The Uncommon Truth

The parables of Jesus are some of the most memorable and often-quoted passages of His teachings. It was very common for Jesus to express some of the most critical concepts using simple stories and examples. But do we always get the point? This week’s episode kicks off Season Three, in which we dive a little deeper into some of Jesus’ most memorable, and sometimes confusing, parables. The one thing...

In this episode we’re joined by Murray and Ash Smith, lead pastors at Catch The Fire in Raleigh-Durham North Carolina. The Smiths joined The Uncommon Truth as part of their visit to Oroville where they were guest teaching at the School of Transformation. Murray and Ash have a passion for the Holy Spirit and love to help lead people into the freedom of who Jesus created them to be.  Freedom is one...

In our final episode of our series on the foundations of The Father’s House Church––which definitely embody some uncommon truths––we’re finishing off by answering some of your listener questions. We started out doing just that a couple weeks ago, but we got so many good questions, we couldn’t resist having one more discussion about them. How we’re supposed to take care of our families while giving...

Pastor Tony Kim joined the Uncommon Truth after spending time guest speaking at the School of Transformation. Tony and his wife Jessica are the leaders at Renaissance church in Bakersfield, California. Tony is the US National Director at Harvest International Ministry (HIM) and the founder and leader of Roar Collective and Roar Academy.  The Kim’s journey to Bakersfield mirrors Steve and Vicki’s i...

In the finale of our series on the main teaching points of The Father’s House Church, we’re wrapping up by answering some listener questions. One of the reasons Steve & Vicki’s podcast is called the Uncommon Truth is because it’s really hard to find any other ministry with this combination of teachings and values. It’s just as uncommon to find ministries with such a long record of success in perso...

In Christianity, we focus a lot on the moment we first met Jesus. We also look forward to eternal life after we die. But when it comes to our lives on earth, here and now, what’s the purpose? If we take Jesus’ life as an example, it would seem pretty radical. Jesus came to lay His life down as a ransom for many. Have we missed that in Western Christianity? Are we believing in a comfortable, Americ...

We’re continuing our series on the main teaching points of Steve and Vicki’s ministry with a discussion about living in the likeness of Jesus. It might seam straightforward for Christians to want to imitate Jesus, but is that really the goal of Christianity?  Are we really supposed to look, sound and act just like Him? Or is that just the spiritual equivalent of extra credit? Listen in this week t...

When it comes down to how we live as Christians, our view of God is really important. So where do we go to find out who God is? The easy answer would be reading the Bible. But which part? Is He the “scary” God of the Old Testament, or the “nice guy” from the New Testament? Is God external and far off, near at hand or living within us?  Connect with the show: Email  uncommontruthpodcast@gmail.com  ...

When Steve and Vicki Orsillo founded The Father’s House Church 22 years ago, they laid out 10 main teaching points as pillars of their church. We’re unpacking them, and the latest is called, “follow me as I follow Christ.” The concept of following is all over the New Testament. Jesus called His disciples to follow HIm, and the early Christians were quite familiar with following men like Peter and...

When you think about the word “authority,” what comes to mind? Odds are, it’s not positive. Why is that? As Christians, we all want to be part of a church or a movement that is accomplishing God’s will, but we’re less excited when it comes to following someone else’s vision to fulfill it. It seems like we might have a disconnect when it comes to authority in Christianity. Either leaders are not le...

We’re halfway through our series unpacking the teaching points of the Father’s House Church. 
These are the unique core messages that Steve and Vicki founded their church on, and they form the basis of what makes their ministry so “uncommon.”
  At the halfway point we’re stopping to answer some listener questions that have popped up along the way.
 As always, make sure to get in touch with the sho...

Being able to have an intimate relationship with the God of the universe is a unique aspect of Christianity not shared by other world religions. It is a key tenet of the faith, and one Jesus came to guarantee. But do all Christians recognize and receive this reality? When people seek to “encounter God,” what do they mean? How can we tell when we are actually interacting with God’s presence? Most i...

This week we continue our series looking at Steve & Vicki’s unique teaching points. Today we’re covering the place of “works” our Christian lives.  James’ letter in the New Testament has a pretty bold statement: “Faith without works is dead.” What did he mean by that? What works are we supposed to do, how do we do them, and what happens if we don’t? If you like what you hear on the Uncommon Truth...

When it comes to the idea of salvation, the New Testament is pretty clear. Unfortunately, within the Church itself, there seems to be a fair bit of confusion. When we talk about salvation, and what it takes to be saved, what do we even mean?  Is simply being a good person enough to guarantee your ticket to Heaven when you die? Or is it all about finding financial security and worldly success in th...

Forgiveness is simultaneously a beautiful and terrifying word in Christianity. Most of us recognize and embrace our own forgiveness; but when it comes to forgiving those who hurt or offend us, most of us are not so eager. So what does Jesus say we should do? Is forgiveness a requirement, or just a suggestion? How do we practically go about forgiving as Jesus forgave, and what are the consequences...

How important are Jesus’ words when it comes to what we believe as Christians? Are they of first importance? Or should we move past them as we dive into other, more complex areas of scripture? More importantly, what’s the effect on our lives and our world if we don’t find the correct balance? “Shouldn’t we just listen to Jesus?” It sounds pretty straightforward, but a statement like this one is ac...

For the start of our second “season,” we’re discussing what makes The Uncommon Truth so uncommon and taking a look ahead to see what’s on the horizon for 2021.  If you’re new to the show, you’ll hear a message that has become almost unheard of in the modern Christian Church: listen to Jesus and do what He says. It’s refreshing, it’s challenging and it’s Christianity the way Jesus meant it to be. C...

Here on The Uncommon Truth we’ve spent a lot of time discussing the question of how we follow Jesus. However, for most of the world, the question that matters most has more to do with why we follow Jesus.  As we draw closer to Christmas––a time when the world around pays lip service to Jesus’ birth––it’s a great time to get back to basics. Why do we follow Jesus anyway? Why is Jesus’ birth that fi...

As we enter the Christmas season––a season defined by gift giving––we wanted to revisit a popular, and controversial former episode. Back in May of this year (2020), we talked about Jesus’ uncomfortable teachings on sacrifice.  What happens when we decide not to skip over these tough teachings and embrace self-sacrifice? What would our world look life if Christians were more concerned for the welf...

This week Steve & Vicki answer listener questions. How can we become more unified in the Church? How do you forgive yourself when the consequences of your actions are always staring you in the face? If Jesus came today, would He have an iPhone?  Connect with the show: Email  uncommontruthpodcast@gmail.com  with topics you would like to see covered, episode feedback and any questions you would like...

Talking about thankfulness around this time of year may feel a little cliché, but in 2020 of all years, it is important to practice gratitude. It certainly has been a difficult year so far, but the practice of thanksgiving can actually unlock a multitude of blessing. Our enemy the devil certainly does not want followers of Jesus to experience the abundant life that Jesus promised, and that is why...

It shouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the meaning of the word, “love.” At least that is what we think. But odds are the word has probably lost its meaning to us. We use the term to refer to vastly different things; how can they all have the same meaning? The truth is there’s actually a difference between the love for coffee and sunsets and the love that we show our children or parents...

A quick reading through the New Testament reveals dozens of warnings against false teachers and their “new gospels.” In many places where Jesus’ disciples shared His good news, false teachers were quick to try to get these new believers to trust in something else. Today is not so different. In present day Christianity, there are a lot of things competing for our trust. We are quick to put our trus...

As Christians, how should we approach life’s inevitable troubles and disappointments? From everyday struggles to catastrophic loss, life can definitely be disappointing at times. Do we hope these troubles won’t happen to us, or pretend everything is fine? Or do we let them derail our faith and cast doubt on what we believe?  When it comes to dealing with disappointment, we can learn a lot from the...

“Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do.” These are Jesus’ words to His disciples before His death and resurrection. Do we believe them? What do they mean for us today? We often think these words pertain only to Jesus’ miracles; but what about the hard work of serving our neighbors or sharing the good news? Are we able today to surpass what...