The association's home office is located in Elgin, Illinois.
The impact of modernism on the Northern Baptist Convention (now called the American Baptist Churches USA) led to the eventual withdrawal of a number of conservative and fundamentalist churches.
The Baptist Bible Union (BBU) of 1923 was the forerunner to the GARBC.
The states with the highest membership rates are Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Ohio.
The home office of the GARBC holds no controlling power over member churches.