A Church Protocol Handbook: Etiquettes for Leaders

‘This is a well-researched book by an expert on the subject matter, Lawrence Olufemi Obisakin, a career ambassador, and a pastor in RCCG for over three decades, who has operated at presidential and international arena.

It is an impressive book, and well-illustrated. It brings professional diplomatic protocols, leadership, and conflict management skills to the church. I recommend this book to all practitioners of planning, protocol, ushering, pastors, and church leaders in particular, I recommend this book as a very useful tool in the hand of all those who want to get their protocols right’. –Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer, RCCG.

The author of this work titled; “A Church Protocol Handbook” Pastor, Ambassador Lawrence Olufemi Obisakin (PhD, DCE) is an expert, professional practitioner, teacher and an authority in the field of Protocol. He devoted his entire life into the works of protocol both at the secular and ministerial levels.

Protocol is one of the most vital organs of the Church which many leaders have neglected, and it has affected the wholeness of such organizations. The knowledge of Church protocol can easily eliminate conflicts within the various departments in the Church setting. Protocol brings synergy and Orderliness to any organization.

This book enables us to understand the real meaning of the word PROTOCOL., when you REALLY read and STUDY chapter one with an open mind. In fact, the author in chapter two links the importance of protocol to man’s life entirely, bringing up the reality that protocol is an art that God the creator of the Universe has designed for man and his organizations.. This is because God is a God of Order (or procedures of activities).

The author cites many Biblical facts and examples to show us that God is interested in Protocol.  Chapter five of this book, for example, serves as a classroom environment where all necessary instructions are learned, opening our eyes to the fact that the tenets of protocol should govern our day-to-day activities.

I encourage every Church leader, protocol officers and Church Ushers to carefully study this book, especially the fifth chapter in order to enable the church setting look like paradise.

This book further deals with homiletic for our preachers in the Church. A lot of our preachers have good sermons but they were unable to fully pass such messages well to the congregations because of lack of the knowledge of homiletic protocols.

Generally, this book is full of hidden treasures and I believe that every Church leader should endeavour to tap from the wealth knowledge of the author, who had served in this professional field (of protocol) for more than four decades.

I therefore recommend this book to all our Church Leaders across the globe. I suggests that they should get copies of the book and organize meaningful seminars for all the church workers and ministers under their jurisdictions in order to understand the real meaning of protocol and the advantages or benefits that it will bring to the Church. This book will enable all the workers and ministers understand the Organogram of the Denomination where they serve effectively.

I see this book as a complete manual for effective running of any Organization.

Thanks.

Pastor Francis Elijah Umukoro,

Chairman/ Coordinator

RCCG, National Secretaries

2014 – 2026

‘This book has come at the most opportune time for the church and the  protocol/ ushering  departments, today. I like to express deep appreciation to the author, a career ambassador, a communication expert and pastor that such book is finally available …This book has given us order of precedence in ten churches or denominations. He has analyzed delicate areas such as seating arrangements for retired clergy persons, establishing precedence among colleagues etc.’

Pastor Belemina Obunge,

Continental Overseer,

RCCG, continent 11

‘One of my favourite verses of the Bible is Matthew 13 verse 52 which says:

. . . Therefore, every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Meditate the verse. What does it yield? A pastor, true servant of God does not limit himself to the learnings received at the pew. He goes to every nook and cranny of the world to obtain knowledge; he delves deep into his secular knowledge and uses it or them to illustrate the realities of the teachings of the scriptures. That is the Jesus method. That was the secret behind the success of Paul. Adam Clark in his commentary on this verse wrote that, A good pastor will not, like a miser, keep these things to himself to please his fancy; nor, like a merchant, traffic with them, to enrich himself; but, like a bountiful father or householder, distribute them with a liberal through judicious hand, for the comfort and support of the whole heavenly family.

This is what I am seeing here. Here we are, a career diplomat has brought, into the church, the knowledge obtained in his VERY SECULAR employment and learning for over 40 years. Reading this book, my eyes opened wide! Oh my God! Why didn’t somebody teach me all these before I was drawn into the management of churches? Well, they probably didn’t know better. Did ever anyone know that Church protocols and etiquette would require to be learnt? I doubt. Did ever anyone pay serious attention to hierarchies in the church beyond the very obvious? I doubt. Did ever anyone link conflicts in the church to poor knowledge of the art of conflict management beyond the traditional live at peace? Maybe Pastors, and their reference is usually limited to the holy books, without ferreting the enemy out of his claimed territory. I have had the great privilege of reading the book very thoroughly. As usual, Pastor Obisakin is communicating knowledge and God’s Holy Spirit through the pages replete with facts, candid and lucid opinions all of which are Bible aligned. The language, also, as always in his books, is straightforward – no pretences, no undue efforts to impress anybody but God. This is like presenting a professorial treatise in the most basic of languages so that, even, primary school graduates would benefit without an interpreter. Kudos to him! Above all, kudos to Jesus! Obviously, Pastor Olufemi Obisakin is one of the ‘Pauls’ of this era, and, I dare say it would be a sin against the Holy Spirit not to make use of him. Thank God the RCCG is not sinning – Baba is using him for the church. I believe, with this book, other churches would also benefit from his vast chest of treasures. I told Pastor Obisakin: I am going to recommend this book to my church leadership, and, I mean it.’

Elder Gabriel Adejare Adewole (JP)

‘A popular Yoruba adage says, do things the way they should be done, so that things may be what they ought to be” that in essence, is protocol. Protocol is a set of rules, guidelines, or procedures that govern behaviour, communication, interactions, interpersonal and international relations such as diplomatic etiquette, state affairs, royal and ceremonial events. Protocol is a necessity requirement to be followed for a successful occasion. Without protocol, there will be chaos, confusion and disappointment.       Protocol ensures clarity, consistency, orderliness, and respect. Protocol promotes courtesy, decency, and professionalism. God, the creator of Heaven and earth, is a God of Protocol. He wants everything in His church to be done in order – l Cor. 14:40  “Let all things be done decently and in order.” There is no other way out because God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as (it is expected) in all churches of the saints – l Cor 14:33.”

A CHURCH PROTOCOL HANDBOOK ETIQUETTES FOR LEADERS- By Lawrence Olufemi Obisakin PhD,.D.C.Ed,LLB is a book in season. God instituted the church to be the pillar of truth and a model to be followed in doing everything the correct way. The book will inform, reform and improve the ways church sacraments and functions are performed in the church of God, all over the world. This book is a necessity for Spiritual leaders most especially pastors and church ministers. I have lived with the author – Ambassador Pastor Obisakin (Ph D, DCE) for over forty years as his own wife, l have learned so many valuable things about protocol from him. He has worked most of the time in the department of protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the first day he joined the ministry (Working as a Protocol officer and interpreter for President Shehu Shagari in 1981 and other presidents till his retirement in 2016. His first book, PROTOCOL FOR LIFE, is an award winner everywhere nationally and internationally. This new book is borne out of first-hand experience with presidents, pastors, royalties, states, and all for whom diplomatic etiquette must be called to the fore. I therefore recommend this church book of protocol to church leaders, pastors and ministers of God. It is a handbook that will ensure success in all interactions with people. It will guide and generate admiration, confirmation, and commendation for protocol officers, as church programs, diplomatic, state, and national gatherings will be guided with discretion, generating effective communication, affection, cooperation and respect among all.

– Pastor Mrs C. Gbemi Obisakin, PhD, DCE, Wife of the author.

‘Etiquette for Leaders: what a book for this season. Many things have gone wrong in the Body of Christ. Lots of Unethical behaviour are all over the place. This book is a timely antidote for the Church. We need to go back to the Bible to learn orderliness. The Bible says, “Let all things be done decently and in order”. 1Cor.14:40. God had raised Ambassador Lawrence Obisakin to undertake this task of restoring orderliness in the Church, through the instrument of this resourceful production, Etiquette For Leaders. When we the Pastors, Church leaders, Bishops and Overseers get it right, the Body of Christ will definitely get it right. This is the Book we have been waiting for.”

–Pastor Isaac Olayinka -Senior Pastor Discovery House Christian Church, Port-Harcourt, Nigeria.

ENDORSEMENT

Some books inform; others fill a critical gap. A Church Protocol Handbook – Etiquettes for Leaders does both.

My friend, Pastor (Ambassador) Lawrence Olufemi Obisakin, brings to this work a rare combination of over four decades of diplomatic and protocol experience and more than three decades of pastoral ministry. He has served in presidential and international arenas and understands firsthand that protocol is not merely about position or ceremony—it is about honor, order, excellence, wisdom, and representing leadership well.

This book successfully brings the excellence of the diplomatic world into the service of the Kingdom without compromising biblical principles. In an age when avoidable protocol errors can create embarrassment, misunderstanding, and even conflict, this handbook is both timely and necessary.

I wholeheartedly commend this outstanding resource to pastors, church leaders, protocol officers, ushers, and everyone entrusted with receiving and serving people with excellence. It deserves a place in every church leadership and protocol library.

Pastor James Fadel

Continental Overseer

RCCG, The Americas 1

7th October, 2026