Personal Tribute to Dr Patrick Sookhdeo and on behalf of The Barnabas Fund Trust and the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life Given at the funeral service: It is a great privilege, though for me a deeply sad one, to pay tribute to Dr Patrick Sookhdeo today. For many around the world, Patrick was known as an author, a scholar, a defender of the persecuted Church, and a public Christian voice of remarkable courage and conviction. Those achievements are significant and deserve to be remembered. But for those of us who had the privilege of working with him, Patrick was much more than the public figure that many knew. He was a colleague, a mentor, a friend, and above all a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. I first came to know and appreciate Patrick not through his writings or public ministry but, having been introduced to him by a dear friend, through the example of his life. He possessed a rare combination of intellectual rigour and deep personal faith. He could engage complex issues with remarkable clarity yet never lose sight of the people whose lives were affected by them. Patrick cared deeply about truth because he cared deeply about people. He loved the Church. He loved the Gospel. And he loved those Christians around the world who suffered because of their faith. What struck me most was that his concern was never merely theoretical. Behind the books, lectures, reports, and public engagements was a man whose heart was burdened for the Kingdom of God and for the welfare of God’s people. I, like many of us, experienced his encouragement personally during a particularly difficult time in my ministry. He challenged us to think more deeply, pray more earnestly, and serve more faithfully. He expected much because he believed…

We are deeply grateful and blessed by Patrick’s ministry and the support you and Rosemary gave. We stand with you. Feel with you. Pray for you.