Beautiful Outlaw

The personality of Jesus is rarely discussed in churches today.  He’s good and loving, definitely religous.  He came to show us how to live, right?  What would Jesus do and all that.

But what if the person you thought was Jesus was fake?Or half-real?  What if we haven’t really seen Jesus’ true personality?

Thus begins John Eldredge’s Beautiful Outlaw (here’s a sweet video trailer), an engaging and breathtaking exploration of Jesus’ character as presented in scripture.  Eldredge begins on a quest to uncover Christ’s true image, his personality.  And as I read I felt myself loving this Jesus who was so passionate, playful, fierce, crafty, and human.

I have never laughed out loud so much reading about Jesus.  And I felt like I got to know him better, as you would a friend over a fireside chat.  I came away loving, admiring, desiring to know this man even more.  I was desperate to know him more, without realizing it.

After unpacking Jesus’ personality and revealing (among other things) his playfulness, honesty and cunning, Eldredge then invites the reader to experience Jesus firsthand.  He contends that an intimate encounter with Jesus is the most transforming experience of human existence, and I wholeheartedly agree.

This book will change the way you see Jesus, and it is an open door to an intimate encounter with him.  Definitely worth the read.