Meet Our Pastor
Pastor Robbie’s early life was rooted in Georgia, where he was deeply engaged in church activities. Throughout his youth, he immersed himself in summer camps, youth events, and choir singing. These experiences were merely the outward motions of “being a Christian“; at that time, Robbie had not yet truly been saved. After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Marine Corps, only to injure his knee and be medically discharged before he could complete training. After returning home, he met ReBecca, and they married a short year and a half later.
For some time, the couple distanced themselves from church, immersing themselves in worldly pursuits. However, in the spring of 2016, they began attending Canaan Baptist Church in Augusta, GA. That summer marked a turning point as ReBecca dedicated her life to Christ. Later that year, in December, Robbie also entrusted his life to the Lord as his Savior and committed to whatever God would have him do.
Immediately after salvation, Robbie began to be presonally discipled by his pastor, Mike Andrews. This included enrolling in the Bible Institute that Pastor Andrews taught there at Canaan Baptist Church as well as enrolling in Victory Baptist College in North Augusta, SC, where Pastor Andrews was also teaching. Alongside this very close discipleship program with their pastor, Robbie and ReBecca served as youth leaders at Canaan Baptist Church.
In June of 2018, God placed it in Robbie’s heart to carry the Gospel beyond the Southeast and plant a Baptist church where there was none. Through prayer and counseling, Robbie and ReBecca felt led to plant a church in America. A trip to Watertown, SD, in the summer of 2019, where they helped an existing church with outreach and Vacation Bible School, opened their eyes to the spiritual needs of the upper Midwest. It was during their visit to Arlington that they felt a clear calling to establish a church there.
In May 2020, the McClellands, along with their three children, two dogs, and a trailer of belongings, made the move to South Dakota. The family has since grown to include four children: Evan, Jocelyn, Ellie-Mae, and Wade. They continue to serve diligently in Arlington, with Robbie pastoring Arlington Baptist Church, offering counseling, discipleship sessions, and overseeing building projects. ReBecca actively teaches the Sunday morning children’s class and assists in the nursery. Even Evan contributes, managing the sound system and live streaming services.
