NASHVILLE (BP) – Jeff Dalrymple has been named to lead the office within the SBC Executive Committee dedicated to Southern Baptists’ long-term efforts in Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response, according to a statement from EC President and CEO Jeff Iorg.
Dalrymple, 49, begins his role immediately. He will be formally introduced at the SBC Executive Committee’s Feb. 17-18 meeting. At that time, Iorg said, several sexual abuse prevention and response initiatives will be announced in order for those to be in place by the time of the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting in June.
“During our multiple interviews, I was consistently impressed with Jeff’s breadth of technical knowledge as well as his calm and reasoned demeanor about these sensitive issues,” Iorg said. “He has the informational background and strength of character needed to take on this strategic new position.”
Dalrymple, of Jacksonville, Fla., comes to the Executive Committee after serving as executive director of the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP), which works to set national standards to protect vulnerable groups. He also is owner and president of The Hospitality Project LLC, a leadership consulting firm.
The Sexual Abuse Prevention and Response department will be funded in its initial stages by approximately $1.8 million remaining from the $3 million gift by Send Relief in June 2022 toward the SBC’s sexual abuse response.
Iorg cited Dalrymple’s work through ECAP and his Southern Baptist background as critical to his being named to the position.
“This organization sets national standards and provides certification in sexual abuse prevention and response for all kinds of ministry organizations,” Iorg said. “Through this experience, Jeff has developed a broad understanding of issues related to sexual abuse prevention and response.
“Prior to his service at ECAP, he served as a vice president at Southern Seminary for nine years and with the Kentucky Baptist Convention for two years. He understands how to work with and among Southern Baptists – including our polity and denominational structures.”
Dalrymple led Crossings, an agency of the KBC, for two years.
Trail Life USA – among those groups that have partnered with ECAP – grew in part due to the sexual abuse scandals that ultimately led the Boy Scouts of America to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
“Jeff Dalrymple will bring tremendous value to the SBC Executive Committee’s efforts in Abuse Prevention and Response,” said Trail Life CEO Mark Hancock. “With his thoughtful approach to cultivating healthy church cultures and implementing effective systems, he will help foster the kind of respectful and safe environments that Christian families rightfully expect and deserve.”
Former Florida Baptist Convention executive director Tommy Green also spoke highly of Dalrymple’s leadership.
“The partnership established with the Florida Baptist Convention and ECAP proved to be a valuable tool for churches,” Green told Baptist Press. “The comprehensive approach to equipping the local church in education and application in the area of sexual abuse prevention is extremely beneficial.
“Jeff is passionate about assisting churches to provide safe and caring environments for individuals. He will be a key partner for churches through this opportunity with the Southern Baptist Convention to promote and implement safeguards in policies and procedures related to sexual abuse prevention.”
Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley commended both Iorg and Dalrymple.
“Dr. Iorg is a man of vision and action as evidenced by his creating the office of abuse prevention and response and appointing Jeff Dalrymple to lead it,” said Pressley, pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte. “I know Jeff to be a godly and wise leader that will act with discernment and respond with compassion. I’m thankful for Jeff’s willingness to serve the SBC as I’m certain he will do so with care and professionalism.”
Dalrymple will name an assistant in the coming weeks and become familiar with other SBC Executive Committee staff while beginning work “to expand our sexual abuse prevention and response efforts incrementally and as needed,” said Iorg.
“Our goal – as I have stated repeatedly – is a robust response in this important ministry challenge. While we are moving deliberately, we are also moving consistently and purposefully toward workable solutions,” he added.
Dalrymple credited the SBC’s Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force in “charting a course forward to help Southern Baptists.”
“We’re going to build on that foundation, using the Essentials curriculum and other resources to help Southern Baptists,” he said.
That approach will be grounded in contextualization, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all mentality.
“Context is key, with two areas in particular – programmatic and jurisdictional,” Dalrymple said.
“Programmatic” refers to the types of prevention measures used by an organization such as a church or school. “Jurisdictional” points to laws throughout the country that may vary, even if slightly, in areas such as mandatory reporting.
ECAP began in 2019 with more than two dozen experts in areas such as child protection, risk management, insurance industries and practitioners serving in Christian schools and churches. Those voices developed the organization’s standards and compliance programs.
“We’ve tried to strike a balance – and I’ll be honest with you, it’s not easy – in a compassionate response and tone towards survivors who have experienced sexual abuse … and at the same time, very real legal and stewardship considerations,” Dalrymple said. “We have worked hard to navigate between those.”
Dalrymple lives with his wife of 22 years, Kristil, and their four children. The innate desire of a father to protect his children is strong enough to champion stronger protocols against sexual abuse, but words from Tom Stolle, executive director of the Maryland/Delaware Baptist Convention, struck Dalrymple personally. Stolle has urged the Church to to protect those with disabilities.
“I have a special needs daughter who is 17,” Dalrymple said, fighting to control his emotions. “From Tom, I learned the shocking statistics of sexual abuse in the disabilities community and was abhorred and appalled.
“As a father, I want to do everything I can to help Christian ministries maintain their Christ-centered witness and to continue to do Great Commission work we’ve been called to do, making sure that predators are far, far away from our Christ-centered ministries.”
This article by Scott Barkley, chief national correspondent for Baptist Press, was originally published at baptistpress.com.