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08 – A Scandalous Freedom
True holiness isn’t tight-lipped or rule-bound—it’s radically loving and wildly free. In this powerful episode of Beautiful Outlaw, John Eldredge explores how Jesus disrupts the religious expectations of his day—not by dismissing righteousness, but by redefining it from the inside out. From touching the untouchable to welcoming the unwanted, Jesus lives with scandalous freedom born from an unshakable intimacy with the Father.Jesus doesn’t fear what others might think. He touches a leper when others recoil. He receives the tears of a “sinful woman” at a Pharisee’s house without shame or apology. He embodies a holiness so rooted in love that it frees him from reputation, performance, and social pressure. His freedom is disruptive, beautiful, and deeply personal—and it invites us into a way of life that is just as courageous.To dive deeper into this fierce and freeing aspect of Jesus, explore Beautiful Outlaw, download the Leader’s Guide or Participant’s Guide, or read the companion daily reading “A Scandalous Freedom”. Learn more about John Eldredge and discover related stories in Wild At Heart: The Series.
17 – Letting His Life Fill Yours
What if Jesus doesn’t just want to influence your life—he wants to live it with you? In this final core session of Beautiful Outlaw, John Eldredge explores what it means to let the life of Jesus actually fill our own, not as an ideal to admire, but as a daily, transforming presence. From multiplying loaves to raising the dead, Jesus is the most radiant force of life the world has ever known—and he invites us to share in that very life.Through a blend of Scripture, storytelling, and insight drawn from creation itself, John reminds us that the gospel isn’t just about being forgiven. It’s about being restored—moment by moment—through the indwelling life of Christ. Our brokenness isn’t something we overcome so we can walk with God; it’s the very place where he meets us with his strength. As Athanasius said, “He became what we are, that we might become what he is.” The transformation the world so desperately needs begins when we let Jesus live his life in us. For more, read the Beautiful Outlaw book, stream the video series, or download the study guide PDF. You can also dive deeper into these themes in John’s related studies Experience Jesus. Really. and Get Your Life Back, or meet four real-life men living this message in Wild At Heart: The Series.
Beautiful Outlaw Video Series - Chapter 3
Chapter 3: "Is Jesus Really Playful?" – Based on the groundbreaking book by John Eldredge, this video series clears away the religious fog that has clouded our perceptions of Jesus with bland, one-dimensional stereotypes. In a small-group setting, Eldredge takes a winsome, narrative approach as he invites us not only to discover who Jesus really is, but to enrich our daily experience of him and most importantly, to fall more deeply in love with him. Come and see Jesus. The real Jesus. A Perfect Love who defies conventional belief. A Beautiful Outlaw.
07 – Disruptive Honesty
Jesus never catered to social norms or softened truth to avoid offense. His love was never passive—it was precise, powerful, and often disruptive. In this session of the Beautiful Outlaw video series, John Eldredge explores Jesus’ fierce integrity and breathtaking willingness to speak honest words of rescue, even when it meant confronting pride or risking relationships. From awkward dinner parties with Pharisees to sibling squabbles in Bethany, Jesus never flinches. His honesty is an expression of fierce love—tailored to the condition of the heart before him. Jesus speaks truth with surgical clarity, not to shame, but to save.These moments aren’t rudeness or rebellion—they’re what real love looks like when it refuses to let deception take root. Whether he’s cracking the armor of the self-righteous or gently correcting a friend, Jesus shows us that rescue sometimes requires disruption. What if his truthfulness is exactly what we need too?To go deeper into this theme, read Beautiful Outlaw, download the Leader’s Guide or Participant’s Guide, or explore the daily reading “Disruptive Honesty”. You can also revisit the series trailer or explore John Eldredge’s full bio.
PDF – Leader's Guide
Tips and encouragement to help you lead the 18-part Beautiful Outlaw series.
16 – Letting Jesus Be Himself – Encounters
If you’re not experiencing Jesus in your daily life, it may be because you’ve unknowingly limited how he can show up. In this session, John Eldredge shares personal stories and parables that illuminate how Jesus often speaks through everyday moments—music, nature, humor, even your dog’s tail-wagging invitation to play. Jesus is infinitely creative, and his presence is always near. But the kitchen-window theology we’ve absorbed—rules about how God can speak and act—often keeps us from noticing him. John offers both playful and poignant reminders that Jesus wants to be himself with you. You don’t have to chase drama to encounter him. You simply need to clear the religious fog, renounce the limits you’ve unknowingly placed on him, and begin to enjoy the presence of the most beautiful person in the universe. This is where healing begins. This is where friendship grows. And this is where your life with God becomes an adventure again. Learn more in the Beautiful Outlaw book, explore the full video series, or download the study guide PDF. For more from John Eldredge, visit his contributor page or explore companion series like Wild At Heart: The Series or Experience Jesus. Really..
12 – Beautiful
There’s a reason we call him the Beautiful Outlaw. In this final session, John Eldredge brings together all the qualities of Jesus we’ve explored—his playfulness, fierceness, scandalous freedom, and relentless love—and reveals the composite portrait of the most beautiful person who’s ever lived.Not perfect like a polished statue or stainless steel—Jesus is perfect in a deeper, more compelling way. He’s the kind of person you’d want at a dinner party, in a crisis, on a cross-country road trip, or beside your hospital bed. His beauty is not static, it’s radiant—found in his way of loving, his balance of truth and tenderness, his power, humor, wisdom, and humility.And in the end, it’s love that makes him beautiful. In every story and every interaction, we’ve seen love in action. Even when others couldn’t see it—like when a woman broke open a jar of perfume to anoint him—Jesus did. “She has done a beautiful thing to me,” he said. That’s Jesus: the one who sees beauty, and becomes its source.This session invites you not just to admire Jesus, but to fall in love with him again.Want to go deeper? Read the book Beautiful Outlaw, explore the full video study, or download the participant’s guide. Learn more about John Eldredge, or discover more stories of transformation through Wild At Heart: The Series. To reflect on related themes, read “She Has Done a Beautiful Thing” and “Love in Action”.
05 – The Most Human Face of All
One of the most overlooked treasures of the Gospels is the humanity of Jesus. He was not a celestial being merely pretending to be human—he got hungry, thirsty, tired, and grieved. He needed rest, solitude, and friendship. He mourned the death of his cousin John, wept over Jerusalem, and cried out in Gethsemane for the cup to pass. And yet, many Christians still imagine Jesus as distant, emotionless, or divine-but-not-really-human. In this session, John Eldredge brings us back to the raw and breathtaking reality of the incarnation. To love Jesus deeply, we must know him as he truly is—a man who laughed, cried, loved, and lived in every way as one of us. Discover how embracing Jesus’ humanity not only deepens your worship, but opens the door to greater intimacy, connection, and joy in your relationship with him.Explore this session alongside John’s book Beautiful Outlaw and dive deeper with the Beautiful Outlaw Study Guide. You can also download the Leader’s Guide to facilitate group discussion.For more stories and meditations on Jesus’ humanity, see The Humanity of Jesus, Did Jesus Get Dirt on His Robe?, and Don’t Tell.Learn more about the author John Eldredge or continue your journey through The Beautiful Outlaw Video Series.
02 – Who Do You Think You Are?
Session 2: Who Do You Think You Are? – Join Stasi for this three-part live teaching at Woodmen Valley Chapel. Over three sessions, Stasi invites women deeper into their own stories as they explore God's intimate involvement in their past and his unique dreams for their future.
Beautiful Outlaw Video Series - Chapter 3
Chapter 3: "Is Jesus Really Playful?" – Based on the groundbreaking book by John Eldredge, this video series clears away the religious fog that has clouded our perceptions of Jesus with bland, one-dimensional stereotypes. In a small-group setting, Eldredge takes a winsome, narrative approach as he invites us not only to discover who Jesus really is, but to enrich our daily experience of him and most importantly, to fall more deeply in love with him. Come and see Jesus. The real Jesus. A Perfect Love who defies conventional belief. A Beautiful Outlaw.
18 – Epilogue
What final words do you offer someone standing on the edge of suffering, doubt, or spiritual disillusionment? In this epilogue to Beautiful Outlaw, John Eldredge offers a farewell that is both sobering and fiercely hopeful. Suffering is guaranteed, Jesus warned us. But the greatest danger isn’t just hardship—it’s the damage suffering can do to our relationship with God. Left unguarded, pain becomes an open door to agreements like “God has abandoned me” or “I’ve failed Him again.” This closing session invites you to cling to Jesus—this beautiful, scandalously good outlaw—especially when life gets hard. Don’t let the pain lie to you. Instead, build a life of intentional remembering: say his name, turn your face toward him, surround yourself with reminders of his love, and fix your eyes on the restoration he promises. As John reminds us, Jesus isn’t finished. He’s waiting to raise the glass at the second Cana, when all things are made new. For deeper study, explore the Beautiful Outlaw book, stream the full video series, or download the study guide PDF. You can also journey further with related resources like Experience Jesus. Really., Get Your Life Back, or meet men walking this message in Wild At Heart: The Series.
03 – The Freedom to Become
Session 3 – Afternoon: "The Freedom to Become". Join Stasi for a Becoming Myself Day Retreat as you uncover your truest self, the “you” God created you to be – Filmed Live March 2014.
11 – Trueness
What does it mean to be true—not only in belief, but in being? In this powerful session, John Eldredge unpacks Jesus’ unwavering trueness in a world riddled with pretense, peer pressure, and the fear of man. Jesus was never false, never pressured into pleasing others or bowing to cultural expectations. He lived with fierce freedom and clarity of heart, embodying what it means to be both faithful and true (Revelation 19:11).Unlike many of us—who shape our beliefs, language, or even personalities based on the crowd—we see in Jesus a complete congruence between who he is, what he believes, and how he acts. Whether in confronting the Pharisees, standing firm before family pressures, or walking freely through praise and contempt, Jesus offers us a model of spiritual integrity and courageous love.If we want to truly follow Jesus, we must confront how deeply we’re shaped by the need for approval—and recover the same rootedness in identity that he invites us into.Want to go deeper? Read the book Beautiful Outlaw, watch the full video study, or engage with the participant’s guide. For more on this theme, explore the daily readings “A Shared Loneliness” and “A Bid for the Human Heart”. Learn more about John Eldredge and discover related content in Wild At Heart: The Series.
01 – Dreaming With God
Session 1: Dreaming with God – Join Stasi for this three-part live teaching at Woodmen Valley Chapel. Over three sessions, Stasi invites women deeper into their own stories as they explore God's intimate involvement in their past and his unique dreams for their future.
01 – The Power of Words
Session 1 – Morning: "The Power of Words". Join Stasi for a Becoming Myself Day Retreat as you uncover your truest self, the "you" God created you to be – Filmed Live March 2014.
Beautiful Outlaw Video Series - Chapter 3
Chapter 3: "Is Jesus Really Playful?" – Based on the groundbreaking book by John Eldredge, this video series clears away the religious fog that has clouded our perceptions of Jesus with bland, one-dimensional stereotypes. In a small-group setting, Eldredge takes a winsome, narrative approach as he invites us not only to discover who Jesus really is, but to enrich our daily experience of him and most importantly, to fall more deeply in love with him. Come and see Jesus. The real Jesus. A Perfect Love who defies conventional belief. A Beautiful Outlaw.