Founder, Bro. Lacy Hawkins

Bro. Lacy Hawkins and his late wife Sis. Etta Hawkins, began the General Assembly Church in Berkeley, California in 1974. Today, his ministry has flourished into five churches throughout California, Louisiana and Texas.

Prior to launching his ministry, Bro. Hawkins was a member of a church in Oakland, California, which was a part of the Body of Christ. He received the Holy Ghost in 1961 and became zealous for the word of God and began to learn about the doctrines of Christ. As he and his wife began to grow and develop in the Lord they overcame great adversity, but continued in the Lord.

The Lord began to call Bro. Hawkins to start his ministry through a series of visions and events. One early morning he went for a drive in his new car and was stopped at a traffic light when the car began to shake. Thinking it was an earthquake, he leapt out of the car and sat on a nearby bench by himself. As he sat on the bench he realized that there had not been an earthquake and suddenly he heard an audible voice say, “Are you going to go now?” The Lord had been dealing with Bro. Hawkins for a while to start his ministry. Shortly after that experience, he hearkened unto the voice of the Lord and on April 7, 1974 held the first service of the General Assembly Church in Berkeley, California with around 6 people in an old building on Cedar Street.