Dr. B. R. Daniels Sr.

Beth-Eden Missionary Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas

November 15, 1945 – June 22, 2022

Dr. B. R. Daniels, Sr., a native of De Kalb, Texas, graduated from Marvin Pynes High School, and went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Arlington State College, now The University of Texas at Arlington.

Dr. Daniels was called to the ministry under the late Dr. N. L. Robinson of the Mount Olive Baptist Church, Arlington, Texas. Pastor Daniels’ love for the Word of God led him to receive a degree in Religious Studies from the Southern Bible Institute, Dallas, Texas, as well as a Master’s degree and a PhD in Theology and Christian Education from Aspen Theological Seminary in Denver, Colorado.

Pastor Daniels was called to the Beth-Eden Missionary Baptist Church in December 1972 after pastoring for three years and eight months at the Saint John Baptist Church in Avalon, Texas. At the start of his pastorate of the Beth-Eden Missionary Baptist Church, there were 37 members on the roll and only 18 active members. Within one year, the membership grew to 196 members, with 140 active members.

As of February 2022, Pastor Daniels had served as pastor for 50 years, and was the longest-serving pastor in the church’s history! Beth-Eden has over 400 members. During his dynamic leadership, a 3.2 million dollar building program was completed. The note-burning ceremony for this project was held on September 18, 2016. Under his ministry, 36 sons and adopted sons have been shepherded. To God be the glory!

During his 50 years as pastor of Beth-Eden, Pastor Daniels preached in churches all over this country and in the Bahamas. He held many positions on the local, state, and national levels. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Evangelistic Department of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. for four years. He served as President of the BM&E State Convention of Texas and retired from it in March 2022. Prior to that, he served as Vice President-at-Large of the BM&E State Convention of Texas and President of its State Youth Convention for at least 10 years. For 15 years, Pastor Daniels served as Moderator of the Northwestern District Baptist Association and also served as Vice Moderator. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Southern Bible Institute. Pastor Daniels had always been active in the community and served on the Zoning Commission of the City of Fort Worth.

Pastor Daniels received numerous honors and recognitions over the years. He had the opportunity to meet President Joe Biden when he was running for President of the United States. For his 45th Pastoral Anniversary, Pastor Daniels was honored on the floor of the U. S. House of Representatives by Congressman Marc Veasey. Congressman Veasey presented Pastor Daniels with a plaque bearing the Congressional Record from the 115th Congress, Second Session validating this honor on February 18, 2018 at the anniversary services. In 1995, President Bill Clinton invited him to the White House along with 20 other pastors from across the nation for a summit with churches. On September 1984, in Washington D.C. at a special ceremony honoring accomplished churches, Beth-Eden was proclaimed as one of the “great churches of the nation.”

He was married to Pamela Watson-Daniels for 38 years. He has 5 children; Tamela Daniels-Jones, Carla Daniels-Hill, Rev. B. R. Daniels, Jr., Rhonda Daniels, and Lynicia Daniels. He has 10 grandchildren, one deceased; and nine great-grandchildren, one deceased.

Pastor Daniels provided visionary leadership to the Beth-Eden Missionary Baptist Church for 50 years until God called him home on June 22, 2022!

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.gwspencerdirs.net for the Daniels family.