In Light of the Gospel with Dan Blatz

One of the most beautiful truths in the Bible is that Jesus is ONE OF US! We have a man that has overcome, a MAN that represents us before the Father, the overcoming MAN Christ Jesus!

I've been doing a 5 minute a day bible study through the book of Hebrews on my Whatsapp group. This is the first few recordings through chapter 1. I hope it's as much of a blessing to you as it is to me!

In this episode, I sit down with Peter Thiessen from Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico—a pioneer in the real estate industry among the Mennonite colonies. Peter shares the story of his childhood, shaped by a hardworking entrepreneurial father and a loving, supportive mother. At the age of 15, he came to faith in Christ, a decision that would become foundational in his life. We talk about the ups and d...

From Old Order Mennonite to Freedom in Christ | Melvin Martin's StoryMelvin Martin grew up in an Old Order Mennonite community in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, living the horse-and-buggy lifestyle. Though raised in a religious environment, he never truly understood the meaning of Christ’s work on the cross—until he reached a breaking point at the age of 33. That’s when everything changed. In this episo...

Pedro Neufeld, pastor at Lighthouse Gospel Church in Milverton, shares his powerful testimony of redemption. Born and raised in Zacatecas, Mexico, Pedro moved to Canada as a young man and was led to Christ at age 18 by a Plautdietsche pastor named Peter Wiebe. Though he experienced an initial transformation, he later fell back into sin, spending years as a prodigal. Even as he married and started...

In this episode, I sit down with Rene Friesen, a successful businessman from Cuauhtémoc, Mexico. Raised in poverty, Rene once believed financial success was the ultimate goal. But over the years, he discovered that true success isn’t measured by wealth—it’s defined by the willingness to endure pain and stay faithful to God’s calling. Rene shares his journey of coming to faith in Christ and then bu...

In this episode, I talk with Isaac Dyck from Durango, Mexico, about the growing need for Low German literature among the Plautdietsche Mennonite people. No Greater Joy’s comic book Good and Evil has recently been translated into Low German, called Goot and Bees. We discuss the challenges and importance of making gospel-centered resources accessible in our mother tongue, as well as the process of t...

Children are natural hypocrisy hunters—they see through pretense and recognize what is real. The Bible warns strongly against hypocrisy because it is fake, and nothing damages a child's faith more than seeing their parents say one thing but live another. In this final part of the Biblical Child Training series, I challenge parents, especially fathers, to lead by example. Your children will lea...

In this special episode of In Light of the Gospel, I sit down with John Loewen from Cuauhtémoc, Mexico. John is a pastor at Steinreich Mennoniten Gemeinde. He passionately shares the gospel in the Plautdietsch and Spanish. This entire conversation is in Plautdietsch, so my apologies to those who may not understand—but for our Low German-speaking audience, this is one you won’t want to miss! John h...

The Bible commands fathers to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord , and children are instructed to obey their parents in the Lord —a commandment that comes with the promise of a long life. In this video, I discuss the second essential thing every child needs: structure and discipline . Without clear boundaries and loving correction, children grow up feeling lost and u...

The foundation of biblical child training is a battle for the heart of your child. Before discipline, instruction, or correction, they need to know they are unconditionally loved and secure in your care. This begins even before birth—within the womb—where a child first experiences the safety and warmth of a loving home. One of the greatest ways to cultivate this security is by prioritizing your ma...

In this episode I talk with Jake Hildebrandt, who has an incredible story of transformation. Jake grew up in Durango, Mexico, where he was often picked on and left out, which led him down a path of anger and sin. Over time, this opened the door to severe spiritual attacks and even possession. For years, he lived under heavy oppression, much of it caused by his own choices and actions. But two year...

In this episode I talk with George Klassen, a song leader and guitar player at Liberty Bible Church in Taber, Alberta. George shares his journey from a stable Old Colony Mennonite upbringing, through a rebellious season of drug use and partying in his teenage years, to finding freedom and deliverance in Christ. His story highlights the transformative power of God’s grace to lead him and his wife J...

In our third conversation together, John Fehr shares his incredible journey of transformation after being set free from meth addiction through simple faith in Christ. At his lowest point, when his life was unraveling, he found hope and restoration in a rehab (Joshua House) center in British Columbia. Since then, John has repaired broken relationships with his wife and children, launched a business...

In this episode, I sit down with JP (John Peters) to hear his story of faith and personal growth. JP grew up in Chihuahua, Mexico, and moved to Canada at the age of 11 without knowing any English. Being shy made it even harder for him to make friends, and he didn’t really connect with others until much later in his teen years. We also talk about how JP got married in his early twenties through cou...

In this conversation, Jonathan Bradford shared his inspiring journey and dedication to memorizing the entire New Testament! Over the last few years, he has developed a unique memorization technique, refined through both personal trial and error and extensive study. His approach combines practical strategies with a deep, spiritual commitment, making Scripture memorization accessible and meaningful....

Jake and I had a great chat about his story. As a kid, he moved from Mexico to Canada, speaking only Low German, and the transition was tough. He struggled to learn English and got bullied, which made reading and writing even more difficult. After he was born again, he had an unquenchable hunger to read—he couldn't get enough of it! And now, here he is, pastoring a young church plant in Niagara. Y...

In this episode, I sit down with Johnny Dyck to explore his journey from strict religious rule-following to a life transformed by faith in Christ alone. Raised in a conservative Mennonite community, Johnny was taught to conform to a set of church rules—rules that everyone understood were extra-biblical. But as he wrestled with the weight of these expectations, the concept of forgiveness and grace...

In today's episode, I have a conversation with Koby Wiebe from Arbourg, Manitoba. Koby serves as a missions pastor at his local church and plays a role in The Men's Encounter ministry, which focuses on spiritual retreats to help men find freedom in Christ. Fresh off an Encounter in Ontario, he's now heading to Paraguay for another impactful event. We also explore his work with 1 Gloowen, a unique...

John has quite a story for us—one that some believe is merely a figment of his imagination. To me, however, it speaks to the reality of the unseen world. There are principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places, all seeking access to you and your family. John experienced this in a very real way, and it compelled him to dedicate his life to service and ministry....

I recently used the word legalistic to describe a period of my Christian walk. I think I was being accurate, but I was also not clear and made some people feel like I was condemning them for their obedience. I am sorry for that and I'll try to clarify. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments!

Michael and I go way back—about 18 years. We worked together for a time, back when I was in a more legalistic phase in my Christian walk, very plain and conservative. Meanwhile, Michael was attending a Charismatic/Pentecostal church but was diving into Catholic writers and thought. For several years, we didn’t really stay in touch, but when we reconnected, it was refreshing to see that we had both...

George was born and raised in Chihuahua Mexico like many of our type of Mennonites. His father passed away when he was only 13 years old! Being without a father during some of his more formative years led George down a pretty dark road. It's a joy to hear how George found hope, acceptance and joy after coming to Christ for salvation!

Sorry about the echo! (I'll get better) Neil is my older brother by 3 years and we've always been fairly close, but never as much so as since we became brothers in Christ! Our views align quite well on so many things, and yet we can have some good conversations on the things that we don't agree on. Neil's description of his son, Landon's, conversion is a highlight for me in thi...

I just met Dave, in fact we started talking with the camera on! It was very brave of him to be willing to share such a vulnerable and encouraging testimony! Talking with him reminded me of the excitement and joy of first discovering the beauty of the cross!