A Dallas-area megachurch has chosen a new senior pastor nearly two years after the sudden passing of former pastor Bryan Dunagan.

Following a unanimous recommendation from the Pastor Nominating Committee and a congregational vote, Highland Park Presbyterian Church (HP Pres) announced Sunday it has elected the Rev. Thomas Daniel as its new senior pastor, marking a new chapter for the nearly century-old congregation.

In a heartfelt letter to the congregation Sunday, Daniel expressed his gratitude and excitement for the calling and said he was “humbled and honored” to be HP Pres’ new pastor. “As my wife, Beth, and I met with the Pastor Nominating Committee, prayed about this opportunity, and sat with trusted friends and mentors who have guided us, it has become abundantly clear that God is calling us to join you all in Dallas and we are filled with gratitude and excitement for what the Lord has in store!” wrote Daniel.

Serving as senior pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin for nearly 12 years, Daniel also brings over 25 years of ministry experience as a preacher, leader and pastor. As a native of Atlanta, he holds degrees from Davidson College, Columbia Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity), and a Doctor of Ministry. His wife, the Rev. Beth Daniel, serves with The Ministry Collaborative, a national leadership development organization for pastors. The couple’s two daughters, Miriam Grace and Hannah Joy, are students at Baylor University.

Reflecting on his connection to HP Pres, Daniel said, “Your congregation has been close to my heart for many years and has certainly been in my prayers since Bryan Dunagan’s death. Bryan was a good friend of mine for almost 20 years, starting when we were both Associate Pastors in Atlanta. I understand the honor of following him as the Senior Pastor of Highland Park Presbyterian Church.”

Sharing his vision for HP Pres, Daniel said his earlier ministry experience would greatly inform his time at HP Pres.

“I have planted a congregation and witnessed the amazing ways that God engages new generations when we think creatively about how to share the Gospel,” he said.” I have been blessed to serve a vibrant and growing multi-generational congregation where we have experienced the Holy Spirit leading us to become a Love Letter from God to our neighbors. 

“I am grateful for the ways that God has been faithful throughout the various chapters of my life, and I believe that each of these chapters have prepared me to join you all in ministry and mission.”

Founded in 1926, HP Pres, a member of the Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians (ECO), has spent the last two years searching for a new senior pastor following the unexpected loss of Dunagan, who died in his sleep in October 2023 at age 44. Dunagan, who led the 5,500-member HP Pres for nine years, left behind his wife, Ali, and their three children. 

Dunagan was remembered as a “gifted communicator and a humble servant leader” whose passion for sharing the Gospel transformed thousands of lives. His legacy includes planting community churches like Peak Street Church, Grace Church Lake Highlands and Good Shepherd Oak Cliff. 

A January 2024 statement from HP Pres provided “additional context” about Dunagan’s death, including that he was taking Tramadol, a pain reliever, for a knee injury, while also on a “low dosage amount” of sertraline, a generic version of the anti-anxiety drug Zoloft. 

According to the statement, an autopsy later found “a combination of alcohol and the two commonly prescribed medicines, in their regular therapeutic amounts, resulted in a completely unexpected and unintentional cardiac and/or pulmonary event/reaction” which led to Dunagan’s death.

Now, with Daniel as its new pastor, HP Pres prepares to celebrate its centennial in 2026 - a milestone which Daniel says is the perfect time to reflect on the church’s legacy. “For almost 100 years, God has blessed HP Pres in many ways,” he said. “This is a congregation known for its dynamic commitment to the Gospel, to mission, to being an intergenerational church family, and to Christian leadership around the world.”

The search for a new pastor was a year-long process guided by prayer and discernment, said Kelsey Phillips, co-moderator of the Pastor Nominating Committee. “After more than a year of prayer, discernment, and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit, our church is thrilled to welcome Rev. Dr. Thomas Daniel as our new senior pastor,” said Phillips.

“We believe Thomas’ love for Jesus, his heart for people, and his visionary leadership will equip him to lead HP Pres faithfully into its second century of ministry.”