LITTLE ROCK –Early childhood ministry leaders from across Arkansas gathered July 30 at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church for Explore Discover Grow, a day of training, encouragement and practical resources for those serving children and families.

Centered on the theme "You Are Unique, Kind, Enough" from Ephesians 2:10, the event challenged participants to recognize God's unique calling on their lives while providing practical tools for creating excellent learning experiences where children can grow physically, mentally and spiritually.

Welcoming attendees, Arkansas Baptists Abuse Prevention + Response Consultant Emily Smith thanked Geyer Springs First Baptist Church for hosting the event and recognized the planning team whose work helped make the gathering possible.

Smith shared that the theme was chosen to remind early childhood leaders that God has intentionally created and equipped them for the ministry they have been called to serve.

"God has designed you specifically for the task that you have,” she said.

Smith encouraged participants to embrace the importance of their work as they help lay a spiritual foundation in the lives of children.

"We know how important it is to lay a strong foundation so we can continue to build upon it as children continue to explore, discover and grow all through their years," she said.

The July 30 gathering was the second of two Explore Discover Grow events hosted by Arkansas Baptists this week. A previous event was held July 27 in Rogers, allowing early childhood leaders from different areas of the state to participate in the training.

Throughout the day, participants attended keynote sessions and breakout trainings focused on providing practical ideas and encouragement for those serving children from infancy through kindergarten. The event provided up to seven hours of professional development training for attendees.

Opening keynote speaker Stephanie Chase, an early childhood ministry leader and speaker from Houston, Texas, challenged participants to embrace their God-given uniqueness and become "EXTRAordinary" in their ministry.

Through humor, audience participation and practical examples, Chase encouraged leaders to move beyond simply completing tasks and intentionally invest in children, families and fellow team members. She emphasized the importance of creating welcoming environments, speaking words of encouragement, spending time with Jesus, relying on the Holy Spirit, using music as a teaching tool and providing opportunities for children to learn through play.

"God created you to be extraordinary," Chase told attendees. "It is time to stop settling and saying, 'I'm just going to be ordinary.' I'm going to be extraordinary for the glory of God, for the sake of children and for the Kingdom."

Beyond training, Explore Discover Grow provided a place for early childhood leaders to connect with others serving in similar ministries, share experiences and receive encouragement for the work God has called them to do.

As the event concluded, participants returned to their ministries with new ideas, professional development hours and renewed confidence in the importance of investing in the lives of children and families.