God continues to bless us with talented people who are generous with their time and gifts. Below are the paid staff that God has sent to Hilltop.
Full Time Staff
Dyron D. - Senior Minister
Dyron Daughrity grew up in Portales, New Mexico, where his grandfather, Grover Ross, was a pastor for several decades. Dyron began his ministry career in 1993 at the Edmonson Church of Christ, not far from his alma mater, Lubbock Christian University. In the late 1990s he was a Youth Minister in Abilene, Texas, while also attending graduate school at Abilene Christian University. From 2000 to 2007 Dyron served as pastor of the Campbell-Stone United Church in Calgary, Alberta, where he also completed his PhD in Comparative Religion. Since 2007, Dyron has served several churches in Southern California. He launched his preaching ministry at Hilltop in 2023. Dyron has been married to Sunde (Gibson) since 1996, and they have four children who love the Lord. Dyron serves as a professor of Religion at Pepperdine University, and he enjoys sharing the love of Jesus Christ with the people in his life. He loves to write books, travel to India, play basketball, and host friends of all walks of life in his home.
Ben H. - Worship Minister
Ben Hopkins has loved music of all kinds, always. He grew up in the Church of Christ in Campbell, CA (Silicon Valley), a faith tradition with a cappella 4-part harmony singing. It wasn’t a choir - it was the whole church finding their part, be it soprano, alto, tenor or bass. On occasion he saw his grandpa or dad lead signing for different congregations, waving a hand and holding a hymnal. A communications graduate of Pepperdine University, ’96, Ben found many opportunities to continue multi-part singing in music class, through singing clubs and with the campus church.
Ben and his wife Sienna have been members at Hilltop Church since 2004 where they started their family, now with two teenage boys who also enjoy singing. But it wasn’t until 2017 that Ben decided to join the praise team at Hilltop, on mic, up front, leading the bass part, along with the Worship Minister and 3 other part-singers. Together they helped the whole church find their parts and sing in united harmony. Today Ben is the leader you’ll see up front most Sundays, working to curate the songs Hilltop may sing from service to service, weaving together praise, thanksgiving, eucharist and other themed tunes tied to each week’s sermon message.
Ask Ben about his passion for teaching Jesus’ healing grace and gift of eternal life through spiritual songs, hymns and corporate singing.
Daniel P. - Youth Ministry
Daniel Perez was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Santa Paula California where he served at the Santa in Paula church of Christ along side his family. Becoming more involved with ministry in high school, Daniel decided that he wanted to major in Religion at Pepperdine University to refine his skills in theology and practical ministry. While at Pepperdine, Daniel served in various leadership positions, such as resident advisor and spiritual life advisor for freshman dorm and with the fraternity he was a part of. Daniel began his official start in youth ministry in the summer of 2022 as an intern, being led under Brendan Williamson. Since then Daniel has served as the Youth Pastor at Hilltop Community Church of Christ.
Bobby Magallan - Intern
Bobby Magallan grew up in Santa Ana, California, where he felt a divine calling early on in his life. In high school Bobby fine-tuned his leadership skills serving as ASB Student Body President and captain of the baseball/cross country teams. The more Bobby’s relationship with the Lord grew the more he desired to learn, follow and serve God, ultimately leading him to attend Pepperdine University where his impact did not end. On the brink of receiving his B.A. in Religion in 2024, Bobby was recently selected to represent the Religion and Philosophy Division in the Pepperdine Seaver College Viewbook (https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/admission/voices/bobby.htm)! Bobby began his official start in ministry during the summer of 2023 as the intern minister working, and learning, under Hilltop’s awesome youth minister Daniel Perez. In his free time Bobby loves to read his bible, host Bible studies and play video games. We look forward to seeing all the ways that the Lord will use Bobby as a powerful instrument to magnify and extend his Kingdom!
Michelle G. - Ministry & Finance
