Key: RP = Research/Discussion Paper/Article BS = Bible Study RN = Research Notes

The author has employed a style that is neither scholarly (designed for high end scholastic journals and unintelligible to many) nor chatty and journalistic (styles used in novels and newspapers). Instead, he prefers one that straddles both areas.

Moreover, he also prefers to write succinctly rather than in a verbose manner. Life is too short to write 20,000 words when the same message could expressed in 5,000. This will lessen the time needed by the already time-consumed reader. In addition, almost everything he writes is from a new perspective, building upon the Church of God teachings – not undoing them. In other words, he prefers to value add to them with new research and thinking.

If a subject has already been written and researched, he prefers to avoid duplicating efforts, even if there might be some differences of opinion between him and the research, booklet or book. It is only if he can add value to the subject that he ventures into the particular area and writes on it.

For, what is the benefit of going over old ground that has already been explored? It may be self-serving and showing off. But adds nothing to our body of knowledge. Our corpus of knowledge must be expanded upon with more and more proofs, not rehashing someone else's writings. Today's technology makes this much too easy - it often leads to cheating and forms of plagiarism.

But real research comes from pouring through libraries; analysis; critique; examining all points of view; knowing one's subject; cross-referencing; debating with others; contacting organisations and people for further insights/information etc. Such results in quality research and depth. This takes time - the misuse of modern technology bypasses this and leads to very shallow outcomes. There is no excuse for laziness. But today's generation does not seem to be interested in quality.