Great Lakes Gospel Assembly, originally Detroit Gospel Assembly, was founded in 1946 by Bro. Eugene Wheeler in Detroit, MI. Before he arrived, there was a pocket of people attending prayer meetings at the houses of the saints for a couple of years, but these people rented a hall o­n Magnolia and began holding regular church services. Bro. Wheeler led the church through a series of moves to progressively better locations until his retirement several years later.

Bro. Willie Atwell from Burna, KY, succeeded Bro. Wheeler in 1953 bringing with him a good portion of the congregation from the church in Burna. This combination of churches, Detroit with Burna, was really the pivotal moment in the history of GLGA.  Not long after he arrived, Bro. Atwell moved the church to Ferndale, MI, which is where it remained until 1980 when it was moved to it's current location in Warren, MI. Bro. Atwell continued to serve the church until his passing 6 years later.

Several people assisted the church after the passing of Bro. Atwell, including Bro. Tom Lord, and Bro. Lloyd Chalk. After a brief period of Bro. Lord serving as pastor, Bro. Chalk moved up from Norfolk, VA, and he and Bro. Lord exchanged pastorates. Bro. Lord continues to serve as pastor of Tidewater Gospel Assembly in Norfolk, Virginia.

Bro. Chalk served as pastor until his retirement in 1990 when he returned to Norfolk and was succeeded by Bro. William Waters. Bro. Waters began serving the church in June, 1990, and continues in that role through the present time.