WHO WE ARE

Our first urban, young adult discipleship conference took place in the summer of 2007. Within a few years it grew to 2,000 annual attendees coming from cities across the country. This conference would encourage, empower and equip thousands of people to be disciples of Christ who would make disciples for Christ in their local context. Many would become pastors, church planters and leaders within their church. Others would have influence via social media and the arts. Others would be called to serve as educators, realtors, lawyers, and contractors.

The conference would continue to grow its reach until it would be necessary to create a separate 501(c)3, Legacy Disciple in August 2018. Since then, we have developed programs that can be utilized by local churches to engage their local community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ including social-emotional learning in elementary schools (Thriving Minds), mentoring programs in local churches (Brotherhood & Sisterhood Mentoring), summer employment and leadership development (Hood Heroes), and financial literacy and home ownership (J29 Homes). 

OUR MISSION

Legacy Disciple exists to encourage, equip, and empower young urban leaders to bring holistic healing to themselves and their community.

OUR VISION

Creating a culture of leadership development that holistically transforms communities and cities.

OUR VALUES

Love is the foundation that motivates and shapes everything we do.
Excellence is the standard we uphold.
Grace guides our interactions, fostering forgiveness, humility, and patience.
Advancement is our commitment to continuous growth and innovation.
Collaboration is the key to building strong communities.
Youthful voices drive us to approach challenges with passion and creativity.

FOLLOW

OUR TEAM

  • Brian serves a national movement of disciple-making and church planting in urban centers of America. He is the Executive Director of Legacy Disciple, an organization dedicated to fostering a culture of leadership development that holistically transforms communities and cities. Additionally, Brian serves as the Director of Leadership Development with The Chicago Partnership, a coalition of churches committed to making Jesus visible in every neighborhood of Chicago. He also holds the role of Area Director for CarePortal, connecting churches with the needs of vulnerable children and families. Beyond these responsibilities, Brian serves as an advisor to both the AND Campaign and Together Chicago, providing guidance and support to their efforts in justice, unity, and community transformation. Brian has been married to his best friend and ministry partner, Heidi, since 2000. Together, they live in Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighborhood. 

  • Kevin serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Legacy Disciple. Originally from a sheep farm in the UK, moved to the Chicago area in 2008. With a decade of pastoral experience, he previously served as the Director of Discipleship Resource Development for the Evangelical Covenant Church. Passionate about urban ministry, he has been actively involved with organizations like By the Hand and Inner City Impact. Kevin holds a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Exeter.

  • Nick Rivera is the Director of the Brotherhood and Sister Mentoring Network and Program Director at Legacy Disciple. A Chicago native, husband, and father of three, he brings a deep passion for youth advocacy and pastoral care. With a background rooted in family, faith, and community, Nick empowers young people through education, personal development, and spiritual growth.

  • Lamar serves as the Director of Thriving Minds at Legacy Disciple. As a South Side Chicago native, Lamar brings over a decade of experience in youth development and creative arts. Through Thriving Minds, he equips students with healthy coping skills through mindfulness and creative expression. Lamar is also the Youth Pastor at Compassion Baptist Church and an active local DJ. Married to his wife Sade since 2009, they are proud parents of four. In his free time, he enjoys basketball, running, music, and exploring new hobbies.

  • Breanna serves as Director of Clinical Support at Legacy Disciple, bringing a strong passion for integrating faith and mental health. A Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP), she is committed to destigmatizing mental health within the Christian community and providing compassionate, gospel-centered care. Breanna holds degrees in Clinical Psychology from North Carolina A&T State University and Adler University. She actively serves in ministry on Chicago’s South Side and South Suburbs, offering psychotherapy to marginalized individuals and families. Outside of work, she enjoys music, film, travel, and quality time with her husband, Nathional.

  • Tyrell Shoemaker is a nonprofit leader with over 15 years of community development experience in Chicago. As Director of J29 Homes, he leads initiatives that promote neighborhood transformation through homeownership. He also serves as a Church Ambassador with CarePortal, helping churches build meaningful connections with local families. Tyrell lives on Chicago’s West Side with his wife, Rachel, and their five children.

  • Jack serves as the Creative Director at Legacy Disciple. A Metro Detroit native based in Chicago, specializing in scaling digital impact for influential ministries nationwide. With experience at organizations like Transformation Church, Soul City Church, and Progressive Baptist Church, Jack has helped elevate the digital presence of renowned pastors and churches through strategic content development.

    As Creative Director at Legacy Disciple, Jack leads the organization’s creative vision, combining expertise in graphic design, UI design, and content production with a passion for urban ministry and engaging the next generation of leaders.

  • Kaelyn, a Louisiana native, serves as the Program Insights Specialist at Legacy Disciple, where she leverages her background in market research to ensure data-driven, impactful programming. She holds a degree in Business Sales and Marketing from Xavier University of Louisiana and previously worked as a Brand Consultant at Kantar, collaborating with major brands like Capital One, American Airlines, and Chick-fil-A. Passionate about empowering communities, Kaelyn is driven by a desire to create thoughtful solutions, foster meaningful connections, and drive long-term change.

  • Jeffrey "Shepherd" Garcia is the Conference Director of the Legacy Conference, a disciple-making movement empowering young adult Christians in urban cities across the U.S. His passion lies in cultivating kingdom partnerships, uniting local churches, and advancing bold, Christ-centered discipleship. As a Christian Hip-Hop artist with over 25 million streams and major sync placements with Nike, Netflix, and the NFL, Jeff leverages his platform to bridge the church and hip-hop communities. His life was transformed by The Legacy Conference in 2015, and he now leads with a vision to impact future generations. Jeff lives in Fort Lauderdale with his wife and ministry partner, Yohanan.

  • Daevion Sanders, a proud West Side Chicago native, serves as the Leaders in Training Coordinator for Hood Heroes, where he mentors and empowers emerging youth leaders. A student at Malcolm X College, he also gives back to his community as a YMCA instructor at his former elementary school and supports student growth through Thriving Minds initiatives. Outside of work, Daevion is a passionate sports fan, food lover, and avid photographer who uses his creativity to tell meaningful stories.

  • Originally from Buffalo, New York, Darnell studied science at Mercyhurst University before working in a laboratory setting in Ohio, where he met my wife, Tia. After relocating to Chicago to attend Moody Theological Seminary, Darnell now serves as Director of Operations at Legacy Disciple. Tia and I have been married for five years and enjoy life in the city. Outside of work, I enjoy listening to music and podcasts.

  • Omar, a Virginia native, serves as Executive Assistant to Legacy Disciple’s Executive Director, Brian Dye. With a passion for bridging theological education and practical ministry, he helps lead initiatives like Legacy University to equip believers with sound, everyday theology. Omar brings experience from academic and church contexts, including roles at Regent University, Virginia Christian College, Wheaton College, and Northern Seminary. He holds a Master of Divinity in Christian Theology from Regent University and shares life and ministry with his wife, Charity.