The Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention was created in 2019 to help leaders protect the vulnerable in ministry through awareness, accreditation, and resources. While there are a number of providers doing good work in this space, our community must press forward to excel still more in this biblical stewardship. We believe that every person is created in the image of God for the purpose of worship. The people in our care must be protected from abuse so that they can hear the gospel and grow in discipleship for the purpose of the Great Commission.
ECAP seeks to help leaders know what should be done to protect persons and how to respond when an allegation of abuse is reported. Our accreditation program will assist in demonstrating compliance to the standards resulting in peace of mind for leaders and parents and sustainability to ensure that safety programs continue as designed.
There is an important role for other providers to support this mission. From training providers, background check companies, response and investigation teams, as well as care and counseling for victims of abuse. ECAP is a membership-based accreditation organization committed to supporting ministries in creating safe environments for kids.
Mission
To support Christian ministries in child protection and abuse prevention through awareness, accreditation, and resources.
Vision
That Christian ministries would be safe places for children and youth to hear the gospel, grow in discipleship, and that spiritual formation would take place unhindered by abuse.
Values
• Human dignity (Imago Dei)
• Integrity
• Stewardship
• Transparency
• Care and compassion
The Council
The Council consists of several committees that manage and monitor standards and the accreditation program. It also includes board members, survivors, subject matter experts, and eventually accredited members. The Council operates under the authority of the ECAP Board of Directors.
Who Are We
JEFF DALRYMPLE
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Jeff Dalrymple is an organizational leader whose leadership experience includes roles in public safety, higher education, Christian NGOs, and parachurch organizations. He is also an elder at Sunrise Community Church and CEO of Red Buffalo consulting.
In addition to implementing child protection programs at several ministries, his experience includes organizational leadership, team building, communications, development/fundraising, hospitality, conference & event planning, international relations, strategic planning, revitalization, and board governance.
Jeff holds a Bachelor of Science in organizational management as well as a Masters in international relations and conflict resolution. He has also received certificates from Disney Institute in leadership excellence, and fundraising from Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy.
Jeff has previously served as a vice president at Southern Seminary and was the board president of Louisville Rescue Mission. He currently serves as the board chair of Hadassah’s Hope and a member of the board of The Apollos Project. Jeff enjoys reading, exploring, and spending time with family. Married to Kristil they are the parents of: JJ, Kassie, Katherine, and Kylie. They reside in Jacksonville, Florida.
SALLY WAGENMAKER, ESQ
GENERAL COUNSEL
Sally Wagenmaker provides legal counsel in corporate, tax, employment, and real estate matters for nonprofits operating on local, national, and international levels. Her clients include churches and other religious organizations, social service providers, and schools.
Sally’s corporate and tax work includes development of new tax-exempt entities, providing guidance for effective nonprofit governance and other operational legal issues. In addition, she represents clients in property tax exemption matters for charitable, religious, and educational purposes, shared occupancy arrangements, and property transfers. Sally also regularly advises and counsels the firm’s nonprofit clients on employment matters including contracts, termination, employment policies, unemployment insurance, and compliance with other employment laws, particularly as they relate to nonprofit issues such as volunteers and clergy.
Prior to practicing law with Wagenmaker & Oberly, Sally was a partner with Mosher & Wagenmaker and also worked with the Chicago law firm of Hoogendoorn & Talbot. In addition, she worked as a solo practitioner, providing legal assistance to indigent and low-income clients primarily in Chicago’s west side neighborhood of North Lawndale. Sally lives in Chicago with her husband Dan, and they have two children in college.
THERESA SIDEBOTHAM, ESQ
EXPERT PANEL CHAIR
Theresa Sidebotham has represented a variety of businesses, ministries, and churches in her capacity as founding attorney at Telios Law PLLC. This has included legal and policy issues such as child protection and safety, as well as facilitating investigations; both historic and current.
After attending Columbia International University, Theresa received a Bachelor of Arts in Literature from Wheaton College. She graduated from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law with her Juris Doctor in 2005 and was licensed by the Supreme Court of the United States in March of 2019.
Theresa speaks regularly on protecting children from sexual assault, specifically in ministry settings. She has published numerous articles on the issue including “Getting it Right, Healing the Wrong: Legal Issues in Protecting Children and Organizations from Sexual Abuse”.
Currently serving as the pro bono General Counsel for the Child Safety Protection Network, Theresa has previously served as a board member for Special Kids, Special Families. She also became a member of the Digital Images Task Force in 2016.
JESSE MAYNOR
ACCREDITATION PROGRAM MANAGER
Jesse Maynor joined ECAP in 2022 after serving as an Officer in the U.S. Navy for 25 years in a variety of leadership, education, and staff assignments. His role with ECAP is focused on completing the organizational processes and structures necessary to begin granting accreditation to Charter Member organizations, as well as assisting Charter Member Candidates’ completion of initial accreditation.
Jesse previously served as a deacon at Aiea Heights Church in Hawaii, and in a variety of teaching and supporting roles in the churches where God placed his family during their Navy-induced wanderings. Jesse enjoys reading, camping, and family movie nights. He resides in the Tampa Bay area with his wife and children.
Jesse graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science in 2001, the U.S. Army Command & General Staff College in 2013, and the Naval Leadership & Ethics Center Executive Officer Course in 2018. He hopes to pursue a seminary degree in the next five years.
BRIGGHAM WINKLER
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Briggham Winkler has served as the Communications Coordinator for ECAP since the Summer of 2021. He earned his B.A. in Biblical and Theological Studies from Boyce College and his Masters of Divinity from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY in May of 2020. Briggham also serves as a New Testament and Biblical Worldview Tutor for the Providence Extension Program in Jacksonville, FL. He has been married to his wife Hannah since January 2019, and they live in Jacksonville with their chocolate Lab, Cass, and their two cats, Pepper and Julep.
Our Board
JENNA QUINN
Jenna Quinn is a triumphant survivor of sexual abuse, author, TED speaker, and the survivor behind Jenna’s Law. She has become a valiant warrior against sexual abuse of children and adolescents through education and legislation.
With a master’s degree in communication studies, Jenna has spoken for over 100 Children’s Advocacy Centers across the country and has reached international audiences sharing her unique and inspiring story with legislatures, law-enforcement, abuse prevention groups, schools, communities of faith, nonprofit organizations, and the general public for over 14 years.
She moved into political action in 2007, reaching out to Texas legislators about the need for schools to adopt age-appropriate curriculum on child sexual abuse, now known as Jenna’s Law which was passed in May 2009. In 2017, Jenna’s Law was amended to include sex trafficking prevention education in schools. Over half the country has adopted a form of Jenna’s Law since its origin in 2009.
KEVIN WHITE
Kevin White serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Awana, a global non-profit ministry reaching over five million children and youth in 120 countries. Having served in a variety of non-profit, church, school, and ministry settings over the course of the last 20 years, he has a passion for developing sustaining ministries and helping leaders increase their effectiveness in accomplishing their mission.
Kevin earned a degree in marketing from Northern Illinois University, a Certificate in Biblical Studies from Moody Bible Institute, and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul. In addition to his work at Awana, he speaks and writes on organizational development, non-profit and ministry lifecycles, and transformational leadership. He serves as an adjunct faculty member at Judson University and as an elder and student ministry volunteer at Christ Community Church in DeKalb, Illinois.
Kevin has been married to his high school sweetheart for 18 years and have three daughters, the youngest of whom is adopted. He loves travel, reading great books, distance running, and owns a coffee roasting company.
DAN DUMAS
Dan Dumas is the Founder of Red Buffalo and is passionate about all things leadership, adoption, expository preaching, and organizational leadership. Dan provides a variety of coaching, consulting and clarity for businesses, organizations, non-profits, government agencies, and churches. He served as former Special Advisor for Foster Care and Adoption to the Governor of Kentucky. He is a Professor of Leadership at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he served as Senior Vice President from 2007-2017. He is the author of Live Smart, co-author of A Guide to Biblical Manhood, and editor of A Guide to Expository Ministry. Prior to his time in ministry, Dan served in the US Navy as a search and rescue swimmer. Dan is married to Jane and has two children: Aidan and Elijah. He loves reading, water sports, and is an avid outdoorsman.
ADAM MERSEREAU
Adam Mersereau is a corporate transactional attorney and a partner in the law firm BUTLER MERSEREAU LLP. Previously, he was a Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at the PGA TOUR and Head of Legal Affairs at the for-profit marketing and media subsidiary of the International Olympic Committee.
Adam was initially exposed to abuse prevention in the context of Olympic sports. Over the years, he and his law partner have interacted in different capacities with the Safe Sport initiative within the Olympic movement—its structure, applications, and interpretation, as well as the evaluation of its successes and its failures.
Adam is a graduate of the College of Charleston (1991) and the Georgia State University School of Law (1998). Between college and law school, Adam enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and later become an officer, leaving the Marine Corps at the rank of Captain. Adam lives with his wife and two children outside of Jacksonville, Florida and attends Sunrise Community Church (EFCA) in Atlantic Beach, where he serves on the board of elders.
JOEL COWART
Joel Cowart has spent the last 15 years ministering to the next generation- from volunteering in various schools, to teaching in the National Children’s Defense Fund Kansas City Freedom School, and giving leadership to a handful of non-profit organizations as both participant and as a board member.
Born and raised in Southern California, Joel moved to Kansas on a football scholarship to the University of St. Mary. After completing his football career, he transferred to the University of Kansas where he studied physics and received his call to ministry. He began serving in college ministry in 2012 as a campus minister, a campus director, and a college pastor in Kansas City. Joel is currently serving and shepherding in Jacksonville, Florida where he and his wife, Destiny, also make their home.
DAVID K. WILCOX
David K. Wilcox, Ph.D., served for 26 years with the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) as the Assistant Vice President – Global. His work involved the development of accreditation systems for schools in Asia and Latin America as well as providing oversight for the 11 ACSI offices in those regions. He continues to chair accreditation teams to international Christian schools and to Christian colleges’ teacher education programs.
He started his career in public schools in Illinois, in special education. He worked in international Christian schools in Ecuador and Malaysia for 13 years, serving as Secondary Principal of the Alliance Academy in Quito and as Head of School at Dalat International School in Penang. He was a visiting instructor at Wheaton College and is the author of over 30 articles covering a range of Christian education topics.
David received his B.A. in Economics from Wheaton College, a M.S. in Special Education from Illinois State University, a M.A. in Educational Leadership from the University of Alabama, and a doctorate in Education Policy Analysis from The University of Illinois at Chicago. David and his wife, Erin, live in Colorado Springs.
Our goal is to help churches and ministries prevent abuse.
Read our statement on organizations with a history of abuse.
