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 that the work of Christ deserved our very best.
Like all strong leaders, Patrick held convictions firmly. Yet those convictions were rooted in a profound commitment to Scripture and to the Lord whom he served throughout his life.
On behalf of The Barnabas Fund Trust, we honour Patrick as a founder. We remember with gratitude Patrick’s vision and leadership. His determination to stand alongside persecuted Christians transformed countless lives and inspired many others to serve sacrificially in Christ’s name.
On behalf of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life, we honour Dr Patrick as a teacher and guide. He believed deeply that Christian faith must engage seriously with the challenges of the modern world. He encouraged us to think on these matters with Gospel values, speak courageously, and act faithfully.
His commitment to the training and development of the next generation of Christian leaders was such that his influence will continue long after his earthly work has ended. This included training the pastor to lead the basic Christian church, all the way through to forming and equipping the future Doctors of the Faith.
Patrick’s persistent assertion that ministry must be at the heart of our approach to all that we do in TBF and OCRPL indicates that perhaps the greatest tribute we can pay Patrick today is not simply to remember what he accomplished, but to remember what motivated him.
Everything he did flowed from his deep faith in Jesus Christ. He understood that all human achievements are temporary, but that the Kingdom of God endures forever.
He knew that Christian service is not ultimately about building our own reputation, but about glorifying Christ.
And he lived in the hope of the resurrection.
Today we grieve because we shall miss his wisdom, his friendship, his encouragement, and his presence among us.
Yet we do not grieve without hope.
Patrick spent his life proclaiming the promises of Christ. Today we entrust him to those same promises.
The Lord whom he served faithfully has now called him home.
For that reason, our sorrow is mingled with gratitude.
We thank God for Patrick’s life, his witness and for the enduring legacy of faithfulness that he leaves behind.
May the Lord grant comfort to all who mourn him.
And may we honour his memory by continuing the work to which he devoted his life: serving Christ, loving His Church, and bearing faithful witness to the Gospel.
“Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your master.”
May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Amen.