CEBU CITY, Philippines — Eighty-seven Adventist educators from various missions and conferences attended the Teachers’ Summer Institute 2026, a week-long professional and spiritual development program held May 10–17 at the East Central Philippine Union Conference (ECPUC) headquarters.
Organized by the ECPUC Education Department, the summit focused on the theme “Teach Like Jesus.” The initiative aimed to equip teachers as Christ-centered educators and disciple-makers by integrating faith and mission across all subjects in support of the “One Voice 27” movement.
The institute’s core training featured the “Teach Like Jesus Course” and “Children’s Ministries Certification Level 1” as primary workshops. These were supported by specialized sessions in stewardship education, literature ministry, and legal services.
Atty. Christian H. Abenir, ECPUC legal affairs, public affairs, and religious liberty director, led the seminar on legal services and private school regulations. His lectures covered the basic legal responsibilities of private schools, child protection and school safety policies, teacher rights, and documentation compliance, while addressing common legal issues specific to Adventist schools.
The event began on May 10 with a welcome program, dinner, and an orientation. From the first through the sixth day, the daily schedule included a morning devotional, plenary sessions, workshops, group sharing, learning output presentations, and reflection periods.
Pastor Isaias Guisando, education superintendent of the Central Visayan Conference, delivered the messages for the morning devotionals from Monday to Friday. Sabbath worship and fellowship took place on Saturday, followed by city tours on the final day of the event.
Ana Liza Facon, education director and Adventist Possibility Ministries coordinator for the ECPUC, and Melodie Mae K. Inapan, children and women’s director and Ministerial Spouses Association coordinator for the ECPUC, facilitated the major seminar-workshops.
Meanwhile, Pastor Ildefonso A. Baquilabat, ECPUC field secretary and stewardship ministries director, led the specialized session on stewardship education. He discussed “Live It, Teach It: The Life of a Faithful Steward Teacher,” which means that teachers should practice the values and faith they teach so students can learn through both words and example. It emphasizes responsible stewardship of knowledge, character, and influence to guide and inspire others in positive ways.
In a related specialized session, Pastor Toneri F. Gaa, ECPUC Spirit of Prophecy, literature ministry seminary, and publishing ministries director, spoke about the role of the literature ministry in church education. He highlighted how teachers can use printed resources and spiritual literature in the classroom to strengthen students’ faith and support the gospel mission.
On the other hand, Inapan led multiple sessions for the “Teach Like Jesus” and “Children’s Ministries Certification Level 1” courses. Among her lectures, Inapan highlighted Christ’s instructional methods, emphasizing how educators can adapt their teaching to meet children’s developmental needs. She also discussed practical, Christ-centered strategies for shaping early childhood character and nurturing a foundation of faith in the young generation.
In emphasizing that faith is a living, lifelong relationship with God that develops across four distinct stages, she outlined stages as experienced faith in early childhood, which relies on observation and adult modeling; belonging faith in late primary years, driven by a desire for community and church involvement; searching faith during adolescence, marked by critical judgment and identity questioning; and owned faith in adulthood.
To the educators who are parents at the same time, she asked, “How can parents help? By affirming their strength.” To the teachers, she also raised the question, “How can we help them know that Jesus is real? You can make Jesus and His grace central to every class.”
Ana Liza Facon, ECPUC education director and Adventist Possibility Ministries coordinator, spoke about the spiritual and professional role of church educators. She emphasized that an Adventist teacher should serve as both a leader and a spiritual guide. Facon explained the core lessons Jesus taught, focusing on what he wanted his followers to learn and understand.
Furthermore, Facon used interactive teaching methods during her sessions. She led various group activities, including “think-pair-share” exercises, to help the teachers collaborate and learn from one another.
During one session, Facon responded to a participant who shared a story about a teacher who had inspired him in the past.
“Truly, what we do or say can either make or break,” Facon said, emphasizing that teachers play a major role in shaping their students’ futures. She noted that educators have the power to inspire and motivate students, or conversely, make their time in the classroom unpleasant.
The summit culminated with a Sabbath worship service and a daylong spiritual retreat led by Pastor Von John Sanchez, ECPUC youth and health ministries director, who also served as the speaker for divine worship. The retreat provided the educators with time to worship, reflect, and renew their commitment to the church’s mission. During his presentations, Sanchez taught the participants practical methods for Bible study and personal spiritual growth while exploring the core purpose and meaning of true worship.
During the final commitment ceremony, Pastor Renito C. Inapan, CPUC treasurer, conducted the dedication service and offered a dedicatory prayer for the teachers.
In his message, titled “Teach Like Jesus,” Pastor Inapan emphasized that true education is rooted in love and compassion, citing Ellen White’s passage in her book “Education” page 16, which frames love as the basis of both creation, redemption, and true education.”
He noted that Jesus taught primarily by example—displaying humility by washing the disciples’ feet, showing forgiveness to his executioners, and dedicating his life to service.
Pastor Inapan reminded the educators that students closely watch how teachers live their lives, making examples far more powerful than words. He concluded by stating that teaching is a lifelong ministry rather than just a profession, in which every classroom serves as a pulpit, every lesson is an opportunity to reveal Christ, and every Adventist teacher functions as an evangelist called to shine brightly in a dark world.
On a Sunday, they relaxed their minds after intensive learning sessions and enjoyed a city tour before heading back to their respective homes across ECPUC.
For educators, the event further equipped them with strategies for effective classroom management, made them aware of legal responsibilities regarding school operations and student welfare, encouraged faithful stewardship of resources, and highlighted the literature ministry as a tool for children’s education.
Ma. Jonalyn Dalaguan, the school head of Adventist Elementary School-Camotes, Inc., shared her impression of the event.
“Our one-week summer institute seminar made a meaningful impact on our lives,” Dalaguan said. “It reminds us to teach like Jesus and cater to the needs of our learners in the classroom by welcoming every learner, valuing every child, nurturing every gift, and leading students closer to Christ.”
Lyn Lucero | East Central Philippine Union Conference Communication Department