Trailer | Beautiful Outlaw
Beautiful Outlaw
sweeping imagery and powerful narration by John Eldredge, you’ll see Jesus not as a distant, stained-glass figure, but as a deeply human, passionately alive presence—playful, generous, humble, and wildly free. From turning water into nearly a thousand bottles of wine to standing barefoot on the shore after conquering death, this trailer reminds us that to know the real Jesus is to love Him. Based on the bestselling book Beautiful Outlaw, this preview invites you to discover a Jesus worth knowing—and worth everything. Explore the full video series, dive deeper with the book, or download the free study guide PDF to share the experience with others.
July 7, 2014
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
July 6, 2014
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.
July 6, 2014
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.
July 6, 2014
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.
July 6, 2014
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.
July 6, 2014
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.
July 6, 2014
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.
July 6, 2014
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.
July 6, 2014
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.
July 6, 2014
11. Trueness
Beautiful Outlaw
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.
July 6, 2014
12. Beautiful
Beautiful Outlaw
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”.
July 6, 2014
13. Loving Jesus
Beautiful Outlaw
To truly know Jesus is to love him—and to love him is to come alive. In this moving conclusion to the Beautiful Outlaw series, John Eldredge reminds us that Jesus is not just a noble example or sacred figure for religious devotion. He is our deepest need, our closest friend, and the very essence of life itself.This isn’t about having the “right” view of Jesus—it’s about loving him. Not with formality or religious detachment, but with a heart awakened to his presence in your everyday life. When we speak to him with affection, share our daily moments with him, and welcome his life into ours, something beautiful happens. Love opens the soul to communion.But to do this, we must also let go of false reverence—of stained-glass language and distant titles. Jesus didn’t want to be called “The Good Lord” or approached through mediators. He told us to call God “Papa.” He insisted on being known as “Jesus.” He swam in our waters, walked our dusty roads, and wrapped his arms around his friends in spontaneous joy. And today, he still wants nothing more than to walk with you.You were made for a daily, intimate, life-giving relationship with Jesus. The kind that prompts you, like Peter, to leap into the water just to get to him.Want to go deeper? Read the book Beautiful Outlaw, explore the complete video series, or download the participant’s guide. Learn more about John Eldredge or explore companion reflections like “False Reverence” and “Love in Action”. For more cinematic explorations of Jesus’ heart, check out Wild At Heart: The Series.
July 6, 2014
14. Letting Jesus Be Himself – With You
Beautiful Outlaw
What limits have you unknowingly placed on Jesus? In this powerful session, John Eldredge invites you to consider how your past experiences, trauma, religious training—or even low self-worth—may be shaping your view of Jesus. More than that, it may be shaping how much of him you’re willing to experience.Jesus will often meet us through the “kitchen window”—our limited expectations or distorted beliefs—because he’s committed to relationship. But he also longs to be known for who he really is. The religious Jesus, the one who always feels distant or serious or disappointed in you, isn’t the Jesus of the Gospels. The true Jesus touches lepers, cracks jokes, restores friends, and makes breakfast on the beach.This session gives language to the brokenness that shapes our perception of Christ—and offers real hope for healing. If you’ve ever believed “Jesus doesn’t speak to me,” or “I’m never good enough for God,” this message is a life-giving invitation to let Jesus shatter false assumptions and simply be himself with you.To go deeper, read the book Beautiful Outlaw, or access the video study series and PDF participants guide. Explore related reflections like “False Reverence”, “Let Him In”, and “Jesus Restores Peter”. Discover more about John Eldredge and explore companion video series like Wild At Heart: The Series.
July 6, 2014
15. Clearing Away the Religious Fog
Beautiful Outlaw
So much of what clouds our experience of Jesus isn’t sin or doubt—it’s religion. In this disruptive and freeing session, John Eldredge exposes the spirit of religiosity that Jesus most often confronted in the Gospels. Far from being indifferent, Jesus burned with righteous anger toward systems that distorted the Father’s heart and kept people from truly knowing him.Religious fog uses sanctified language, rituals, and expectations to pull us away from intimacy with Jesus. It replaces loving Jesus with loving church culture. It swaps knowing God with knowing about God. It promotes false reverence, trivial morality, and activity over encounter. Jesus didn’t come to start a new religion—he came to offer restoration and relationship.With fierce clarity and a heart of compassion, John helps us name and clear away the fog that stands between us and the real Jesus. If you’ve ever felt like something was missing in your walk with God, this might be the most important session in the series.For more, explore the book Beautiful Outlaw, download the video study guide, or rewatch the full Beautiful Outlaw video series. Read related Daily Readings like “False Reverence”, “Surrender Self-Determination”, and “Clearing the Religious Fog”. Learn more about John Eldredge and his other series like Wild At Heart: The Series.
July 6, 2014
16. Letting Jesus Be Himself – Encounters
Beautiful Outlaw
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..
July 6, 2014
17. Letting His Life Fill Yours
Beautiful Outlaw
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.
July 6, 2014
18. Epilogue
Beautiful Outlaw
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.
July 6, 2014
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.
October 30, 2023
PDF – Leader's Guide
Beautiful Outlaw
Tips and encouragement to help you lead the 18-part Beautiful Outlaw series.
October 30, 2023