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Tucker Else
Christian Union Ministry Director
University of pennsylvania

In Genesis 22, we are given a story about a dad and his son. The patriarch Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, is commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac. As a dad myself, it is a hard story to read. “Take your son, your only son, whom you love…” Why would God ask such a thing, particularly of this “Son of the promise” through whom the nation of Israel would come to be? After so many years waiting for him, why would Abraham be put through such a test? The language of the passage is harrowing in their quiet conversation: “My Father…Here I am, my Son…” You can hear the heart-break of a Dad, the unquestioning trust of the Son. In American vernacular it would sound something like this: “Daddy!…”; “Yeah, buddy?”

The connection between a father and a son should be a special one. Even if there has been past hostility, there is a longing…”that’s my son and I have so many hopes and dreams for him.” Or, “that’s my dad and he is the one I want to be like when I grow up.” That’s why it is so heart-breaking to see broken families in our country. It seems so hopeless when so many young men are without a father (43% in the U.S.). Seventy percent of incarcerated youths come from fatherless homes. Ninety percent of all runaways and homeless children are without a father.*

A Dad is supposed to be there for his child, to defend and protect and nurture. So when we come to Genesis 22 at first glance we should be alarmed to the extent to which God demands allegiance from Abraham - asking him to sacrifice his son. But here’s where things are different with God. From the beginning of that passage, the reader knows it is a test and that Isaac will not be killed. It is a testing of Abraham’s obedience to God to be lived out in real-time and history. In the story, God stops Abraham from dropping the dagger and slaying his son. But it points us to another episode in the Bible, much, much later. There, a son travels up a lonely hill carrying wood. There, the perfectly innocent son is put upon the alter and the stroke of the blade of death is about to come down. But there, no one stops the dagger. And we see that it is no ordinary son: It is the Son of God, God incarnate, in the flesh. God the Son was sacrificed so sinful humans could be made sons and daughters of God. There’s a song we often sing at Church called How Deep the Father’s Love for Us. The words go like this: “How deep the Father's love for us/How vast beyond all measure/That He should give His only Son/To make a wretch His treasure. How great the pain of searing loss/The Father turns His face away/As wounds which mar the chosen One/Bring many sons to glory.” I don’t know why dads leave, or why children are homeless. We don’t know the reason God allows evil and suffering to continue, but we know what the reason isn’t, what it can’t be. It can’t be that He doesn’t love us. It can’t be that He doesn’t care. God so loved us and hates suffering that he was willing to come down and get involved in it. And if we can grasp that, it just might transform our country, including our dads.

*United States Dept. of Justice and United States D.H.H.S. records

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Tucker Else is Christian Union's director of undergraduate ministry at the University of Pennsylvania. Tucker served as a pastor in Iowa for seven years. Prior to that he was a practicing attorney for an international bank (RaboBank). In preparation for pastoral ministry, he earned an MDiv at Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis. He received his JD from Drake University.

Tucker and his wife, Marchelle, have been married for 21 years. They have four children: Lauren, Tamrick, Brennan, and Kianna. He loves reading, music, sports, and visiting all of Philadelphia's great neighborhoods. He takes delight in discipling students into a deeper love and affection for Jesus Christ.

The Cornerstone Board is an alumni and Cornerstone Partner-led organization which will inevitably play a vital role in the future of the ministry at Columbia University. The board is committed to furthering the development of programs focused on alumni and Cornerstone Partners as it furthers the following objectives: advance the work at Columbia University, transition graduates well, develop Christian leaders and bring revival.

Stephen Cone '20

Chair

Aki "Nick" Gibson '03

Board Member

Taylor Troutt Willis '18

Board Member

Contact Us:

AlumniEngagement@ChristianUnion.org.

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About the Magazine
Read the most recent issue of the magazine here. 

Christian Union: The Magazine, is a quarterly publication of Christian Union. The Magazine exists: 

• To inform Christian alumni, staff, faculty, students, parents, community members, supporters, and friends about the spiritual state of America's most influential universities from a Christian perspective;
• To encourage followers of Christ to seek God wholeheartedly; and
• To keep fans and friends of the ministry updated about Christian Union's work to develop Christian leaders to transform culture.

About Christian Union
Watch our latest video here. Christian Union was founded in 2002 to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. Christian Union focuses energy toward developing Christian leaders at the leading universities in America, and in select cities, because of their extraordinary influence on our culture and society. For instance, out of the 3,039 four-year colleges and universities in the country, 63 percent of the most influential leaders in our nation come from the top 1 percent of schools. Graduates from these schools also have extraordinary influence on the international scene.

Christian Union takes a unique approach, employing highly qualified ministry faculty and producing exceptional curriculum geared toward developing Christian leaders. The ministry helps students and professionals discover the intellectual validity of Christian faith, the profound joy of seeking God wholeheartedly, and the practical skills to become significantly more impactful in their spheres of influence. 

Currently, Christian Union works in New York City and with students at: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard College, Harvard Law School, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale.

As ministries committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and united in his mission on college campuses, the following groups listed below met on October 25, 2010 and agreed to teach the staff, volunteers, faculty and student leadership of our organizations the following principles about relationships with other Christian groups. (John 13: 34 & 35)

Our work was built on the Trail West Agreement of 1971, in which leaders from several campus ministries met to develop a practical means of settling conflicts between local leaders on a number of campuses across the country. 

Chicago Agreement:

1. We are all part of Christ’s body.

2. We do not regard any campus as our exclusive field. We recognize that many students and faculty may be helped through the various appeals and styles of the different organizations.

3. We will seek to establish relationships and build bridges with our counterparts in other Christian groups on campus. When establishing ministries on new campuses, we will take the initiative to communicate with the leadership of existing groups.

4. We will speak well of and refrain from criticism of each other’s ministries and members.

5. We commit to addressing problems on a local, regional or national level by humbly communicating with our counterparts, seeking the Lord together to resolve the issues.

6. We affirm the leadership commitments students and faculty have made to each other’s ministries and will not actively recruit them away from those groups. When starting a new campus work, each organization will endeavor to select new leaders, not leaders from other ministries.

7. We recognize students and faculty have the freedom to choose their involvement with any campus ministry. In general, we will encourage them to select and be involved with one primary organization.

8. We will encourage collaborative efforts on a voluntary basis between our organizations. We are open to share experiences and resources to assist each other with the unique challenges of campus ministry.

Founding Ministries:

Asian American Christian Fellowship
Melanie Mar Chow
Evelyn Fan

Baptist Collegiate Ministry
John Moore
Ken Owens

Campus Ambassadors
Valorie Nordbye
Ryan Miller

Campus Crusade for Christ
Mark Gauthier
Keith Davy

Campus Outreach
Kent Bailey
Mike Hearon

Chi Alpha
Dennis Gaylor
Curtis Cole

Christian Union
Matt Bennett

Coalition for Christian Outreach
Vince Burens
Dan Dupee

Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Jeff Martin

Great Commission Ministry
Greg Van Nada
Steve Hayes

The Impact Movement
Charles Gilmer

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Jim Lundgren
Janet Luhrs Balajthy

The Navigators
Jim Luebe
Mike Kozlarek

North American Mission Board
Mark Lydecker
Chad Childress

Reformed University Fellowship
Rod Mays

Student Mobilization
Dave Riner
Ted Shimer

Young Life College
Mike Ganey
Steve Blacksmith 

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Florida:  A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE 1.800.HELP.FLA (1.800.435.7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. FLORIDA REG. #CH1794.

Georgia:  The following will be sent upon request: A full and fair description of the charitable program for which this solicitation is made; a financial statement or summary, consistent with the requirements of Georgia Code § 43-17-5.

Maryland:  Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Maryland Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401, 1.410.974.5534, or within Maryland, 1.800.825.4510.

Mississippi:  Official registration and financial information of Christian Union may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1.800.236.6167.

Pennsylvania:  Official registration and financial information of Christian Union may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State toll-free, within Pennsylvania, at 1.800.732.0999.

Virginia:  A copy of the financial statement is available from the State Office of Consumer Affairs, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218, 1.800.552.9963 or 1.804.786.2042.

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