Following a noteworthy career in magazine, curriculum, book and Bible publishing, Dean Merrill is now concentrating on indepen­dent editorial work. Some of his projects are solo writing, many are collaborations with well-known personalities, and still others involve overall directing of complex editorial projects.
READ MORE »

• Liberty vs. Virtue- Liberty and freedom are great—but they don’t make a strong nation if citizens do not use their freedoms responsibly. read more »
• Avoiding the Iceberg- I confess I’m mystified these days by an odd crossover of opinion: more and more Christians seem to be trying to make ethical room for drinking … while at the same time secular authorities are warning and worrying about this society’s rampant problem with alcohol…. read more »
• When Rulers Break Rules- read more »
• Good Exegesis for Kids, Too- From the days of Cecil B. de Mille up to the present, Christians have criticized Hollywood and New York producers for adding to the Scripture. Are we qualified to cast stones? …. read more »
• “Just Go Out and Have Fun”- A seven-year-old climbs in the minivan after attending a birthday party. “Did you have fun?” his mother asks. A star quarterback tells the after-game interviewer, “We said at halftime, ‘We’re too uptight. Let’s just go out there and have fun, and we’ll win this thing.’” An employee is asked by his friend how the new… read more »
• Stampeding to Tomorrow- “Busy” has become the modern shibboleth—a word adults just have to say. It’s the only acceptable reply when asked what you’ve been up to…. read more »
• Well, It’s Legal, Isn’t It?- Have you noticed how frequently ethical debates these days start—and end—with the question “Is it legal?”? read more »
• Blocks to Communication- Why is it that what once flowed so automatically in a courtship ends up slowing to a trickle? … read more »
• Why Does a Church Need Spiritual Gifts?- God’s plan for the church, as explained by the apostles, is that our various needs be met by a variety of input…. read more »
• Bible Translations: It Doesn’t Matter What You “Like”- Have you noticed that Bible translations even have their own Facebook pages now? The NIV, the NLT, the ESV, the NASB and others are busily telling their stories and collecting tens of thousands of “likes” from their fans. They’re all getting whupped, however, by the venerable King James Version, which has nearly 1.8 million…. read more »
• Doing vs. Managing- Why pastors run out of hours—and what to do about it. read more »
• The Lure of “New!”- If you’re in the advertising business, you quickly learn about the Two Magic Words. One is “FREE!” The other Magic Word is “NEW!”  read more »