Love Outside the Lines

“This book will make you think, make you laugh, make you pray. Jimmy Rollins pushes the envelope in a prophetic way, and he does so in a way that will fill your heart with hope. Love Outside the Lines is a deeply profound, chain-breaking, culture-shifting message for such a time as this. Jimmy shares this message of unity passionately, vulnerably, and empathetically. He speaks to the generational, cultural, and societal strongholds that plague humanity and gives us handles to conquer them. We cherish Jimmy’s friendship, and we respect and believe in the call to action that is Love Outside the Lines. Jimmy’s voice has been influential in the body of Christ, helping us think, love, and look beyond ourselves. He brings a compelling biblical approach to reconciliation, challenging us to listen deep and become the answer to Jesus’ prayer: that we would be one. His stories will make you laugh, cry, and evaluate your own perspective. I am thrilled for my friend to have put into writing what he’s been living for decades. What a much-needed message for the world today. Pastor Jimmy’s heart for reconciliation and unity is also my heart and God’s heart. The magnitude of the message of love and forgiveness shared in this book can change a generation and can change history for the better, if we let it. Don’t skip this read just because it may get uncomfortable or difficult. Lean in and listen to what God wants to teach you through this. The hard things are worth it. Jimmy has a God-given gift to build bridges in a world full of barriers. His story, wisdom, and insight are needed now more than ever. Love Outside the Lines is packed full of heart-moving, practical stories that will inspire us and teach us how to fight for unity, listen, learn, love, forgive, and celebrate our differences! Jimmy truly practices what he preaches. Love Outside the Lines focuses on reconciliation, fighting for unity while celebrating diversity, and having brutally honest conversations that bring us together instead of tearing us apart. These are aspects of the “kingdom culture” that Jimmy lives and practices as a pastor, husband, father, and friend, and it’s a message that each one of us needs in today’s divided culture. In a world that is so divided, the world needs a church that is united. Jimmy Rollins has lived the words that he has penned in Love Outside the Lines. Through the spectrum of friendships in his life, Jimmy has embodied what it is to put down one’s ego in order to build God’s church, a living representation of love. Now, through this book, he provides the guide to be able to “go through Samaria, to start having conversations with people who don’t look like us, and to wrestle with the parts of us that are resistant to this.” I believe this book is going to help us be the church and truly love outside the lines. As kids we are prone to color outside the lines because those boundaries seem powerless. As adults we are challenged to love outside of lines because we are confronted with a culture and our very own hearts that harbor stereotypes, biases, and preferences that deter us from Christ’s vision of unity and diversity. In his book, Love Outside the Lines, Jimmy has done what I’ve seen him do for the entirety of our close friendship, equip people to love like Jesus did, bringing the conversation about diversity to the most divided atmospheres. If you want a framework to love others on any side of the line you find yourself on, this book is for you. Why? Because this book does not give us tips, it gives us tools. I’m so glad Jimmy Rollins had the courage to write Love Outside the Lines. His story and approach to reaching people outside of the safety of our normal social construct resonated with me deeply. If you’ve followed him for any period of time, you know this is something he doesn’t just write about. . .he lives it! If you’re serious about living the way Jesus modeled for us to live, you have to add this book to your reading list! Jimmy Rollins’ dedication, commitment, and passion for mending the gaps that separate individuals are so encouraging. He uses examples from the life of Jesus as well as his own experiences to show how embracing discomfort ultimately leads to healing and reconciliation. This book has helped serve as a catalyst in my own life for difficult conversations and healthy communication.”

Chad Veach