Spiritual Emphasis Week

On Sunday morning October 26th I preached my first message at McAdenville Wesleyan Church for the spiritual emphasis week. As I stood to preach I felt the anointing of God. The service was well attended and several decisions were made at the first service as I preached one of my favorite messages - How much you matter to God.

The week went quickly as each night spiritual decisions were made. I appreciate the warm welcome and hospitality of people from the church. I enjoyed the time of fellowship with Pastor Brian Matherlee. A special surprise came on Tuesday evening when Mary (Foster) Ford and her family traveled from Spartanburg, SC to attend the service.

She and her sister Robin surprised Sharron and I as they and their family arrived at the service. Mary had a strong memory of the last time we saw each other. She was just old enough to come into the youth group. Her mother was watching our daughters as we loaded the U-haul moving truck to relocated from Charlotte to Herndon, Va. to begin our ministry at Christian Fellowship Church. We departed Charlotte on March 30, 1981 - the day President Ronald Reagan was shot and wounded by a lone gunman. It was a moving experience to see Mary and Robin. (No - not like moving with a U Haul - but a moving - touching moment in my heart...) They have matured into lovely women with beautiful children and loving husbands. I am glad they are still in the church and have such fond memories from their childhood of Sharron and I.

It was a great closing service for the church as Pastor Brian had people gather around him in prayer. It was touching to see people praying as we dedicated this church to the Lord! I believe a revival spirit has been stirred at the church.

Sharrron and I have enjoyed staying at the home of Josh and Stephanie in Indian Trail as we traveled the 42 miles to McAdenville each evening. I am thankful for this opportunity of ministry and hope that I have been faithful in preaching the Word of God and encouraging the church!

Sing along - really, really loud!

This coming Sunday - October 26th - is going to be a GREAT DAY at North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene (NRN)! We continue in the series of messages learning Contemporary Lessons from Ancient Lives. This week we will look at the account of Zacchaeus found in Luke 19:1-10.

We will sing once again the new song introduced to NRN last week. This song has been in my mind and on my lips all week. I have been in my car and sitting at my desk - singing this song really, really loud. I thought you would like to see the group that wrote the words and music, then first preformed it. The song is You Reign - by Mercy Me. Enjoy! (And you can sing along -really loud if you want too!)

Champion the Squirrel

Today I had lunch with an individual who early in the conversation said, “Pastor, how are you?” I paused, but responded, “Doing well!” To which my friend asked “Now Pastor, tell me the truth – how are you really?” I could honesty answer – though heavy hearted about some issues, I am really doing well and encouraged by seeing God moments in my life and the lives of others. I will admit, I was tempted to give a "pastoral response" when I felt checked to just tell my friend how I really felt.

Afterwards, i t reminded me of an old joke:

What is grey, has a furry tail, and collects nuts for the winter?”
“I know it sounds like a squirrel, but since this is Sunday School, the answer must be Jesus,” answers the eager student.

Yeah, I think you may know this old joke. The story is so familiar, most of us can jump over the punch line and joke about Jesus vs. the squirrel answers that dominate our religious-speak. But the thing is, sometimes the answer is a squirrel-plain and simple.

There is this habit of talking in spiritually coated words when we are in church or around other Christians. Whether in leadership meetings or in the pulpit, we struggle to talk plainly about the issues staring us in the face. We gloss over ugliness with candy-coated optimism. We speak of tragic dilemmas with platitudes. We attempt to be cheerleaders for God’s reputation. We rarely call a squirrel a squirrel. Sometimes our spiritual lens coatings are so thick; we don’t even see the obvious in front of us.

Behind it all is a deep-seated dualism, a man-made divide carved between the secular and the spiritual. We operate as if church-related activities, (Bible studies, church services, small groups, mission teams, etc.,) are spiritual and therefore good. Then we treat everything else in life, (doing laundry, going to work on Monday morning, paying bills, family vacation,) as secular and therefore second-class, only a necessary evil, not necessarily bad, but not truly good.

However, there is one Lord of ALL heaven and earth. He is not only the sovereign of so-called spiritual life; He is the beginning and end of all life. As a result, all of life is deeply spiritual. There is no secular-sacred divide. All work is spiritual. All creatures are holy. ALL of life is a sacred created thing. Every vocation is a holy calling-a chance to live on mission in a broken world.

Following Christ is a journey into reality not away from it. Jesus was never interested in disconnecting from the tangible issues of life that surrounded him nor did he urge his followers to do anything less. He talked about and engaged the real stuff. It is part of what made him so attractive. He was truly one of us.

It’s no wonder that people who live outside the bubble of Christianized vocabulary don’t see our faith as a relevant answer to a complex world. We would connect with that broken world and the people trying to navigate through it far better if we learned to speak directly about the things right in front of us. Let’s call conflict - conflict.

Let’s be honest and straightforward about our emotions. Let’s voice our confusion or hurt or fear without conditions attached. And, let’s celebrate without apology when life calls for it.

I think it’s time to champion the squirrel!

Are you ready for Digital Conversion?

Recently an email went out from our church asked for volunteers to help us with media shout, PowerPoint and technical assistance for the Sunday morning worship experience at NRN. I thought about this and wondered - who can assist us?

As I considered this I realize it is not that easy. Here is an example I believe you will enjoy.

Are you ready for Digital Conversion?




What do you think?

Please accept my THANKS - Gary, Bob, John and Andy for all your hard work and labor of love for the Lord on Sundays! Also - Randy, Jordon and James - I appreciate you!

Trustworthy in the small matters?

Albert Einstein once said that “whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with the important matters”.

Are you trustworthy in the small matters?

For example, are you completely trustworthy and honest in your email correspondence?

According to a new study by Lehigh University, people are significantly more likely to lie in e-mail messages than in traditional pen-and-paper communications.

Luiba Belkin, who was in charge of the study said “There is a growing concern in the workplace over e-mail communications, and it comes down to trust…You’re not afforded the luxury of seeing non-verbal and behavioral cues over e-mail. And in an organizational context, that leaves a lot of room for misinterpretation and, as we saw in our study, intentional deception.” “Intentional Deception”?

Wow, that’s another word for… well… lie!

Like when someone asks your opinion of how a certain ministry or program is doing?
Or if you like their idea about starting a new puppet ministry.

If you’re a pastor or church leader, don’t fool yourself! You’ll have a tendency to embellish or shade the truth each and every day you’re in ministry. And email is a safe place to test that boundary.

Remember Einstein’s words? Whoever is careless with truth in small matters (like email) cannot be trusted with the important matters.

Take a pledge this week as you utilize your email account. Be trustworthy and honest. Don’t shade the truth. And don’t lie to someone. Email makes the temptation much more profound in each of our workdays.


Have a great, truth-filled, week!

Source: Todd A. Rhoades -- Editor / Publisher -- Monday Morning Insights!

A description of genuine faith

On Sunday we begin a new series of messages at NRN. Here is the text for the front panel of the worship folder:

Today we begin a new series of messages entitled Character Tour as Pastor Rick shares the life lessons we can learn from Noah. In Genesis 6:9 it says, "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time." Now the word "blameless" doesn't meant perfection. It literally means "uncontaminated." As we shall see, Noah was not "contaminated" by the wickedness of his day. He was Gods' man through and through.

Noah lived in a culture that was unimaginably degraded...horribly corrupt and yet he was different. You may remember that Henry David Thoreau once said, "If I seem to walk out of step with others, it is because I am listening to another drum beat." And this is a good description of genuine faith. Christians who embrace a deep faith in God walk through life as though listening to another drum beat. They are out of step with the world. You see, there is no such thing as a Christian life that is not counterculture. If you are a follower of the Lord, it means you are going to have to make decisions that distinguish you from the sinful world in which we all live.

Here is a simple overview of the account of Noah:

Uploaded on author STREAM by Wen12

If you want to study more about Noah

and the factual account recorded from

Genesis 6-9 simply click HERE

We're gonna party!

Tonight I am praying for special needs that I am aware of. I am also reading over once again the account of Noah and the flood.( Genesis 6-9 I am really excited about what I believe God has prepared for us this coming Sunday at NRN! I am beginning a new series of messages:




In the first worship set - we will stand and put our hands together in worship and praise of our great God. Here is a preview - get ready to worship:

At the close of the message - we we celebrate the saving power of God at work today as we baptize believers!

Get ready to put your hand together in worship and celebration!

We're gonna party this Sunday.

Don't miss it ....

Some favorite worship

Here I am in Charlotte with my family. Danielle met with the doctor yesterday and he took about 80% of the stitches out of her face. She is still in quite a bit of pain and very uncomfortable. She was clearly unable to travel today, so Sharron and I decided to wait at least one more day to let her prepare for the trip back to Raleigh.

This gave me an opportunity to spend some "daddy - daughter time" with Stephanie. We had lunch and then a movie. I really enjoyed our conversation and time together.

I have been in the WORD quite a bit the last several days. Sharron has noticed that I seem a bit "down" lately. I realize I place a number of clips on my blog - but here is a collection of some of my favorite worship songs. God uses this to encourage me and bless my soul.

I praise God for His work in my life and the life of my family.

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God" Psalm 42:5

These are truly trustworthy statements...

Danielle's slow recovery is underway

Thank you for the notes and prayers for our daughter Danielle as we recovers from surgery last Friday. It brightened her day when the flowers arrived from Uncle Les and Ann (Sharron's brother and his family from Canada).

Danielle is recovering slowly. The pain in under control by medication however, the hours of sitting with her head at a 45 degree angle is beginning to take it's toll. She is unable to open her mouth very wide. Her favorite meal at this time is ice cream, which she eats with a baby spoon.

She will not let me near her with a camera. I can tell the emotional stress is growing and frustration is setting in. I am so glad she is here in Raleigh so we can take care of her.

We depart tomorrow morning for Charlotte so Danielle can meet with her surgeon. I will provide another update after we meet with the doctor. She so appreciates you kind comments and especially your prayers.

THE INCONVENIENT SHOPPING CART

Dad – when are you going to write an original post for your blog? This question came to me not long ago from one of my daughters.

Well, here goes:

I sat in my car caring for my grand daughter who was secured in her car seat while my wife and daughter went into the local Target for some needed items. As I patiently waited for them I observed a mini van began to drive in to a parking space. In the front of the space however, was a shopping cart had been left and blocked the driver from parking in that space. The driver slowly entered the space, bumping the cart so slightly. The driver parked, exited the vehicle, looked around to see if anyone was watching and pushed the shopping cart into the open parking space beside her. The shopping cart or what we call in the south – the shopping “buggy” – rested in its new home in the parking space. A few moments passed and then another vehicle saw the apparent empty parking space and began to quickly move their vehicle toward the space. When the driver saw the shopping cart blocking the space they quickly turned the wheel of their vehicle and parked in the space on the far side of the space occupied by the shopping cart. The father and his young son departed the vehicle and walked directly past the shopping cart that was so close they could have touched it.

Within moments a young woman, driving a small sports vehicle quickly came around the corner and drove into the space occupied by the inconvenient shopping cart. She gave the shopping cart a bump and then parked her vehicle. She exited the vehicle and just as a the driver a short time earlier, she looked around to see if any was watching as she pushed the cart in front of the vehicle recently vacated by the father and his son, and with slight effort, she pushed the cart forward until it came to rest three spaces away when it hit a parked car. She gasp as it hit the car and quickly but quickly got back in her automobile to straighten it into the space that had been partially blocked by the shopping cart. She exited her car carrying a small bag and with a cell phone by her ear.

The thing I was amazed at was – did no one see the Cart Return located only 5 yards away on the other side of the isle?

For the first driver the lesson of being considerate of others was lost. The second driver missed the lesson of teaching our child by example to consider others. And the third driver missed the lesson of controlling our personal and selfish desires to extend simple courtesy to others.

I could not help but wonder – What lessons am I missing today?

And yes – when my wife and daughter returned I did return the shopping cart to the return area just a few steps away.

Church Under the Big Top - THE BIG DAY!

Sunday was a blessed day at NRN as we celebrated our second annual

CHURCH UNDER THE BIG TOP.

Special appreciation goes to Karen DeSollar and the members of the Christian Life committee (Brad Pope, Karen Joslin, Rodney Rhoads, Bill Shannon and Pastor Brittany Cottle). Their servant spirit is greatly appreciated. To all those behind the scenes – from ordering the food – to cooking the pigs – to serving the meal – to assist with parking – to keeping the nurseries – to running sound – to helping with clean up and all others. THANK YOU!

I especially appreciate my friend Ryan Walker (and Joy) for coming from Winter Haven Michigan to assist us in worship!

Church Under the Big Top was a great success and I believe everyone enjoyed their day. Though our attendance was lower than our event last year, there were several people making spiritual decisions and several new families visited us for the first time.

We had a drawing from the attendance registration cards and congratulations go to those for winning the $25 gift certificates courtesy of Red Robin. Also to Janice Pope for the 2 meals and beverages courtesy of The Barbeque Lodge – and to Sandy Floyd for winning the grand prize of the 8-10 lbs. baked ham.
Plan to join us next Sunday as I begin a new series of messages:


What do Noah, Zacchaeus, Jonathan, Samson, Job, Peter and Jonah all have in common?
Each of them had a relationship with God. In this seven-week series, we'll take a tour through the lives of these ancient men and discover what there is to learn from the life they lived and the relationship they had with our Creator. We will discover the contemporary lessons from ancient lives.

Next Sunday we will begin with the life of Noah. We will feature a baptism service at the close of the message. You will not want to miss this service!


Also on Sunday we launch a number of new adult elective Sunday School Classes. Are you looking for a place to connect with others at NRN? Then – now is the time to select the class of your choice and join us this Sunday at 9:45am You can review the selection of classes and register by clicking HERE!

A chair - an empty chair

Sunday October 12, 2008 10:00am

North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene

Excitement about tomorrow is growing. The tables and chairs are in the "staging area" for tomorrow morning. The worship team has concluded it's rehearsal. Soon the crew will arrive to begin preparing for the "pig roast" as the meat cooks through the night. The tent is in place:

But it is empty. Soon the chairs will be in place - but they are empty. By 10:00am tomorrow morning the presence of God will be evident under the big top. Here is the question we each must ask ourselves: Have we made an investment in asking someone to join us tomorrow to fill the empty seats?

I hope you will take a few moments to watch this simple clip:

I look forward to introducing new friends - Ryan and Joy Walker - to you tomorrow. Ryan and Joy are visiting from Grand Haven, Michigan. Ryan is a worship leader at a church and was able to be with us for Church Under the Big Top. Dr. Tom and Joyce Alsbury are attending the wedding of their daughter this weekend and Ryan is here to assist us. I hope you will welcome Ryan and Joy. At last count I have invited 21 people to be with us tomorrow. Who has God laid on your heart to make a last minute invitation by phone - or email ?

Preview of tomorrow

Sunday, October 12, 2008 • 10:00 a.m

Please join us at North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene for an outdoor worship service, featuring special music and a message from lead pastor, Rev. Rick Hudgens. Immediately following the service, you and your whole family are invited to be our guests at a traditional North Carolina- style Pig Pickin’: all the barbeque and fixin’s you can eat!

And there’s more!
Family photo booth
Face-painting and inflatable games for the kids

If you have been looking for a church home or would like to know about the ministries at North Raleigh, this would be a great time to learn more!

The text above is a portin of the information included on the flyers - the invitation cards and the web site regarding our CHURCH UNDER THE BIG TOP tomorrow at NRN.

Here is a preview of the message God has laid upon my heart:

Jehovah Shammah (Ezekiel 48:35)

GOD IS HERE, GOD IS THERE, GOD IS EVERYWHERE

I think you will find this a trustworthy saying ...

24 – A time of hurt and sorrow

On Thursday evening of this week I was about to depart our family room to retire for the evening. All that was on my mind was taking Nightquil and sleeping through the night to battle the congestion in my chest. I was surprised when Sharron’s cell phone rang. I was even more surprised by the look of shock on her face. Our daughter Danielle was calling. She was crying and told Sharron that “BO” had attacked her.

The backdrop: Sharron and I had been enjoying keeping our grand daughter Alyse for the past week as Josh and Stephanie completed a super busy week with church activities and the had made their way to Atlanta to attend the Catalyst Conference where their pastor, Steven Furtick ,was speaking. Danielle was at their home taking care of their pets, Bo – a rottweiler - lab mix; Zeke – a golden retriever – mix, who has been our family pet for 12 years and Bubba their family cat.

The event: Danielle was getting ready for bed. As she went to the bedroom she did not know were Bo was, so she called his name. AS she walked around the corner to the bedroom, she paused and looking into Bo’s crate. He was there, and sprang forward, knocking Danielle to the ground with a momentary attack. As Danielle screamed the dog retreated, but it was too late. Danielle suffered a major cut across her forehead with minor cuts across her face and head. She was able to call our close friend Joy Huber, who lives in the neighborhood. Joy took Danielle to the hospital. Danielle went into surgery in the early morning hours of Friday.

Meanwhile, Sharron received the call from Danielle and had a look of shock on her face. We quickly packed a bag, carried Alyse from a sleeping bed to the car, and departed for Charlotte. Sharron contacted Stephanie and Josh. They had just enjoyed a great day at Catalyst and we celebrating with friends. They also responded quickly. The departed Atlanta immediately and met us in Charlotte in the early hours of Friday morning.

The surgeon came from behind the door into the family waiting room and gave the encouraging report to Sharron. The surgery for Danielle was successful, now a long healing process begins. When I met the surgeon later that morning I asked how many stitches she had – and he simply responded “I lost count”. Danielle summarized it as – “One day a little girl asked me if I was Cinderella to now looking like something out of a horror picture.”

Danielle was discharged from the hospital about 5:00pm on Friday. She returned to Josh and Stephanie’s home. The plan is for her to come to Raleigh with Sharron and let us take care of her. Her next doctor’s appointment is Wednesday of this next week.

Josh and Stephanie were faced with a heartbreaking decision. Because of this momentary aggression, something had to be done with Bo. Several options were explored but the decision was to take Bo to the vet and be put down. Bo was a well trained rottweiler and very gentle around Alyse but now he was potentially dangerous and the safety of their family must have priority. It is heartbreaking that the family pet was involved in this accidental event, but action had to be taken.

Our prayers are for Danielle as she slowly heals from her wounds. We also pray for Josh and Stephanie as they mourn the loss of their family pet. It is such an unfortunate series of events. As believers in the Lord we thank God that the wounds to Danielle were not any more serious and have faith for her healing. The surgeon said that just two weeks will make a major difference in her appearance. We also believe the event on Thursday evening and Friday somehow fit into God’s plan for our lives.

The events of this 24 hour period have been filled with hurt and sorrow. I respect Josh so much for the difficult decision about Bo, but it saddens me, but believe it was the right thing to do. Thank you for your prayers during this difficult time for our family.

Some pictures for Stephanie

Since Alyse has been with us for one week today - I thought her mommy would like to see how she is doing at Papa's. She has been very curious - into a lot a things. I caught her today - once again climbing into the dryer.

When she saw me with the camera she tried to close the door

The time in the dryer ended after ten minutes of playing "peek a boo". She giggled often and was ready to move on to the next challenge in our home.

One day this week we took her to Bob Evans Restaurant to introduce her to chicken and noodles. She really enjoyed that trip! But hates to pose for pictures

We have had the opportunity to play almost every evening before bed time. She breaks out in a giggle when she hears me say -"Papa's gonna git you!"

We are having a wonderful time having Alyse in our home this week. I do believe she looks forward to seeing mommy on Saturday!

With every hug of my precious Alyse - I thank God that we are in North Carolina. God is working out His plan in our life.

How to invite someone to church

This coming Sunday at NRN we will celebrate our second CHURCH UNDER THE BIG TOP!

A great time is planned for all as we gather under the big tent for a worship experience followed by an old fashion Carolina "Pig-Pickin" Barbecue with all the fixings. Inflatables for the children along with face painting and even a family photo booth. Please accept my personal invitation to come and join us!

If you attend NRN and need assistance in inviting your friends, neighbors, work associates and those whom God has to cross your path - here is a little tutorial I think you will enjoy:

Please note that these techniques are NOT trustworthy statements and are not endorsed by me (unless they work) - and YES - they can bring a friend - and so should you!

Hope to see you Sunday at NRN!

Out of Many One - Out of One Many

The Centennial Celebration Service of the Triangle area of the Church of the Nazarene took place this past Sunday - October 5, 2008. The reports are in that over 1,000 people gathered at the Meymandi Hall in the Progress Energy Center in downtown Raleigh, NC.



Special appreciation goes to Pastors Jeremy Henderson and Brian Powell from Raleigh First Church of the Nazarene; Pastor Royce Hathcock of Tapestry, Pastor Katherine Widdifield of Cary Penny Road, Pastor Glenn Messner of Wake Forrest Church of the Nazarene, and Pastor Caleb Buna of Raleigh International Evangelical Church of the Nazarene.



Also a note of thanks to Steven Rutherford and his team for the sound and media work, and to Karen DeSollar for the design work on the invitations and the Celebration Booklet. The list could go on and on. I was so impressed by the nursery and children's workers. It was so helpful to arrive at the Center and see the individuals holding the parking signs and helping with directions. Many people behind the scenes and the great music (especially the choir!) added much to the service.


I have heard several comments about my attire on Sunday. A number of people took pictures and made comments about me wearing a suit. Thank you for the kind words and remember what I said: " This event takes only takes place every one hundred years."



I do believe this was a life changing event for some people who came forward at the invitation. I also believe this was a historic event for the Church of the Nazarene in the Raleigh area. The fellowship was great and it seemed people truly enjoyed being with each other. It was greatly encouraging to see nearly 1,300 people at one time in one place giving glory to God!



As we reflect on this Centennial Celebration for the Church of the Nazarene it has been good to reflect upon our heritage and the blessing of God. I do think we need a BIG picture of God in the world. Below is a humorous parody of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Modern Major General covering the entire history of the church – by Paul Adlrich. Enjoy:

Time in the rocking chair

This has been a great day as I spent time with Alyse. She arrived for a short visit with us in Raleigh. Here is Alyse coming from my office with Sharron behind her.

Yesterday, Alyse helped with the preparation of the welcome bags for the event tomorrow. Today she made a short appearance at the women's ministry kick-off at NRN. Later in the day we went to one of her favorite restaurants, Cracker Barrel, for their delicious chicken and dumplings.

We took time to sit on the rocking chairs and just relax in the beautiful NC weather.

We hope she has a good night's rest and is ready for the big service tomorrow at the Meymandi Hall in downtown Raleigh. We anticipate over 1,000 people joining us for the Centennial Celebration for the Church of the Nazarene.

It is always fun when Alyse comes to visit!

Meeting at Meymandi

Today begins the final preparations for a great worship experience for the Raleigh area Centennial Celebration of the Church of the Nazarene. Several pastors from the Triangle have been meeting and praying for this event. In local churches the choirs have rehearsed, the musicians prepared and over the next 24 hours the plans turn into actions and we gather to celebrate our heritage and face the future with greater unity.















Yesterday a group of volunteers from North Raleigh gathered to prepare the guest bags to be given to every person on Sunday. A shout out of thanks goes to Pastor Brittany Cottle, Marianne Boettler, Lisa Mayfield, Dave and Karen Joslin, Sharron Hudgens and Alyse. They took the time to place the items in the bags and have them ready for Saturday morning.


The service on Sunday will not only be historical but memorable. The hard work of Jeremy Henderson from Raleigh First is greatly appreciated. Behind the scenes Karen DeSollar and Stephen Rutherford has added excellence to this event.

The service tomorrow (Sunday October 5) will take place at the Meymandi Hall of the Progress Energy Center in downtown Raleigh. (2 east south st.) The doors of the Center will open at 9:00am and to the Hall at 9:30am The service begins at 10:00am. Don't miss the countdown for the service! I believe the service tomorrow will be awesome!

Will you trust Him?

Since last Sunday - several people have asked about the clip I used at the close of my message. This video is the clip from the movie: FIREPROOF It ask the simple questions: " Do you realize that you need Him?" and "Will you trust Him with your life?"

Note: This clip is available from Outreach Ministry. I highly recommend their services!

After watching this video - If you make a spiritual decision - or - if you have any prayer request - or - any questions - please do not hesitate to contact me. I value your comments.

"Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship." ( Romans 12:1)

"Be very careful, then, how you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Ephesians 5:15-18)

Remember - God cannot fill what He cannot have. I believe this is a trustworthy statement.