Ohio pastor introduces second wife, calls one-wife teaching unbiblical
- Israel Ford of LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, presented Shakayla Ford as his second wife in a Facebook video.
- His first wife, Lydia Ford, told the congregation she is in a polygynous marriage and welcomed Shakayla.
- Ford said the sermon on the subject will be posted later this week and that he will not bow to public opinion.
A pastor in the United States has publicly presented a second wife to his congregation, arguing that the teaching that a man should have only one wife is not supported by the Bible.
Israel Ford, who is associated with LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, made the announcement on his Facebook page on Sunday, in a post that included a video filmed inside the church. He introduced the woman as Shakayla Ford and said he was at the church with her and his first wife, Lydia Ford.
In the post, Ford said people had been taught that a man should have one wife only, and described that teaching as unbiblical. He asked his followers to watch the full sermon on the subject, which he said would be uploaded later in the week, and acknowledged that many pastors would not preach it.
He said he had no plans to put pleasing people ahead of what he believes God has shown him, and added that anyone who disagrees is free to walk away.
First wife speaks to congregation
In the video, Lydia Ford, who co-leads the ministry, addressed the congregation about the arrangement. According to The Sun, she described her husband as a prophet and introduced Shakayla as "Prophet's wife and my sister in marriage."
She told the congregation that Shakayla was already known to them and that they benefit from her ministry every week, The Sun reported. Shakayla then came to the pulpit to applause, hugged Israel and Lydia in turn, and confirmed the marriage, saying the news was now out in the open.
Punch and The Sun both reported the announcement and the video. Neither outlet said whether the church's leadership or any wider church body has responded, and there was no word on any legal step. The sources also did not say how the congregation as a whole received the news beyond the applause shown in the clip.
The story has travelled quickly online, including in Nigeria, where marriage, polygamy and the role of pastors are closely followed topics. Many Nigerian churches teach one husband and one wife, while polygamy is practised in some communities and accepted by some traditional institutions.
Ford's full sermon is expected to be posted later this week, and that is likely to carry his main argument in his own words.
