A nightclub encounter that changed everything
Before Substance Church existed, Peter Haas was working behind the decks as an electronic dance music DJ in a nightclub — not exactly the typical resume of a future megachurch pastor.
The Challenge
While working a club gig, Peter says he issued a direct challenge to God to prove himself in an undeniable way — and describes getting an answer almost immediately, in a moment he calls a full Gospel encounter that reshaped the direction of his life.
The Turn
That nightclub experience pulled him straight into ministry. He spent about a decade pastoring in Wisconsin before relocating to Minneapolis in 2004 to start something new: an arts-driven, culturally fluent church built for people who'd never normally set foot in one.
The Twist Nobody Expects
Unlike a lot of conversion stories where the old life gets left behind entirely, Peter never put down the turntables. He still writes, produces, and tours as a DJ — just for a different purpose now.