Juan Riesco - Love Life - The Church Around the World

Juan Riesco, Chicago City Director at Love Life USA, shares how the church can care for women with unplanned pregnancies.

Juan Riesco brings passion, love, and a unique perspective to every endeavor. As the City Director at Love Life USA, he is mobilizing hundreds of churches and thousands of Protestants to engage in pro-life efforts, an area traditionally led by the Roman Catholic Church in places like Chicago. He is also a leader in evangelistic street preaching, reviving a time-honored method that had fallen out of favor due to associations with negative actors and superficial tactics. From our conversation today, church leaders can gather practical insights on how to engage the local church in activism for their communities and the Gospel.

Growing up, Juan’s family ran a small corner bodega in Chicago. After years of drifting from the Lord and the family business, God redirected Juan’s passion back toward serving Him and working within the family business. In a short time, Nini’s Deli became a viral sensation in Chicago, gaining brand sponsorships from Fortune 500 apparel companies and recognition within the city’s restaurant scene. However, in 2020, a wave of protests erupted on their block as Juan took a stand that conflicted with the prevailing sentiments in the city, eventually leading to the business's closure.

Out of these challenges, God instilled in Juan a renewed passion for serving his community. Today, he leads efforts to support women, men, and the unborn at abortion clinics during their busiest days each week, and he volunteers to lead street evangelism in his off hours. Be inspired to consider how God might be calling a new generation in your church to serve the community, to encourage human flourishing, and to embrace Love Life alongside Juan Riesco.

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Juan’s Story
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