ABOUT ARBC

We would like to welcome you to Altoona Regular Baptist Church.

The purpose of Altoona Regular Baptist Church is to promote the worship of God by the preaching of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ; to promote the propagation of the gospel through Baptist missionaries at home and abroad; to have Sunday School and youth groups; to preserve Baptist doctrine, trusting that as a result sinners shall be saved and believers edified; to administer the ordinances of the New Testament; and to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints.

We believe that, according to Hebrews 10:25, we are not to forsake the assembly of ourselves together and that, according to Ephesians 4:16-17, the purpose of organized worship is to equip believers to become better disciples and decision makers. Therefore, every member of our church is expected to use their talents and abilities to further the spreading of the Word of God and to encourage the saints.

Our Story:

Altoona Regular Baptist Church began as a burden in four families from Runnells, Iowa for their neighbors in Altoona. These families began to pray, and their prayers turned into a Bible study that met weekly in the Legion Hall in Altoona.

On Easter Sunday 1961, 52 people gathered for the first services of what would become Altoona Regular Baptist Church. By November of that same year a charter membership was opened. In 1962 the church’s constitution was finalized and Altoona Regular Baptist Church was officially recognized.

God has continued to bless as Altoona Regular Baptist Church has grown from a burden, to a Bible study, to a thriving church. We praise God for what He has done both in and through Altoona Regular Baptist Church and we look forward too many more years of faithful ministry in Altoona, Iowa. May we never lose the burden of those first four families from Runnells, Iowa.

Our Pastor:

Pastor Josh has been at Altoona Regular Baptist Church since 2015, previously as assistant pastor. In July of 2019 Altoona Regular Baptist Church called Josh Robinson as Senior Pastor. Josh grew up in Greenville SC and has degrees from both Bob Jones University (2012) and Faith Baptist Bible College (2019). He is currently working to further his education through Faith Baptist Theological Seminary. Pastor Josh is married to Krista Robinson and they have 4 children. Pastor Josh is an Iowa State fan by marriage and a North Carolina Tar Heel by birth. He enjoys spending time with his family, sports, reading, coffee, and southern sweet tea.

Our Associations:

  • The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
    • This is the national association with whom we associate ourselves. On their website you can find detailed information on doctrinal statements of churches of like-faith throughout the U.S.A. The GARBC also serves as a host to Regular Baptist Press and Gospel Literature Service. You can visit their website by clicking here.
  • Iowa Association of Regular Baptist Churches
    • The Iowa Association of Regular Baptist Churches is our state fellowship of independent, fundamental Baptist churches.
  • Baptist Church Planter
    • We support a missionary through BCP, the Farlow.
  • Baptists for Life
    • This organization dedicated to the sanctity of human life provides tremendous resources on the issues of abortion and assisted suicide.
  • Baptist Mid-Missions
    • We support a total of eleven BMM missionaries.
  • Bibles International
    • This independent Baptist mission agency provides Christians with the Word of God in their own language.
  • Continental Baptist Missions
    • We support CBM missionaries such as a retired missionary couple, the Buttons.
  • Shepherds Ministries
    • These fine folks in Union Grove, Wisconsin, take the time to love and care for the mentally disabled.