The Klostermeier Effect: Church Without Walls (part 2)

There was a dark time in our lives when we saw the light of Christ in a very unexpected way. We were in inner city Toledo, living in and rehabbing a 5000 square foot duplex that had been vacant for five years. Drug dealers, prostitutes, and drive by shootings were part of our lives. Our income was much the same as our poverty stricken neighbors.

During this same time, we were involved in a church that proved to be as dangerous as our neighborhood. In the midst of some overwhelming family difficulties, it was clear that those with our type of wounds were not welcome. Indeed, our continued presence was no longer requested or desired. I lost my taste for church, but my wife wanted very much to get reconnected immediately. She found a listing in the Yellow Pages that looked inviting to her, and we went to The Church of the Cross.

It was immediately clear that this was the right place for us. The people loved us, and helped us start the healing process. We became part of a small group that helped and encouraged one another in following Christ in the real world.

Meanwhile, back at the duplex....The local drug dealer, who was a 60 year old grandfather, had told me, "You know houses can burn, don't you?" after I had asked the city to tow away the junk car parked on the street. Little did I know that he was storing their drugs in the car. Later, after they threatened to beat up a friend of mine unless we gave them money, we knew it was time to leave. We decided on that Saturday night at 11 pm that we had to move immediately.

The next morning at church, during the prayer request time, I privately told the pastor of our needs. He asked if he could share it with the congregation. As he did, a middle-aged couple listened with compassion. Individually, they each had conviction that they should make a house that they had recently inherited available to us without any rent until we could get back on our feet. Tom came to me afterwards, introduced himself and made their incredible offer. We moved two days later with the help of our small group.

Some time later, I had opportunity to speak to Tom and ask him about his motivation. He shared with me that a few years previously, he had gone through a business failure and bankruptcy. But as God met him in his need, he had been overtaken by compassion for others. He and his wife gave to us in our need because God had given to him in their need.

God changed me through Tom Klostermeier. Ever since that time, I have called that process the Klostermeier Effect. Giving of self and possessions extravagantly because you are needy yourself changes others and they in turn pass it on. It helps build a community of people not divided by the need; a church without walls.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.