One of its leading churches is Jarvis Street Baptist Church of Toronto, Ontario, whose well-known pastor of 45 years, Thomas Todhunter Shields (1873–1955), led fundamentalist forces in the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec during the fundamentalist/modernist controversies in the first half of the 20th century.
Forerunners of the ARBC include the Union of Regular Baptist Churches, which was formed in 1928 in Hamilton, Ontario by 77 churches withdrawing from Ontario/Quebec Convention over the election of a liberal professor at McMaster University.
[1] ARBC was a partner of the Toronto Baptist Seminary and Bible College, and The Gospel Witness.
Each member church is free to act independently in all matters.
The home office of the GARBC holds no controlling power over member churches.