Improv as a Way of Life

Posted by on
IMPROV IS CREATIVITY ENERGIZED BY CONSTRAINT
 
By Paul Richardson
 
Winston Churchill was chided for ending a sentence with a preposition. His answer? “That is the sort of arrant pedantry up with which I will not put.” Oh my goodness! Now there’s a brain that moves like a Ferrari from 0-60 in 1.2 seconds. How on earth could he think of a comeback that sharp, that fast? My own brain accelerates at the speed of a clunky old VW bug. I can sometimes think of witty things to say … about 3 hours after I actually needed them. 
 
This is why the word improvisation terrifies me. I’m the guy who freezes up at the wedding reception when the MC comes in my direction with a microphone. I want to melt into my chair or run for the restroom. My brain locks down. Any trace of a witty or wise comment looks for the first exit out of my head. I mumble something entirely forgettable. Later I feel so embarrassed. Why did I say that? I detest psychological experiments that require me to say the first word that races into my head. I won’t get anywhere near those things.
 
This is why I am inspired by the improv artists. I’m not so much talking about the people doing comedy on stage. For me, the improv artist is the person who lives life itself at the forward edge of creativity. To understand improv, let’s get a few common misunderstands out of the way.   Improv is not “winging it.” It has nothing to do with a lack of preparation, quickly throwing a presentation together on the fly, sliding into a staff meeting 10 minutes late while straightening one’s tie, or applying makeup in the rear view mirror while racing down the highway. In fact, lack of preparation is one of the greatest impediments to improvisational freedom.  
 
At the heart of improv is the word “improve.” Every day we are faced with unexpected challenges. It’s normal for these moments to feel overwhelming. The improv artist is determined to figure out how to find the raw potential in the challenge so as to improve the situation, making it even better than before. Where someone else might throw up their hands and say, “I quit!” the improv artist advances into the challenge in search of a solution that most certainly awaits him.
 
Margaret A. Boden, an expert on creativity, wrote that “… constraints – far from being opposed to creativity – make creativity possible. To throw away all constraints would be to destroy the capacity for creative thinking.” Taking this concept to its natural conclusion, then, we find that the greater the restraint, the greater the potential for creativity. Improv is creativity that rises in quality during unexpected moments of resistance, confusion or confrontation. Improv is a creative act when the pressure is on, or there's an unplanned twist in a tight schedule, or a hurtful comment by a co-worker.  
 
Imagine a soccer player who stops on a dime, fakes right, spins around his opponent, then bends a magnificent shot into the corner of the net. Without the opponent on the field, there is no improv. When Magic Johnson used to glide down the court with a basketball, no one in the world had any idea what he was about to do.  Whatever he did usually amazed everyone watching, including his teammates, and his creativity almost always generated baskets. Yet as great as he was, we wouldn't say Magic was improvising unless some other team (preferably the Boston Celtics) was trying with all their strength and ingenuity to shut him down.
 
Improv is best understood in contrast to static creativity. Static creativity is without constraints. It is seen when a player kicks 100 soccer balls into an empty net. For me to sit down and write an article for FaithActivators.com with a freshly brewed cup of coffee on a quiet Saturday morning is most definitely a creative experience; but unfortunately its only introductory level creativity. If, later in the day, I were to stand before a skeptical audience and masterfully articulate my ideas in response to belligerent questions being flung into my face, that would require lifting my expressions to the improvisational level. Static creativity is hitting a bucket of golf balls on a driving range. Improv is sinking a 15 foot putt against a brisk wind on the final hole in overtime at the U.S. Open in front of a large crowd. 
 
Static creativity is a Sunday School lesson affirming that we should forgive others. Improv is responding graciously when the neighbor’s baseball shatters the kitchen window. Static creativity is worshipping God in a carpeted and air conditioned sanctuary of a church.  Improv is Paul and Silas worshipping God after being stripped, severely flogged and shoved onto the hard, cold floor of a dimly lit jail cell.
 
The beauty of improv is that it makes the most of the circumstances we find ourselves in. Right here. Today. The improv artist sees a challenge like a kite sees wind. He considers life with all its turbulence and says, “I’ll take whatever life throws in my face, and I’ll use it to elevate my art form, creating something out of whatever comes my way.” 
 
How about you? Can you think of any challenges you are facing right now that could use a little bit of improv?

 

EQ for Spiritual Leaders: Introduction

Posted by on

Daniel Goleman brought the concept of “Emotional Intelligence” (EQ) to the masses with his groundbreaking book in 2006 with the same title. His research found that the “soft skills” of emotional intelligence are twice as important as cognitive intelligence and technical skills for long term success. In this podcast series, Paul Richardson, author of A Certain Risk, and Mike O’Quin, author of Growing Desperate, talk about the crucial importance for spiritual leaders to develop their own EQ for the health and effectiveness of their teams.  In subsequent podcasts they will unpack all five of Goleman’s EQ categories.

Click below to listen to the first podcast in this series or search for “Faith Activators” on the iTunes store to subscribe.

EQ for Spiritual Leaders (Part One)

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Loved Beyond Measure

Posted by on

I opened up a note from Ben, a close friend of mine, who lives in West Africa. His words and reflections from Brennan Manning inspired me so deeply, and spoke so profoundly into this moment of my life. I want to pass this treasure on "into" to you as we all prepare our hearts for Good Friday and Easter.

 

Good Afternoon Paul !

 

As I am reading a book called “The Signature of Jesus” by Brennan Manning, these words I see on the page and I am thinking of how you and I seek to lead others to discover who they have been created to become –

“Good Friday reminds us that we are not going to be helped by power, only by God’s laying aside His power for love of us. Power forces us to change; only love can move us to change. Power affects behavior; love affects the heart. And nothing on earth so moves the heart as suffering love. That is why the perfect expression of God’s love for us is the dying figure of Jesus pleading for someone to moisten his burning lips.”

To go further in his writing – he says, “In the winter of 1968, I lived in a cave in the mountains of the Zaragosa Desert in Spain. For seven months I saw no one, never heard the sound of a human voice. Hewn out of the face of the mountain, the cave towered six thousand feet above sea level. Each Sunday morning a brother from the village of Farlete below dropped off food, drinking water, and kerosene at a designated spot. Within the cave a stone partition divided the chapel on the right from the living quarters on the left. A stone slab covered with potato sacks served as a bed. The other furniture was a rugged granite desk, a wooden chair, a Sterno stove, and a kerosene lamp. On the wall of the chapel hung a three-foot crucifix. I awoke each morning at 2:00 and went into the chapel for an hour of nocturnal adoration.

On the night of December 13, during what began as a long and lonely hour of prayer, I heard in faith Jesus Christ say, “For love of you I left my Father’s side. I came to you who ran from me, fled me, who did not want to hear my name. For love of you I was covered with spit, punched, beaten, and affixed to the wood of the cross.”

These words are burned on my life. Whether I am in a state of grace or disgrace, elation or depression, that night of fire quietly burns on. I looked at the crucifix for a long time, figuratively saw the blood streaming from every pore of his body, and heard the cry of his wounds: “This isn’t a joke. It is not a laughing matter to me that I have loved you.” The longer I looked, the more I realized that no man has ever loved me and no one ever could love me as he did. I went out of the cave, stood on the precipice, and shouted into the darkness, “Jesus, are you crazy? Are you out of your mind to have loved me so much?”

I learned that night what a wise old man had told me years earlier: “Only the one who has experienced it can know what the love of Jesus Christ is. Once you have experienced it, nothing else in the world will seem more beautiful or desirable.”

Bro, you are loved without condition! Cyndi, Katie, Josiah and Stephen are loved just like you are loved! If things seem to be more than is bearable today, embrace the simple fact that Jesus lived and died and lived again so that what you possess is forever with Him!

Today matters – Live it knowing that Jesus belongs to you!

Your brother forever!

Ben

Searching for God

Posted by on
Are You Looking in the Wrong Direction?
 
Arif’s muscles strained as he worked to control his tiny watercraft. Having paddled out from the beach at sunrise with no intention to go beyond the safety of his village’s harbor, Arif wanted to dive for lobsters, fill his basket, and be home within a few hours so his mother could fix breakfast.
But now, sudden and unexpected gusts of wind tugged at him, pulling him further from the safety of the shore. He would be powerless, having no control where the mighty Pacific currents would take him.
A chill crept up Arif’s spine. A storm of this level of ferocity could easily end his life. If he did not act decisively, he would be swept by the gusts, out from the protection of the peninsula and into deep, dark waters. Arif imagined being lost at sea or stranded on some distant island a thousand miles from home.
All could be lost.
Heavy, low hanging clouds rolled in from the sea, darkening the morning sky, which was usually clear and breezy at this hour. Lightening flashed across the horizon. Clouds grumbled and roared. Waves swirled, buffeted and spun the boat.
Arif knew the harbor well and he had an anchor. He hoisted it up and dropped it over the edge into the choppy sea. Within seconds, it scraped across the harbor floor and caught fast onto something strong. He was in luck. Arif trusted his anchor, knowing he had found a firm grip under a large rock.
The anchor held fast, and later that afternoon Arif was able to ride out the storm and return home, a little bruised and battered, but safe.
Now, my friends, I have a question. The way you answer this question could very well determine your destiny.
What in this story best represents God? Is God the anchor? Is He the rock? Is God the harbor?
Or perhaps, could God be the storm? If so, then what is the harbor? What is the anchor?

The Decision

Posted by on
How We See Changes Everything
 
By Faith Wilson, Guest Contributor
 
I glanced over at the student sitting next to me. Drawing with ease, a perfectly beautiful image was emerging onto her sketch pad. She hummed contentedly as her skilled hand began to deftly shade in her masterpiece. I looked at my own sketch pad. It stared back. My eyes struggled to stay open as the paper taunted me. Its emptiness was getting so irritating. I’d never been able to draw, and the drudgery of this class had drained every ounce of my creative energy.
 
Knowing I couldn’t put this off any longer, I chose a pencil and slowly lowered its tip to the white surface. After 15 minutes my paper was merely covered in eraser smudges and smears of graphite from my hands. This felt so hopeless. Thoughts of failure began to suffocate me. How am I going to endure two and a half more hours of this? And I have to come back on Thursday? I should just drop this class. I’m not built for this. I’d rather be riding my longboard through campus or hiking in the foothills.
 
My personality is well suited for adventure. I like to keep my life fast-paced and interesting. Dabbling in something new until I get bored or realize I’m not very good at it, I tend to quickly move on and try something else. But here I sat, trapped in the misery of Drawing I. Six hours a week for 13 weeks, and there was no escape! Each morning I dragged myself out of bed, stared at the ugly mess on my paper, and counted the minutes until it was over.
 
One morning, I couldn’t take it any more. After torturous hours of working at a simple drawing, it was still hardly recognizable. I went out for an Americano to try to escape the fatigue in my spirit. Then, a miracle happened. As I sipped my coffee, a whisper of Truth spoke softly in my ear. Faith, why are you miserable? This class is overwhelming you because you have surrendered. The choice is before you. You can walk back into that studio, seeing it as place filled with opportunities to grow stronger.
 
This radical perspective washed over me. With new resolve I walked back to class, determined to grab hold of my circumstances and learn everything I could from them. I plopped into my seat and stared with new determination at my drawing. I’m here. I can’t go anywhere. I may as well get comfy and make the most of it. After a few minutes, the perils of my failure had turned to joy. I found excitement in the struggle. As I drew, a Coldplay album filled the room with music. I felt inspired. I found myself singing harmony with Chris Martin as I sharpened my pencil and continued on.
 
A few weeks later I realized something. I was actually getting better. My drawings were improving. My new attitude was paying off. I looked down at my paper, and my drawing smiled back at me. I was in shock at what I had accomplished. The struggle had forged a piece of beauty. In that drawing class I learned more than how to draw. I had stumbled upon a priceless lesson that would begin to open my eyes to the unlimited number of opportunities and choices in front of me each day.
 
Every now and then, a Coldplay song will play on my iPod and I find myself reminiscing about the days in my Drawing I class, when I learned how to stop, rethink my situation, allow the opportunity of the moment to fill my soul with hope, leap into the fray of battle, and persevere.
 
“And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”
 
Ahead of us awaits a lifetime of insurmountable challenges. Will you dare to see them through a new lens? Can these challenges become your beautiful white canvases, flooded with opportunities, awaiting your creativity and perseverance?
 
 
 
Here is one of my sketches from Drawing I. Through what lenses do your see your circumstances?

Its Rare. Its Beautiful. Its the Secret to Living a Brilliant Life

Posted by on
I’ve heard the word a thousand times in a thousand different contexts. It takes many different meanings and nuances. Certain furniture is said to have it. Schools claim to teach it. We hear people lament that they can't find it any more.
 
Character.
 
What is character and why is it so essential in our quest to raise up a generation of world changers? Character is WISDOM empowered by WILL. Character is the awareness of what is right and best, combined with the determination and perseverance to complete what is right and best, regardless of the pain, suffering and danger that may be experienced through the process.
 
I'm a fairly big fella, especially when compared to most of my friends here in Southeast Asia. But in my late 30’s, I grew to become much heavier than I have any business being. I spent a lot of time sitting, writing and studying while simultaneously snacking and drinking coffee and soda. Although I enjoyed watching other men play sports on television, I rarely went outside to run or play anything. One day I looked in the mirror and realized what I had become: a size XXL who was meant to be an L and probably couldn’t jog around the block without being in danger of suffering a heart attack.
 
At that point in my life, I understood why I had grown fat, and I understood how to get fit. My brain contained enough knowledge of calories, nutrition, diet and exercise. The question I faced was whether I could activate what I knew, and make it real. When I climbed on a bike and faced a mountain, my will was tested and my character was forged over the anvil of sweat and pain. My ability to transform knowledge into action and persevere until I had achieved the intended outcome was a daily battle. Over time I was able to drop about 50 pounds and keep most of it off. That was tough, but to be honest that's kindergarten level character development.
 
God’s Word is filled with stories of men and women who combined wisdom and will power. Joseph not only knew about what was morally right, he ran away from temptation. Daniel not only talked about prayer, he prayed though it cost him a night alone with roaring lions. David did more than talk about God’s name. He ran forward toward a terrifying warrior-giant to honor the name of his God. When James wrote “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead,” (James 2:26) he was articulating the essence of character. James used the word spirit to signify the vital principle by which our lives are animated, the rare internal power to rise up off the sofa, go outside to face the world and grapple with challenges. James was the little brother of Jesus. For me this makes his perspective tantalizing. James grew up watching his big bro not only give advice but live a powerful and courageous life. James’ role model was a man of action. When I read through his words, it seems to me that James looked around and saw that knowledge is readily available. Everybody’s got an opinion. Yet the ability to activate our knowledge, transforming it into action in the face of hardship and mystery, is extremely rare.
 
In our Mustard Seed schools and other projects, we are determined to raise up a generation of youth who not only understand what it looks like to follow hard after God, but choose to make hard decisions. We dream of seeing leaders who not only know about the character of God, but who experience the power of God’s character. Most of our students were born in the midst of poverty. Nothing is handed to them. But through a Mustard Seed education, they inherit a priceless treasure. They grow to become courageous men and women who can live anywhere and face anything, and figure out how to rise up and overcome.
 
The quest for character is at the core of everything we are doing in our educational environments. When our teachers meet together every week to share their lesson plans, they excitedly exchange ideas of how to forge character into the ever expanding knowledge base of our students. Our reward is watching little boys and girls grow to become men and women who struggle fearlessly in the face of poverty, devastating circumstances, and a pittance of resources to not only survive, but to lead others to freedom along the way.
 
How about you? Are there any places in your life, your inner world, where wisdom has not been animated by will power?  Dare to take on the problem. Take a risk. Add will to your wisdom. Forge character into your being.

Never The Same: Celebrating 50 Years Since ‘The Peace Child’

Posted by on

I want to invite you to view a short film called Never The Same, which documents last summer’s return of my brothers, my dad and me to the Papuan jungle village where we lived so many years ago with our tribe. The film highlights the lasting influence and impact of the message of Jesus among a hostile ethnic group, celebrating 50 years since “The Peace Child.” The film can also be viewed on its Facebook page. Feel free to share this page as an encouragement to your friends and family. 

an INSPIRING GENERATION

Posted by on

An INSPIRING GENERATION

 

Thank you so much for your prayers fore me as I spoke at the World Mandate conference at Baylor University. I was in awe of the thousands of American college students who are outragiously passionate for God and the hundreds who stepped forward to commit themselves to advance his kingdom cross culturally. This generation inspires me to the core. Yes, there are those kids whose souls seem to have melted away into video games and other manifestations of their own made-up universes. But this generation has a powerful and explosive movement of kids who have rejected materialism and all the other empty promises of this world and have focused their eyes on Jesus and his kingdom alone.

 

Back in Indonesia, our Charis students held elections for leadership roles this week. The Charis vision statement is “Shaping Future Leaders.” A value for leadership is pervasive in the curriculum and ethos. So when there is an opportunity to rise up to a leadership challenge, a great majority of our students venture into the fray. The teachers then vote for a handful of students who can qualify for elections. This year, for this first time, the four finalists were all girls. Ive had three of them in my classes, and they are each already magificent leaders who have strong character and a bold love for Jesus. These girls are world changers. They make the 13 years that we have lived in Indonesia fully worth it. Young men and women like this are the future of the movement of Jesus in Indonesia. They are already beginning to reshape the ethos of the church.

 

Before giving their speeches, the candidates shared hugs and encouraging words for each other.

 

Election day is a pretty big deal. The entire student population enjoys and speeches and listens carefully to every word.

 

 

Veve’s campaign poster was clear, visually attractive and persuasive.

 

 

She is now our Student Body President.

Paul Andrew Richardson

Develop Leaders. Empower a Generation. Transform Nations.

Into the Flood (on dry land)

Posted by on

INTO THE Flood (on dry land)

“…and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest) that the waters which came down from upstream stood still, and rose in a heap very far away … (they) stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.” –From Joshua 3

I’m captivated by this story from Joshua 3. For me, there’s a vivid takeaway … God told the priests to step off dry land into the floodwaters before He did anything for them. His miracle would originate from far away and eventually catch up to them. This is a bit different from the crossing of the Red Sea, where God opened up the waters beforehand. The first miracle was designed to bring slaves to freedom. But this was a new generation, ready to take the next step of maturity, to engage in greater battles and mightier steps of faith. This time, God told them to go to a dangerous place and trust Him to show up.

NINE months ago, a group of us were at a New Year's party. Someone asked everyone in the group to share our hopes and dreams for 2012. My throat suddenly started to feel dry. Over the final weeks of 2011, God had been stirring in my heart to take a step of faith in a specific way. He wanted me to follow the path of risk, to step into the Jordan and trust him for the outcome.

Would I have the guts to verbalize the dream in front of this group?

A bit nervous, I started to explain to my friends, “The Teacher Training land has been sitting empty for a few years now. God provided the funds for us to have our dormitory and a few offices, and the program is finally up and running, but the biggest part of our vision is still a vacant lot. I know this dream came from God, and I want to start building our auditorium for our training conferences, the lab high school classrooms, and open an Early Childhood Center there. But I have no idea where the money will come from. I’ve decided to start building it, and we’ll keep building until God stops providing the funds.”

I knew our financial situation, and the decision was nuts. I was going on the hunch that God doesn’t like to start projects and leave them unfinished. A few days later I formed a committee to launch the project. Somehow, in ways that I still don’t understand, and perhaps never will be able to explain, through a combination of generous people here in Indonesia, unexpectedly low prices on some of our raw materials, and inexplicable miracles, the project has moved forward.

And forward … and forward.

Here is the new building (on left) at Back to School Night.

Now we are launching into the third floor, which will be an auditorium with a balcony. The auditorium will seat 350. That auditorium will be used for Re-Imagine Education conferences, held multiple times each year, where thousands of Indonesian teachers will be equipped and inspired. It will also be the site where countless numbers of children and youth hear God’s Word, and lift their voices in worship until Jesus returns.

At the moment of this writing, we’re still way short of the estimated funds to finish this building, but we’re just going to keep pressing forward until God runs out of money. And I’m just laughing as I write this. It’s been awhile since I stepped into the Jordan, getting my shoes wet and trusting God to get me across on dry land. The feeling is amazing. Life is so rich when we are walking God and trusting Him all the way. I’ve never jumped out of an airplane with a parachute, but it must feel something like this. It’s only fitting that in a few days we celebrate Miracle Day for the 13th year (August 12).

Will you celebrate with us? Yes, God is a God of miracles, and He loves to show up when his children rise up into audacious endeavors, where only God can bring us to the other side.

Amazing Unmerited Favor

Posted by on

The outlandishness of God’s grace is well described in an analogy I heard years ago which differentiates between justice, mercy and grace.

Justice is getting what you deserve.  A police officer pulls you over for speeding and gives you a ticket.
Mercy is not getting what you deserve.  A police officer pulls you over for speeding and gives you only a warning, no ticket.
Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.  A police officer pulls you over for speeding and gives you a $100 bill, then says have a nice day.
That’s outrageous!  But that’s exactly what God’s grace is.  He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, not even close, but instead lavishes His favor on us by the bucket load.
King David was overwhelmed with gratitude when God revealed to him that not only would his kingdom be secure but that it would be passed down to his descendants.   David’s response shows he doesn’t feel entitled to God’s generous favor:  “Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord GOD. Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord GOD!” (2 Samuel 7:18-21, NASB).
When Viktor Frankl and his fellow prisoners were released from a Nazi concentration camp in the last days of World War II, their responses ranged from elation, joy, disbelief, numbness to anger.  Frankl remembers one prisoner who was ready to exact revenge on his enemies:  “I can still see the prisoner who rolled up his shirt sleeves, thrust his right hand under my nose and shouted, ‘May this hand be cut off if I don’t stain it with blood on the day when I get home!’” [i] The man wanted to settle the score for all the abuses he had endured for years.  Understandable.
But Frankl’s response was different.  Somehow his overwhelming gratefulness to be free eclipsed all desire for revenge.  For years in the concentration camp the good doctor showed kindness to his fellow prisoners and treated their maladies with his limited resources.  That tender heart beats through a powerful book he wrote about his experiences entitled Man’s Search for Meaning.
My favorite story from the book gives an intimate glimpse into Frankl’s gratitude toward God upon being released: “One day, a few days after the liberation, I walked through the country past flowering meadows, for miles and miles, toward the market town near the camp. Larks rose to the sky and I could hear their joyous song. There was no one to be seen for miles around; there was nothing but the wide earth and sky and the space. I stopped, looked around, and up to the sky-and then I went down on my knees. At that moment there was very little I knew of myself or of the world-I had but one sentence in mind-always the same: ‘I called to the Lord from my narrow prison and He answered me in the freedom of space.’ How long I knelt there and repeated this sentence memory can no longer recall. But I know that on that day, in that hour, my new life started.” [ii]
I want to kneel with Frankl in that meadow and offer my thanks to the God of heaven for my release and freedom.  He delivered me from a narrow prison, too.  I never want to feel entitled to God’s offer of forgiveness through the death of his Son.  What a privilege to be the recipient of His mercy and the beneficiary of His favor!  I want to say humbly with David, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?”  That attitude of extreme gratefulness is where new life starts.
You know me and know what I deserve, O Lord, yet You have lavished on me Your outrageous, unmerited, generous, amazing grace.
No speeding ticket!  One hundred bucks!  Have a nice day.
— Mike O’Quin, author of Java Wake and Growing Desperate
[i] Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, 1992, Kindle Edition, Location 994
[ii] Ibid, Location 978