by Lauren Honigford

Cornerstone University has always stressed the importance of responsible stewardship. For Kathleen Sindorf, associate professor of communication and media studies, this virtue is becoming even more of a reality.

Sindorf was elected to the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) on March 13.

“I was invited as a guest, because they were considering me. After the event was over, I found out that I had actually been elected as a director,” Sindorf said.

The ECFA describes themselves as “an accreditation agency dedicated to helping Christian ministries earn the public’s trust through adherence to the seven standards of responsible stewardship.” Their job is to monitor and hold accountable those Christian ministries looking for donations from the public. They use the “seven standards of responsible stewardship” to do this.

In order for an organization to become a member, they must meet certain ECFA requirements based on the “seven standards.” They then must apply to become a member. Cornerstone University is a member of the ECFA.

“They are like the watchdog group for Christian ministries,” Sindorf said. “Their membership is like the good housekeeping seal of approval for Christian ministries, universities, denominations and other organizations.”

ECFA even provides a Web site that allows potential donors to key in their donation preferences. They then provide a list of suggested organizations that the person can donate to according to their specified preferences.

The board of directors meets two to three times a year, which Sindorf said worked very well with her current busy schedule of work and family. The ECFA’s most recent meeting, which Sindorf attended, took place at the Hyatt Regency hotel on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. The board met both Thursday the 12th and Friday the 13th of that week.

“The meetings are extremely formal,” Sindorf said. “They use parliamentary procedure to the max.”

Apart from regular meetings, Sindorf also received the chance to meet Senator Chuck Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Finance.

Sindorf was considered along with several others from varying schools and organizations including Bethel and Biola University. Only one other person was elected alongside her though, David Wills, president of the National Christian Foundation.

Sindorf was extremely honored to be considered and elected for such a position. She had been nominated by a former employer, Michael Little, the current president of the Christian Broadcasting Network.

The board of directors of the ECFA is a group of top people in the areas of broadcasting and other evangelical ministries. Frank Wright, President and CEO of National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) is also a director.

“With a wealth of experience in the service of non-profit organizations, and a high degree of commitment to integrity and organizational accountability, Kathy is an outstanding addition to the ECFA Board of Directors,” Wright said.

Sindorf is excited about her new position and the new duties she must fulfill as a director.

“Since I’ve gotten back I’ve already received half a dozen e-mails about organizations looking for sponsorship,” said Sindorf. “This is exciting because it again puts a representative of Cornerstone in a place of potential influence. I was also interested to see just how many board of directors members know Joe Stowell personally and sent their greetings for him. He is so highly respected and loved.”

President Stowell also spoke positively of Sindorf’s new election to the EFCA.

“We are delighted to have someone of Kathy’s stature representing Cornerstone University on the ECFA Board. The ECFA is a significant organization with a broad reach that touches almost every evangelical ministry agency,” Stowell said. “Kathy’s presence on the board will be of great benefit to them and braggin’ rights for us.”