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Pastor Arnel Gabin, vice president of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division for the IEL-NDR, delivered a message on the importance of building a positive team culture during the morning devotional at the East Central Philippine Union Conference (ECPUC) executive meeting.

IEL-NDR stands for Nurture, Discipleship, and Reclamation – Integrated Evangelism Lifestyle.

Attending the morning devotional were CPUC workers and executive committee members who gathered Wednesday, April 8, for the year's second meeting. During these gatherings, the committee reviews strategic plans and makes critical decisions to strengthen the conference and broaden its missional impact.

Speaking to both committee members and ECPUC staff, Pastor Gabin set the tone for the day. He explained the key steps for building a professional, Christ-centered team culture, helping create an environment where people can work well together.

The main point of his message was unity. He said that a unified team is not just a good idea, but a practical need that helps people finish tasks faster and work together more smoothly.

Drawing from the wisdom of Scripture, Pastor Gabin referenced Psalm 133:1: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.” He further illustrated this through the life of Jesus, noting how the Savior masterfully mentored and collaborated with His twelve disciples to launch a world-changing mission.

Pastor Gabin also discussed challenges to unity, including miscommunication, burnout, a lack of trust, and unresolved conflict. To address these, he gave practical advice, focusing on four key areas: trust, engagement, affirmation, and mission empowerment.

Trust creates a safe environment where honesty and vulnerability can thrive, and engagement ensures that every team member is deeply invested in a shared vision.

This is further supported by affirmation, the intentional practice of validating each individual's unique value, and mission empowerment equips workers with the tools and confidence to lead and innovate within their specific roles. Together, these elements transform a group of individuals into a unified, Christ-centered team.

He ended his message by echoing the Apostle Paul’s reminder in Romans 12:4-5: that we are many parts of one single body. Though our functions and talents may differ, we are inextricably linked and belong to one another in service to the Lord.