I have made many websites over the years—probably more than ten in both English and Korean. I have created websites for schools in Kenya and Nagaland, ministry institutes, Dr. Melvin’s work, leadership, lay ministry, and my own personal ministry.
One day, while looking at the website of a seminary in Canada, I noticed three words beautifully displayed on the banner:
Knowing, Being, and Doing.
I thought this was a very meaningful slogan for a seminary.
We are often taught to know and do. We learn something and then try to put it into practice. But this seminary emphasized three stages: Knowing, Being, and Doing. The word Being stands in the middle.
What does Being mean?
My understanding is that it means making what we know truly our own—allowing knowledge to shape our attitude, character, worldview, and way of life. In other words, we understand, we become, and then we do.
I think we often overlook this middle step. We pay attention to the beginning and the end: knowing and doing. But we neglect the necessary process in between.
This is also important for us at Melvin University. We learn many things in school, and naturally, we want to apply them immediately in ministry. But according to this threefold progression, what we learn should first become part of who we are. It should influence our worldview, shape our attitudes, and change our lives. Then we can apply it to ministry.
When we try to apply knowledge before it has become part of us, our ministry can feel somewhat incomplete—perhaps even immature. We may know the right methods, but something deeper is still missing.
This reminds me of what Rev. Melvin often emphasized: Being must be prepared before Doing.
Rev. Melvin has given us many valuable resources. Some are systematic, and others are strategic. These resources are essential if we want our ministry to be effective and successful. I strongly believe in using them.
But for deeper and long-term ministry, we need to pay even greater attention to Being.
Today, skills are becoming increasingly accessible to everyone. Technology, information, and practical tools can be learned by almost anyone. But there is still a great difference in what kind of person we are becoming.
That is where Being matters.
It involves self-reflection. It means being honest with ourselves and with others. It means developing the character and attitude to treat people with dignity and fairness. It means allowing what we know to shape who we are before we try to shape what we do.
Perhaps this is the real connection between faith and action.
Faith is not simply what we know, and ministry is not simply what we do. There must be a transformation in between.
Knowing gives us understanding.
Being gives us character.
Doing gives us expression.
The deepest ministry begins when what we know becomes who we are—and who we are naturally begins to shape what we do.