Jesus