Highland Park Presbyterian Church (HPPC) voted unanimously today to call the Rev. Bryan H. Dunagan to be the church’s next senior pastor. He will be only the seventh senior pastor in the 88-year history of the church.
Rev. Dunagan is a native Texan and currently serves as the teaching pastor at Peachtree Presbyterian Church, a 7,000-member church in Atlanta, where he is one of the church’s two primary preaching pastors. During his nine years at Peachtree, Rev. Dunagan has emphasized preaching, teaching, outreach ministry and work with young adults and families. He also has been instrumental in growing the involvement of younger generations and increasing participation in weekly worship.
“I am honored, humbled and grateful to be extended this call to serve as your next senior pastor,” Rev. Dunagan said.
In a letter to the Highland Park congregation, he wrote: “As your new senior pastor, I look forward to helping HPPC dream God-sized dreams about the impact this congregation can have, not only in the city of Dallas, but also as part of an interwoven global church. It is a great privilege to be given this opportunity to point people to Jesus – not only through my words, but also through my actions – as together we seek to be transformed in Christ.”
HPPC elected a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) in October 2012 to oversee the search process, which included considerable work evaluating more than 100 candidates and networking with more than 60 contacts.
“Through God’s great sovereignty, Bryan and his wife, Ali, have quickly developed a strong love for our church community and feel a definitive call to HPPC,” Anne Compton, co-moderator of the PNC, said. “We enthusiastically and unanimously believe that God is calling the Rev. Bryan Dunagan because his gifts fit the needs of our congregation.”
The PNC cited several reasons why Rev. Dunagan is a good choice for HPPC including his leadership experience in a similar large Presbyterian church as well as his communication skills, relational emphasis, intergenerational focus and commitment to mission and outreach.
“Bryan has amazing gifts in preaching and teaching to all generations. He has a way of bringing the lost back into a relationship with the risen Christ and further maturing those who already follow Him,” said Rev. Dr. Dana Allin, Synod Executive of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, the denomination HPPC voted to join in October 2013.
Rev. Dunagan earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Stanford University and a master of divinity from Regent College. He is also a candidate for a doctor of ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. He has prior ministry experience at First Presbyterian Church in Bellingham, Wash.; La Jolla Presbyterian Church in La Jolla, Calif. and First Presbyterian Church in Houston.
Rev. Dunagan is married to Alison Wheeler Dunagan, an Atlanta native, and they have 8-month-old twins, Ann and Wheeler.
Founded in 1926, Highland Park Presbyterian Church’s mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ and to make a difference in the world for the glory of God through “Core Four” practices: Worship God, Grow in Christ, Build Community, and Bless the World. HPPC offers five unique types of worship services in the reformed Presbyterian tradition: a service for wholeness and communion, two traditional sanctuary services, a contemporary service, an international service with African influences and a new worship community for Mandarin-speaking Chinese. More information is available by calling 214-526-7457 and at www.hppc.org.
Information provided by HPPC Communications.