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‘Prevention and Redemption’: Evangelical Council on Abuse Prevention to Hold Inaugural National Conference

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FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Jacksonville, FLA – The Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP) — a new organization aimed at helping evangelical organizations and ministries prevent and respond to abuse — will hold its inaugural national conference on June 17, 2021 at Nashville First Baptist Church.

The conference theme is “Prevention and Redemption,” and will equip attendees to effectively prevent abuse in the organizations they serve and be agents of redemption when abuse has occurred. Both prevention and redemption “demonstrate the heart of God in his care for his people,” according to the ECAP website.

“My hope is that people will leave this conference reminded anew that all people — including the vulnerable and weak for whom God cares so deeply — bear the image of God,” said Jeff Dalrymple, Executive Director of ECAP. “Caring for children in our churches and ministries is a weighty stewardship, one that should motivate us to do all we can to protect and care for these image bearers.”

The conference will feature keynote speakers, such as Dr. Crawford Loritts, Valerie Bell, Julius Kim, and more. There is also a full slate of breakout sessions addressing a wide variety of practical issues that will be of help to anyone interested in preventing abuse. Attendees can hear from lawyers, authors, pastors, professors, and child safety professionals.

“The work that ECAP is doing is ground-breaking and extremely important for churches and other ministries,“ said Sally Wagenmaker, an attorney serving as general counsel for ECAP and one of the breakout speakers at the conference. “Ministries will benefit tremendously through this upcoming national conference.”

While the conference is happening in Nashville, those who are unable to attend can register for the livestream option. Further details and information on the conference — in addition to general information about ECAP, its child safety standards, and other resources — can be found at ecap.net.

ABOUT ECAP:
The Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention was formed as a national organization in June 2019 in response to a growing awareness of the problem of sexual abuse within evangelical churches and ministries. ECAP seeks to offer a proactive, comprehensive solution for protecting children and the vulnerable from abuse within evangelical ministries.

ECAP will offer accreditation to ministries that commit to operate according to recently released standards for addressing and preventing abuse of children in their care.

ECAP urges awareness during National Child Abuse Prevention Month

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FAITH NEWS SERVICE – JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the Evangelical Council on Abuse Prevention (ECAP) seeks to bring awareness to the issue among churches, ministries, and Christian organizations across the evangelical landscape.

Especially noteworthy for churches is Blue Sunday, which takes place on April 25. Blue Sunday is a day of prayer for victims of child abuse, and a day for ministries to commit themselves to preventing abuse and creating safe environments for the vulnerable.

“As someone who survived child abuse in the church, I’m grateful to pastors and church leaders who take initiative against this evil,” said Jennifer Greenberg, author of Not Forsaken: A Story of Life After Abuse. “Abuse perpetrated in the family of God not only ruins lives, it costs souls. It damages how we perceive corporate worship and even our relationship with Jesus Christ. Prevention cannot be over-prioritized, and how we respond when we encounter abuse has consequences in eternity.”

The statistics surrounding child abuse are startling, and yet all too many Christians remain unaware of how pervasive the problem of abuse is. Part of ECAP’s vision is to help churches, schools, and ministries understand the complex topic, and help them know how to work for the protection of children and the prevention of abuse in their context.

“While we grieve the necessity of raising awareness over such an issue, we are glad to do all we can in the effort,” said Jeff Dalrymple, Executive Director of ECAP. “It’s our prayer that Christians will embrace the occasions of National Child Abuse Prevention Month and Blue Sunday to evaluate what they can do to protect and work for the flourishing of the children in their midst.”

Those interested in improving their standard of protection for children can find a variety resources at ecap.net. Those visiting the ECAP website will also find information about the ECAP 2021 abuse prevention national conference, “Prevention and Redemption,” taking place in Nashville.

Resources for Blue Sunday and National Child Abuse Prevention Month can be found at ecap.net/bluesunday.