Shanice Brice English 1102- Assignment One

Rules and Conventions The figured world that I am observing is a religious organization called Unplugged. Unplugged is a 501 (c) 3 organization designed to help people unplug from societys influence and plug into Christ. A 501 3 organization is a non-profit organization. This organization is similar to others such as, Habitat for Humanity or other charity related organizations; however, Unplugged varies from those organizations due to the religious nature of outreach services we hold. The vision of this organization is to reach people, coach them through the transition from non-Godly sources of fulfillment and strength, into Christ as their one source and send them into the world to Reach and Coach. The approach we use at Unplugged Charlotte is to reach people through attractive, non-threating events such as concerts, social events, and thought provoking discussions that serve to enlighten people about the sources of which they are currently plugged into. Secondly, we approach our outreach by plugging people into discipleship resources that offer coaching to transition them from the non-Godly sources. Lastly, Unplugged facilitates the sending process of helping newly transformed believers plug into various community involvements using their strengths to help others move throughout the same transition. Crowds of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities attend Unplugged on a weekly basis. The rules and conventions for appropriate behavior are those which each individual respects the culture and thoughts of another. Although music, worship, and social discussions create the loud atmosphere expected, it is only sought out to be for the outreach of Gods children. Singing, dancing, and interaction with one another are to be expected; however, Unplugged seeks to provide an environment in which all can grow in their spiritual connection. There are various discourse communities that attend Unplugged. One is the community who lives by Gods word and reaches out to those who seek it. The other discourse community is one that lives by the worlds standards but is seeking the love of Christ; however, the last discourse community is one that isnt necessarily ready to take the step of giving their life to God, but are seeking his word and a little bit of encouragement. Description of the Location: Unplugged Thursday night events are held 2x Salt Ministries here in Charlotte, North Carolina. The building is very large and open. However upon entering, it does not seem like the typical church. This location is designed to attract the younger crowd. Once you enter, you are greeted and the visitors desk and then escorted to the sitting area. The seating area consists of a lot of different bar tables and couches all facing the stage. The stage consists of three chairs, one table with a bible on it, and a microphone. The lighting is set low with a smoke blower going off occasionally. The walls are filled with drawings of Christ and different bible scriptures. At the back corner of the room, a dj is set up playing music with videos showing above the stage. Figured World: A figured world is a large social community that has its own terms of appropriate behavior and socially acceptable terms of morality and ways of communicating.

Actors: An actor is explained as a human that is a part of a figured world by contributing in some way. Below I will be describing each actor that contributes to Unplugged Charlotte during my first observation. Coach Josh: Josh is the founder of the figured world, Unplugged. He leads the discussion every week and also is in charge on planning, financing, and leading all events. Danielle Erwin: Danielle is the host and founder of the womens group called, Unplugged/Im Worth the Wait. Her responsibility is to greet new guests and run the event as smoothly as possible. Ishmael Lowery: Ishmael is the Operations Manager at Unplugged. His job is to gather the volunteers and make sure that everyone is plugged into the right volunteer opportunity to help them grow. Unplugged Volunteers: The volunteers responsibility is to fulfill whichever job they sign up for. Whether it be running the caf section, greeters, and media teamsthe volunteers help assist in any area needed. Artifacts: These are any items, whether physical or emotional, that are culturally/socially/religiously important to our guests. 2x Salt Ministries: The location of Unplugged serves as a very important artifact because it helps attract curious minds. Visitors: Our visitors serve as a very important physical artifact because without them, we would have no one to reach out to. DJ equipment: The equipment used by the DJ allows him to reach out to our guests through music. Lights/Smoke Machine: This allows Unplugged to keep our visitors entertained and interested in our events. Bible: The bible is used during all discussions and allows us to reference scriptures during the discussion. Discourse Communities: These are groups of people who share the common religious interests and communicative ideologies. Christian community: These groups of people are people who live by Gods word. Seeking encouragement: People who are not interested in giving their life to God at that particular moment, but are seeking encouragement and guidance. Literacy Practices: Literacy practices are ways that the discourse community communicates through writing, verbal, and nonverbal actions. Music: The music played at Unplugged helps reach the audience in ways that discussions cant always reach.

Discussions: The discussions at Unplugged serve as the main part of the service. People are engaged in the topics and often take notes. Q&A Session: The Q&A session lets our guests anonymously ask questions that they may have and receive advice from a Christian stand point.

Observation One Monday, January 27, 2014 Time: 6:00PM-6:40PM Note: This particular observation took place over a 40 minute time span. Although only Josh is discussing the topic during the observation, other actors are included in the description of actors below. Actors that are not discussed during the observation all hold vital jobs that help Unplugged Thursday night events successful. This organization is religiously affiliated and the content below is in no way intended to offend anyone of any other religion. The figured world, actors, artifacts, discourse communities, and literacy practices are the same throughout all three observations. **This observation is done through Unpluggeds website on a past discussion titled The Proverbs 31 Woman 6:00 PM- Introduction to the discussion. We were then lead in Prayer by Joshua and ask to open our bibles to Proverbs 31. The three points for the discussion is (These questions were made up by Josh prior to the observation): 1. Who defines a womans worth? 2. Why do women not know their worth? 3. What develops a womans worth 6:05 PM- 1. Who defines a womans worth? Josh explains that a womans worth is in God. He discusses how God died for us and carried the burden of our sins so that we may know our worth and be content in him. He also uses his little sisters as an example of how a man should encourage women to know their worth. 6:10 PM- Only a wife is cultivated in GOD! He explains that a woman who knows her worth wont let just any man pursue her because she understands that that mans pursue to her must be similar to the pursue of God.

6:15 PM- Josh presents the questions: (These questions were made up by Josh prior to the observation) 1. Who defines a womans worth? GOD. Josh finishes up question one by explaining that if a woman cant find her worth in God, Shell find in anywhere. 2. Why do women not know their worth? He begins this question by asking the audience why women do not know their worth and discusses their answers. 6:20 PM- Its not how you view yourself, its not how the world views you its how God views you. Josh talks directly to the women who has been physically and sexually abused, those who seek to find validation in the arms of many men, and the women who come from broken homes. He explains to these women that in the most vulnerable state, you must seek God because if not, youll fall to the desires of the world. 6:25 PM- What develops a womans worth? Trust. He talks about if a woman does not trust God, how will she ever develop her worth? The four Ps she must trust God with: (These questions were made up by Josh prior to the observation) 1. Preparation- When you dont trust God, How do you ever endeavor to be prepared? 2. Perseverance- Trust God for her perseverance. Are you willing to wait for your husband? 3. Positioning- God will position you in the right place. 4. Protection- Trust him with you protection. When someone leaves, thats God protecting you. 6:30 PM- Are you willing to trust God. An excellent wife who can find, for her worth is far more precious than rubies. 6:35 PM- You can only become a wife through God alone. If you define yourself in anything, youll find yourself bitter and hurt. A Proverbs 31 woman is not a perfect woman, her beauty is in God. 6:40 PM- Group Prayer. The entire room stood in a circle and held hands. People could request that Josh prayed for them or someone they knew he needed prayer.

Observation Two Tuesday, February 4, 2014 Time 6:00-6:40P.M.

Note: This particular observation took place over a 40 minute time span. Although only Josh is discussing the topic during the observation, other actors are included in the description of actors below. Actors that are not discussed during the observation all hold vital jobs that help Unplugged Thursday night events successful. This organization is religiously affiliated and the content below is in no way intended to offend anyone of any other religion. The figured world, actors, artifacts, discourse communities, and literacy practices are the same throughout all three observations. **This observation is done through Unpluggeds website on a past discussion titled The Proverbs 31 Woman 6:00 PM- Introduction to topic and recap of the part one topic. We are the led by Joshua Eze in prayer and asked to open our bibles to Proverbs 31 10:11. The main three points of discussion isA man wants a woman he can trust with these three things: 1.His frustrations 2.His fears 3.Finances 6:05 PM- He discusses Genesis Chapter 3 (story of Adam and Eve). 4 qualities that God gave every woman to have: 1.Nurturer- Child birth 2.Helper- To be able to uplift their husband. 3.Lover- Proverbs 5:9 May the breast of your wife satisfy you all the days of your life 4.Daughter- She must maintain her self-worth in God and know that she is a daughter of God or she will not be able to nature, help, or love her husband and family. 6:10 PM- Josh talks directly to the women and asks If you dont have God at the core of your heart how can you ever endeavor to be trusted? Frustration- When a man is frustrated and he doesnt have a woman that he can trust, how can he be the man of his household? 6:15 PM- At this time, Josh discusses these two points: 1.Ms. Independent- Women should make sure their strength comes from God and not money, degrees, etc. Dont claim your independence from God, follow him. 2.Mister Insecure- A man cant get so overly consumed with who his girl/wife is that he entertains her gisebelle spirit (A gisebelle spirit is one that persuades any wrong doing, or tries to convince you to do something that you should not).

6:20 PM- Are your strengths based upon your achievements or Gods achievements? Josh talks about the realization that men are needy, and thats why they go to needy women. Men run from strong women. 6:25 PM- When a man cant bring his frustrations, fears, and problems to his wife, how can he trust his wife? This presents a problem for the independent woman because when her husband brings his concerns to her, she will not be able to nurture, love, or helpshe can only respond by being stern and trying to display strength. 6:30 PM- Frustration, Fears, and Faults which lies within a mans present, future, and past. 1.Frustration(Present)- Josh talks about his in a single parent home. He explains that living in a household with only his mother, she naturally adapted to a masculine figure. This goes to say that his mother wanted to show him how to be strong and provide. However, there was no nurturing involved. This can be frustrating because his mom has to adjust and hide the nurturing and loving qualities that God gave to her, in order to show her son what she thinks he should see. 2.Fears(Future)- Can a man trust you with his fears? 3.Faults(Past)- Are you so consumed by who he was that you cant see who he is now or what he can be? 6:35 PM- You have to watch who you allow to be your other half. 6:40 PM- When a woman understands that she is Gods daughter; shell know her worth and protects who she allows in. This woman in Christ is careful with the vulnerability of her husband. Josh then leads us in group prayer and then dismissed us.

Observation Three Wednesday, February 05, 2014 Time: 6:00-6:40PM Note: This particular observation took place over a 40 minute time span. Although only Josh is discussing the topic during the observation, other actors are included in the description of actors below. Actors that are not discussed during the observation all hold vital jobs that help Unplugged Thursday night events successful. This organization is religiously affiliated and the content below is in no way intended to offend anyone of any other religion. The figured world, actors, artifacts, discourse communities, and literacy practices are the same throughout all three observations. **This observation is done through Unpluggeds website on a past discussion titled The Threat of a Strong Woman from Proverbs 31.

6:00 PM- Introduction to the topic The Threat of a Strong Woman and a recap of the last observation topic are discussed. 6:05 PM-The three points A womans strength comes when she observes these three things: 1. 2. 3. Self-respect Self-esteem Self-worth

6:10 PM- Societal views alter a womans view of their strength. She finds strength in things like degrees, relationships, or money instead of finding her self-worth in God. Josh talks about the influences that society have on our women. Whether its through television or different social media sites they all play a vital role in how some women develop. 6:15 PM- What is your heart anchored in? If your heart lies within the money or reputationwho are you when those things fade? These two questions pose a big thinking moment for those who are listening. Josh discusses the outcomes of anchoring your heart of materialistic things. When the money, power, and other possessions fade, who do you become? If your heart in anchored in God, when those things leave you still have him and trust that through whatever trial may come, youll never be without. 6:20 PM- The differences between weak and meek women? When speaking of a weak woman, Josh isnt speaking in terms of someone who is physically weak, he speaks in regards to someone who humbly comes before God and knows that without him nothing is possible. A person who is meek is emotionally stable and well balanced; she has to first be weak in order to be meek. Your strength is made perfect in your weaknesses. 6:25 PM- Josh says God loves when his children are weak. When he says this he means that he loves when his children come to him for companionship or lean on him during the hard time. An example he uses to demonstrate this clearly is the feeling of happiness that a parent feels when their child looks to them for advice or parental affection. 6:30 PM- Do you allow your strength to come from the images in the world or is it in God? By this he discusses do you believe you should be like what certain people or television portray to be, or do you find your strength in God. 6:35 PM- Your worth is signified when he died on the cross for you. When your worth is inside anything other than the fact that God died for you, youll fall for anything. Dont let the worlds perception of worth convince you that you should find your worth based on everything other than God. 6:40 PM- Josh ended this topic by encouraging all woman that our strength lies within God and the moment you realize that is the moment your weakness are perfected by the strength of God. Interview with Unplugged Host and founder of the womens campaigns

Im Worth the Wait/Pursued Danielle Erwin