The Rebel is about a young boy who has a rough childhood due to abuse, but uses his faith to overcome the these troubles to become a successful adult. Growing up in southern Alabama in the late 1950s through the early 1970s, John Cooper narrates a story about his life, friends and family. He re-evaluates himself after he gets in with the wrong crowd, making it a positive experience as he battles through the pain his father inflicts on him.