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The Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention was created in 2019 to provide awareness, accreditation, and resources in order to help Christian organizations that serve kids protect the vulnerable in ministry.

We believe that Child Protection is a Great Commission issue, because children should be able to hear the gospel and grow in discipleship in an environment unhindered by abuse. Furthermore, Scripture enjoins believers to reflect the character of God by caring for the vulnerable, serving with integrity, and stewarding resources responsibly.

We exist to serve any Christian organization that works with kids: churches, schools, daycares, camps, etc. ECAP seeks to help ministry leaders know how to protect individuals in their care, and how to respond when an allegation of abuse is reported. Our Child Safety Standards serve as the basis of our accreditation program, which will assist in demonstrating compliance to the Standards. To learn more about becoming ECAP Accredited, visit out Accreditation page.

ECAP is an association-based organization that provides child safety accreditation and resources to ministries that serve kids. Alongside other providers, we hope to make ministry environments safe 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 &
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 We Are:

Jeff Dalrymple

Executive Director

Jeff Dalrymple is an organizational leader whose leadership experience includes roles in public safety, higher education, non-governmental organizations, and parachurch ministry. Jeff served as a vice president at Southern Seminary in Louisville from 2008-2016. He is an elder at Sunrise Community Church (EFCA) and owner of Lumino Global Consulting and Coaching.
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 enjoys reading, exploring, and spending time with family. He is married to Kristil, and 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 lives in Chicago with her husband Dan, and they have two children in college.

Theresa Sidebotham, Esq.

Expert Panel Chair (Standards Drafting Committee)

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.

Briggham Winkler

General Editor

Briggham Winkler has served as the General Editor 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. 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.

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. He resides in the Tampa Bay area with his wife and children.

Rebecca Santos

Communications Director

Rebecca Santos joined ECAP at the beginning of 2023 after serving in Corporate America for 18 years in a variety of management, consulting, and event planning assignments. She has served for over five years at her local church in both Nursery Coordinator and VBS Director roles. Her role within ECAP is to create awareness by reaching out to our target market and educating them on how they can create an ironclad child protection program for their ministries. She presently resides in Jacksonville, FL with her husband, children, and pets.

Samantha Beattie

Executive Assistant

Samantha Beattie joined the ECAP team in 2020. She earned her B. S. in Biblical Counseling from Boyce College in 2014. She has worked as an administrative assistant for 7 years with experience in project management. She is excited to use these skills to provide administrative support to ECAP. Samantha lives in Louisville, KY with her husband Jake and their children Graham, Charlie Joy, Jack, and Crew.

Jeremy Griswold

Affiliate Member Director

Jeremy Griswold is a non-profit operational leader with experience serving a variety of non-profits. He joined ECAP in 2022, establishing and running our affiliate member program. He is a graduate of Southern Seminary, earning his Master of Divinity in Christian Ministry. In addition to his role, he leads ZealOperations, which serves multiple small nonprofits by running and scaling their operations teams. He lives in Katy, TX with his wife and children.

Our Board

Jenna Quinn

Board Member

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. 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.

Kevin White

Board Member

Kevin White serves as the COO 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 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.

Adam Mersereau

Board Member

Adam Mersereau is a corporate transactional attorney and a partner in the law firm BUTLER MERSEREAU LLP. 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 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

Board Member

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. Joel is currently serving and shepherding in Jacksonville, Florida where he and his wife, Destiny make their home.

David K. Wilcox

Board Member

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. David and his wife, Erin, live in Colorado Springs.

Tami Kreitl

Board Member

Tami Kreitl serves as the Donor Engagement & Stewardship Manager for the Orlando Health Foundation, overseeing board governance, volunteer leadership and office management. Tami and her husband, Ben, attend First Baptist Church of Orlando where she currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees. She is committed to using her voice to protect the innocent and to make a difference for the least of these.

Advisory Board

The ECAP Advisory Board works to advance the mission of keeping kids safe in ministry. Each advisory board member serves 3 year terms as approved by the board of directors. Advisory board members are actively serving as ambassadors of the mission to raise awareness, advocate, educate, and raise funds to support ECAP.

Herb McCarthy

Advisory Board Chairman

Herb McCarthy serves as the Managing Director and Owner of Port City Consulting, helping ministries with leadership and funding solutions. Herb has been a pastor, and served as the Vice President of Crusades for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for 13 years. Herb is married to Suzanne and has 3 daughters and 14 grandchildren.

Kurt Gebhards

Advisory Board Member

Kurt Gebhards serves as the Senior Pastor of The Grove Bible Chapel in Tampa, FL. He is passionate about making disciples, training leaders, and doing all things for the sake of the gospel. Kurt is a graduate of The Master’s Seminary and Southern Seminary.”

Jennifer Greenberg

Advisory Board Member

Jennifer Greenberg is an author, recording artist, and survivor of child abuse and domestic violence. Her debut book, Not Forsaken: A Story of Life After Abuse (The Good Book Company) is used in seminaries, counseling programs, and churches to equip leaders and comfort survivors. Her next book, about the defiant joy exemplified by Jesus in his sufferings, releases in 2023 (Multnomah). Her writings combine experience with the gospel of hope to help victims, survivors, and those who walk alongside them.

Jennifer is married to her best friend, Jason, and they have three daughters: Elowyn, Leianor, and Gwynevere. They belong to The Haven OPC in Long Island, New York.

John Heymann

Advisory Board Member

Jon Heymann serves as the President of Heymann Consulting, helping organizations to achieve their fullest potential. Jon has devoted his life to helping the next generation gain access to the resources they need in order to be successful, serving as the CEO of organizations such as Communities in Schools of Jacksonville, Jacksonville Children’s Commission, and Elevate Jacksonville, Inc.
Statement of Faith
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Our goal is to help churches and ministries prevent abuse.

Read our statement on organizations with a history of abuse.

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