The Isabel Brown Show (The Daily Wire)

Episode: Bear Grylls Says Jesus Is His Greatest Adventure Yet

Date: October 20, 2025
Host: Isabel Brown
Guest: Bear Grylls

Episode Overview

In this powerful and wide-ranging episode, Isabel Brown sits down with famed adventurer Bear Grylls—not to talk wilderness survival or TV stunts, but to unveil Bear’s most important mission yet: sharing his journey of faith and his new book, The Greatest Story Ever Told. The conversation weaves through Bear’s personal spiritual encounters, the generational hunger for substantive faith, the role of courage in public expressions of belief, and how his new book reimagines the life of Jesus in a vivid, accessible way. The episode is rich with Bear’s stories from the wild, honest admissions of doubt, and a call to boldness for young people seeking deeper meaning.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bear’s New Adventure: Faith Over Fear

(Begins ~00:29)

• Isabel recalls her family watching Man vs. Wild together; Bear is grateful but shifts focus: "We're not just talking about survival or stunts. ... We're talking about faith, courage and the greatest story ever told."
• Bear shares that faith has been a “quiet, empowering presence” throughout his life, ignited as a teen in a difficult moment:

  "I found a faith as a young Teenager, on my own under a tree...I just said a really simple prayer, please be with me, Amen. Wasn't more complicated than that. But I don't know, from that moment a light was lit and that light has never gone out..." (02:20)

• He admits to ongoing struggles and doubts, pushing against the misconception that "you've got it all together" just because you're on TV:

  "On my own, actually, I'm weak...my faith has been like that hand in the glove, you know, ... a guiding, powerful force for me through so much." (03:10)

2. Faith Encounters in the Wild

(~04:08 – 07:27)

• Isabel asks for moments Bear felt closest to God during adventures. He points out that spiritual experiences aren’t always on “mountaintops,” but rather in struggles and unseen battles.
• Bear recounts a gripping story crossing the Arctic Ocean where his non-believing friend saw an angel during a near-deadly storm:

  "He said in the heart of that storm he saw an angel on the front of our little boat... he found a faith ever since we came through that storm..." (05:14)

• Emphasizes that faith is not confined to church:

  "The great thing about faith is that it doesn't have to be like rooted in church on a Sunday. I find as much church is in just my friendships and connections and little things every day." (06:43)

3. Countercultural Faith & Generational Shifts

(~07:27 – 12:21)

• Isabel highlights today’s young people searching for depth but tempted by self-centered culture.
• Bear warns against building your self-worth on transient things like social media or fame:

  "Where you put your heart is where your treasure is... hold those things lightly, ... they're shallow masters to have." (08:07)

• Encourages plugging into a “bottomless well”—faith in Christ:

  "Self-confidence is no confidence ... Lean on me, he says. That's what Jesus says." (09:25)

• Bear’s favorite Gospel moment:

  "...the wedding at Cana... the only time [Mary] doesn't listen to him...she just turns to the servers, says, do whatever he says... I try and live like that, just like those words. Do whatever he says." (10:56)

4. Celebrity Faith & Public Courage

(~14:28 – 17:51)

• Isabel notes the growing public declarations of faith among celebrities (Russell Brand, Mark Wahlberg, Chris Pratt).
• Bear sees courage as contagious:

  "Courage inspires courage, you know. And the harvest is ripe... You don't light a light to cover it up..." "One commandment...repeated more than any other ... was be courageous. ...Be salt and try and be brave." (15:05, 16:04)

• On being bold:

  "It's very brave, standing up for faith. And I'm thinking, what, to stand up for the Almighty? What an honour...you're standing up for love personified." (17:28)

5. Distinguishing Jesus from Religion

(~17:51 – 21:22)

• Bear reflects on his own teenage rejection of religion but distinguishes that Jesus “was the least religious person”:

  "...once you get rid of religion, stick with Jesus, who was the least religious person..." (18:15)

• Notes the fastest church growth in history occurred without Bibles, churches, songs, or sermons:

  "The heart of faith is none of those things. ... The heart of faith has been that thief on the cross next to Jesus and saying in desperation, remember me." (18:59)

• Young people today crave substance, not just tradition or rules:

  "He wasn't coming saying, I'm going to sort your life out on Sunday or I'm going to make you dress like this...He was just bringing life, life and forgiveness..." (19:48)

6. Writing The Greatest Story Ever Told

(~21:22 – 27:48)

• Bear says this book is his proudest work, aiming to help people encounter the real Jesus:

  "I'd give every single one up...to have done this. Because it is what it says. It is the greatest story ever told...most people don't know the story, the real story..." (21:24)

• Used Aramaic names to help readers see Jesus afresh:

  "Because I want people to come at it afresh without their expectations...He was pretty ferocious at times, challenging, totally unpredictable." (22:53)

• Inspired by The Chosen, Bear wrote the book as an eyewitness account, lifting Jesus' words directly from scripture but crafting the scenes like a thriller:

  "Write it like the Jesus story is a Tom Clancy novel... I didn't want to change a single word that Jesus said." (24:36)

• Short, vivid chapters are meant to be an “easy bridge” for people skeptical or intimidated by Scripture. (26:30, 27:14)

7. Holy Land Encounters & Faith’s Tangibility

(~28:59 – 34:35)

• Bear describes his long-held dream to visit the Holy Land and a moving experience skydiving over the Sea of Galilee:

  "Every time I jump...I always quietly say, 'Jesus, fly with me.' ... at the Sea of Galilee ... I went, Jesus, fly with me. And it was like tears. Like, this is one of the greatest moments of my life." (29:10)

• Isabel reflects on how the physicality and small scale of biblical sites make them “real, not fantastical”—a theme Bear echoes.

8. Comfort, Courage, and Following Christ

(~34:35 – 40:14)

• Discussion turns to the “dangerous” nature of Christianity; Bear calls it a call out of comfort:

  "We're not called to comfort. We're called to follow wherever...If you're static, nature, everything decays...We’re designed to thrive and challenge..." (35:40)

• The disciples themselves were “young, ill prepared, in at the deep end,” and most were martyred—reflecting the courage the faith demands.
• Bear:

  "... we're a faith rooted in kindness and humility and sacrifice and love and that's, you know, it's world-changing." (37:58)

• Isabel links this to Jesus' words in John:

  "Follow me. And it's going to get really uncomfortable in this process. ... all of them but one were brutally martyred for their faith." (38:34)

9. Practical Steps for Courage & Reassurance

(~38:58 – 44:06)

• Bear underscores the importance of foundations:

  "You're not going to get courage from putting your foundations in fame or social media or success.... Go to the right well, draw from the water where it's really good and living and will give you courage." (39:00)

• Admits to personal struggles and the need for community and honesty:

  "I really, really struggle with many, many things... We need each other." (39:53)

10. Unexpected Lessons from Jesus’ Story

(~40:14 – 42:29)

• Bear was moved by the deep humanity and doubts of Jesus and his followers:

  "John the Baptist... even John the Baptist had doubts. For me, it's so reassuring..." (40:55)

• Surprising details, like the first convert being the Roman centurion at the cross, impacted Bear deeply:

  "...the first ever convert to Christianity after Jesus is killed is a Roman... He looks at him and goes, truly, this guy is the son of God. It's pretty amazing..." (41:24)

11. Courage, Martyrdom, & a Message for Today’s Youth

(~42:29 – 44:06)

• Isabel highlights present-day stories of Christian martyrdom. Bear encourages young people:

  "There's such power in finding courage within and standing up... love is courageous... That's how Jesus did it. Broke bread with people, loved them, laughed with them, affirmed them, and shared truth with them gently." (43:09) "What is courage? Being scared and then doing it anyway. ... The world is full of incredible, brave, unknown stories of quiet courage ... inspiring and incredible." (43:49)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On weak spots and faith:

  "On my own, actually, I'm weak...my faith has been like that hand in the glove..." — Bear Grylls (03:10)

• On authentic courage:

  "Courage inspires courage, you know." — Bear Grylls (14:28)

• On celebrity faith:

  "It's very brave, standing up for faith. And I'm thinking, what, to stand up for the Almighty? What an honour." — Bear Grylls (17:28)

• On religion vs. Jesus:

  "...once you get rid of religion, stick with Jesus, who was the least religious person..." — Bear Grylls (18:15)

• On real substance:

  “I’d give every single one up...to have done this. Because it is what it says. It is the greatest story ever told. And most people don’t know the story, the real story...” — Bear Grylls (21:24)

• On facing doubts:

  "...even John the Baptist had doubts. For me, it's so reassuring..." — Bear Grylls (41:01)

• On courage today:

  "Love is courageous. Sharing love and light and friendship. ... Yes, it's courage, but that's okay to be courageous in life, you know. What is courage? Being scared and then doing it anyway." — Bear Grylls (43:09)

• On Jesus’ humanity:

  "I think just how human both Jesus was and the disciples were and how clueless and also the elements of doubt that was there..." — Bear Grylls (40:28)

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment / Topic | |-----------|------------------------------------------| | 00:29 | Episode intro – Bear’s journey of faith | | 02:02 | Bear’s spiritual awakening | | 04:08 | Encounters with God in the wild | | 07:27 | Countercultural faith for young people | | 08:04 | Building on solid/foundational values | | 14:28 | Celebrity courage & public faith | | 21:22 | Why write The Greatest Story Ever Told | | 24:10 | Influence of The Chosen | | 28:59 | Visiting the Holy Land | | 34:35 | Faith, challenge, and comfort | | 38:14 | Martyrdom & learning from the apostles | | 40:14 | Human struggles and doubts | | 42:29 | Martyrdom today & youth encouragement | | 44:06 | Bear’s message to young people |

Closing Reflection

Bear Grylls’ conversation with Isabel Brown goes well beyond the expected topics of survival and celebrity. Instead, he offers a disarmingly honest testimony that reframes faith as the greatest adventure—marked not by triumph, but by humility, persistent doubt, explosive courage, and a relentless pursuit of the real Jesus beyond religion or tradition. With memorable stories, practical encouragement, and a deep call for authenticity and boldness, this episode is both an invitation and a challenge to listeners seeking purpose in a noisy, uncertain world.