Book Trailer | Beautiful Outlaw
Beautiful Outlaw
Official Beautiful Outlaw book trailer
01. The Playfulness of God and the Poison of Religion
Beautiful Outlaw
In this opening session of the Beautiful Outlaw video series, John Eldredge challenges the religious fog that has distorted how many of us perceive Jesus. From institutionalized legalism to sanitized Sunday school portraits, Jesus has been stripped of his personality—and the result is a counterfeit gospel. What if Jesus is not only fierce and kind, but also disarming, irreverent, and playful? This episode explores how reclaiming the true personality of Jesus is central to loving and experiencing him as he really is. The journey begins with a bold unveiling of the religious assumptions that must be cleared away to recover the Jesus of the Gospels. If you’ve ever felt like something is missing from your relationship with God, this is your invitation to rediscover the beautiful, untamed presence of Jesus.Watch the full Beautiful Outlaw Video Series and explore the book Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge. To go deeper, download the Leader’s Guide and Participant’s Guide PDF.Related readings:Clearing the Religious FogThe Humanity of JesusFalse ReverenceDisruptive HonestyLet Him In
02. The Missing Essential: His Personality
Beautiful Outlaw
What comes to mind when you think of Jesus? A distant holy figure? A solemn teacher? In this eye-opening session from the Beautiful Outlaw video series, John Eldredge reveals how our image of Jesus is often shaped by religious fog and flat portrayals. But when we recover his true personality—his wit, playfulness, scandalous freedom, and fierce presence—it changes everything. Without the personality of Jesus, we lose Jesus himself. From gospel stories that are often misunderstood (like his exchange with the Canaanite woman), to the misrepresentations in classic art, John invites us to rediscover a fully human, wildly alive, and deeply personal Jesus—so that we can imitate him not in stiffness, but in vitality and presence. This session builds on John’s message in The Practice of Loving Jesus and his reflections in The Humanity of Jesus, urging us to follow a Savior who laughed, felt, and lived with profound passion.Explore the full Beautiful Outlaw book, video series, or download the Leader’s Guide and Participant’s Guide to go deeper. Learn more about John Eldredge, or continue this theme of unfiltered encounter through Experience Jesus. Really. and The Sacred Romance.
03. Is Jesus Really Playful?
Beautiful Outlaw
Jesus’ resurrection appearances could have started with fanfare. Instead, he plays the role of a curious traveler on the Emmaus Road. Rather than rushing to reveal himself, he walks alongside two grieving disciples, feigning ignorance until the perfect moment. Why? Because the Jesus of the Gospels is wildly playful, cunningly kind, and always in control of his timing. In this session, John Eldredge invites us to revisit the familiar stories of Scripture with fresh eyes—and to recover the joy and humor of Jesus that religion has often obscured.We encounter the Jesus who jokes with Nathanael, the Jesus who delights in a well-timed surprise, and the Jesus whose comic timing is as perfect as his compassion. This is not a sanitized Savior but a fully alive God who moves toward us with a twinkle in his eye. If you’ve longed for more personality in your faith, more intimacy with the living Christ, this session will help uncloud your view.This video session is part of the Beautiful Outlaw Video Series, based on the book Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge.To go deeper, check out the Beautiful Outlaw Study Guide PDF and Leaders Guide PDF. You can also explore related devotionals like See the Artist by His Artistry or His Sense of Humor.
04. Fierce Intention
Beautiful Outlaw
Jesus is not mild. He is fierce, intentional, and deeply disruptive in all the best ways. In this session of the Beautiful Outlaw video series, John Eldredge reveals how our assumptions about Jesus’ temperament have been shaped more by religious art than by the Gospels themselves. The picture of Jesus as serene and detached simply doesn’t hold up when confronted with moments like the cleansing of the temple or the raising of Lazarus. This is the Son of God confronting injustice, corruption, and death itself with thunder in his voice.This Jesus is not passively strolling through a spiritual painting—he’s overturning tables, weeping with grief, and calling the dead to life with a storm-like roar. And he does it all with fierce love and unwavering mission. By recovering this side of Jesus, we begin to understand his personality in full and why it’s so essential to our relationship with him.This teaching builds on themes from Beautiful Outlaw (the book), where John invites us to strip away religious fog and encounter Jesus as he truly is. For those wanting to go deeper, explore the full Beautiful Outlaw video study and download the Leader’s Guide or Participant’s Guide.Looking to continue your exploration of Jesus’ true nature? Try reading “A Cunning Jesus”, “His Sense of Humor”, or “Disruptive Honesty” from our Daily Readings archive.
05. The Most Human Face of All
Beautiful Outlaw
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.
06. Extravagant Generosity
Beautiful Outlaw
From the thunder of waves to the whisper of seashells scattered along the shore, creation reveals a Savior who is not only powerful and majestic—but lavishly generous. In this session of the Beautiful Outlaw video series, John Eldredge explores the joyful extravagance of Jesus, unpacking the miracle at Cana not simply as a revelation of power, but as an expression of abundant delight. Why 908 bottles of wine? Why keep the party going? Because that’s who Jesus is.Through beautiful storytelling and a closer look at Jesus’ first miracle, we’re invited to rediscover a Savior who delights in beauty, pours out abundance, and meets human need with unsparing grace. If you’ve been tempted to think of Jesus as distant, severe, or stoic, this session will challenge that notion at the core. It offers a glimpse into the rich generosity of God—a God who gives freely, joyfully, and more than we expect.Want to dive deeper? Explore the full Beautiful Outlaw video series, read the book Beautiful Outlaw, or download the Leader’s Guide and Participant’s Guide for further study. You can also explore related themes in “An Extravagant Offer” or “See the Artist by His Artistry” from the Wild at Heart Daily Readings archive.
07. Disruptive Honesty
Beautiful Outlaw
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.
08. A Scandalous Freedom
Beautiful Outlaw
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.
09. Cunning
Beautiful Outlaw
Jesus is cunning—not in the deceitful way we often associate with the word, but in the holy, artful, surprising way that only divine love can be. In this revealing session of Beautiful Outlaw, John Eldredge shows how Jesus uses brilliance and wit to reach guarded hearts, expose spiritual arrogance, and outmaneuver those trying to trap him. His playfully strategic conversation with the woman at the well in John 4 is a masterpiece of grace and precision.Jesus doesn’t just deliver truth bluntly; he draws people out. He flips the script on the religious elite and tenderly disarms the self-protective. His way is relational, wise, and fiercely intentional—often cloaked in humor, parables, or surprising questions. If your image of Jesus doesn’t include cleverness, bold engagement, or subversive kindness, you may have missed something essential to who he is.To explore more of Jesus’ disruptive goodness, read the book Beautiful Outlaw or use the Beautiful Outlaw Video Study for small group discussion. You can also download the Participant’s Guide, browse daily readings like “A Cunning Jesus”, or learn more about John Eldredge. For more stories of Jesus’ unexpected movement in the hearts of men, visit Wild At Heart: The Series.
10. Humility
Beautiful Outlaw
Jesus humbled himself. But the depth of that humility is almost beyond comprehension. In this session, John Eldredge explores the breathtaking humility of Jesus—who took on flesh, walked dusty roads, did his laundry, waited in lines, and invited ordinary men into the most extraordinary mission in history. He didn’t just lower himself from heaven to earth; he stooped to wash feet, to share meals with sinners, and to train a band of slow-learning disciples with deep patience.Through stories of Jesus’ baptism, his invitation to “come and see,” and his long walks between Galilean towns, this session will reframe what humility looks like in God. His power is not diminished by his meekness. It is revealed in it. And his invitation is still extended: Come with me. You have a part in the recreation of the world.To go deeper, read the book Beautiful Outlaw, explore the video study, or use the Beautiful Outlaw Participant’s Guide in your small group. You can also read “Don’t Tell” and “Did Jesus Get Dirt on His Robe?” for more reflections on the gritty humanity of Jesus. Learn more about John Eldredge, and discover related content in Wild At Heart: The Series.
11 – Trueness
Beautiful Outlaw
Chapter 11: "Trueness" – 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.
12 – Beautiful
Beautiful Outlaw
Chapter 12: "Beautiful" – 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.
13 – Loving Jesus
Beautiful Outlaw
Chapter 13: "Loving Jesus" – 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.
14 – Letting Jesus Be Himself – With You
Beautiful Outlaw
Chapter 14: "Letting Jesus Be Himself – With You" – 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.
15 – Clearing Away the Religious Fog
Beautiful Outlaw
Chapter 15: "Clearing Away the Religious Fog" – 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.
16 – Letting Jesus Be Himself – Encounters
Beautiful Outlaw
Chapter 16: "Letting Jesus Be Himself – Encounters" – 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
Beautiful Outlaw
Epilogue – 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.
PDF – Participant's Guide
Beautiful Outlaw
This participant’s guide is designed to be a companion for an individual or small group that is using the video series and book Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge. There are 18 sections of this guide, which tie together with the 17 chapters, plus the epilogue, of the book.
PDF – Leader's Guide
Beautiful Outlaw
Tips and encouragement to help you lead the 18-part Beautiful Outlaw series.