Since 1942 Glad Tidings Assembly of God Church has stood as a beacon of faith in Houston. This wasn’t always the case. Two separate Assemblies of God congregations existed. One was Studewood Assembly of God. The other was Brooksmith Assembly of God. They merged to become the Glad Tidings Assembly of God we see today. Rev Willie Houston Summerall led this merger. He served as the pastor until 1948.
The church’s history is rich with stories of revival and growth. Under the leadership of Rev G Q Manley from 1948 to 1970 the church flourished. They purchased their current property. They built Manley Chapel. The 1950s and 60s saw powerful revivals. The church experienced significant growth during this period.
After Rev Manley’s death Rev Laurell Akers took over. He served until 1990 overseeing further growth and two major building projects. These included the Life Center and the current sanctuary and educational building. Longtime associate David Schultz then became pastor. He served until 1997. He is deeply appreciated by the congregation for his years of service.
In 1997 Calvin and Beverly Durham became pastors. Their 17 years of service brought about the acquisition of adjacent properties. They paid off the church debt in 2013. A new entrance and a state-of-the-art sign were added to enhance the property. The church’s missions contributions reached record highs.
Tragedy struck in 2009 and 2010. Associate James Rogers suffered a paralyzing accident. Rev John Durham’s wife Laura passed away. John Durham joined the staff in 2010 with his sons. He married Melissa Darnell in 2011. In 2013 he and Melissa were elected as the tenth pastors upon his father’s retirement.
In 2015 John Durham was diagnosed with a rare neurological genetic mutation. He continued to pastor faithfully. He adopted the phrase “But God” acknowledging God’s control despite hardships. Glad Tidings remained steadfast. The church continued to grow.
John Durham passed away in 2018. The church remained faithful to the Lord. They supported the Durham family. In March 2019 Glad Tidings elected Samuel and Briana Reynolds and their family as pastors. They led the church through a transition. In 2022 they moved to a new location in Northwest Houston. The name changed to Discovery Church Cypress. The legacy of Glad Tidings Assembly of God however lives on. It continues to serve Houston with the Pentecostal message of Christ’s grace and love.