Our History

At Arlington Baptist Church, we’ve seen God work in amazing ways right from the start. In June 2018, God put it on Pastor Robbie McClelland’s heart to bring the Gospel to a place that needed a Baptist church. Around the same time families in Arlington, SD, were praying for exactly that. God soon connected the two, and in the summer of 2019, Pastor Robbie and his family visited Watertown, SD, to help at an existing ministry on a two-week trip when God placed the community of Arlington on Robbie’s heart.

In February 2020, Pastor Robbie attended a preachers’ fellowship in Florida and shared his hopes for Arlington. A pastor from Pennsylvania mentioned knowing a family in Arlington that had been praying for a Baptist church to be established there. That was the clear confirmation Pastor Robbie needed to relocate his family to South Dakota and serve the Arlington community.

Stepping out in faith, the McClellands arrived in May 2020, right as COVID-19 was beginning to reshape our world. Despite the challenges, they started meeting informally with two families in the summer of 2020. By October, they held the first official church meeting—initially as in-home Bible studies for nearly two years.

God continued to open doors, and in July 2022, Arlington Baptist Church was blessed to purchase and renovate the old American Legion building on Arlington’s Main Street. The inaugural service in our new home took place on August 7, 2022. Since then, we’ve seen God provide through the generosity of other ministries, allowing our church to grow and serve. In 2023, we hosted our first Vacation Bible School and supported our very first missionary.

In 2024, we launched monthly small groups, including men’s and women’s Bible studies, a homeschool day, and a teen night—offering multiple ways for our church family to connect, learn, and support one another. Then in 2025, we moved our midweek service from Thursdays to Wednesdays, placing a greater emphasis on prayer and fellowship, and launched a youth group—giving our teens a dedicated time to learn, grow, and connect.

On January 5, 2025, we reached a major milestone: Arlington Baptist Church became fully self-supporting after five years of faith-filled ministry. This incredible step marks not just a time of gratitude for the prayers and generosity of partnering churches but also a renewed commitment to fulfilling the Great Commission. We are now in a position to help support other ministries, trusting in God’s continued provision as we move forward.

We’d love for you to be a part of this unfolding story. Come grow with us as we build a legacy of faith, fellowship, and service that will impact our community and beyond for generations to come. We look forward to welcoming you into our church family!