A United States pastor, Israel Ford, has defended polygamous marriage after introducing his second wife to his congregation, arguing that the belief that a man should have only one wife is unbiblical.
Ford, associated with LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, announced his marriage to Shakayla Ford, formerly known as Shakayla Talley, in a social media post on Sunday.
The announcement was made during a church service attended by his first wife, Lydia Ford, who also serves as a pastor at the church, and Shakayla, a minister and fellow congregant.
In a video from the service, Lydia introduced Shakayla as her husband’s second wife and described her as her sister in marriage. She told the congregation that the three were now in a polygynous marriage.
The announcement reportedly attracted applause and cheers from some members of the congregation, while others appeared surprised by the development.
Ford later confirmed the marriage in a Facebook post, writing, “I would like to introduce to the world, my second wife, Shakayla Ford!”
Defending his decision, the pastor argued that the teaching that a man should have only one wife was a socially inherited belief rather than a biblical requirement.
“As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical,” he wrote.
Ford urged his followers to watch a sermon on the subject, which he said would be uploaded later in the week. He also claimed that many pastors were reluctant to preach what he described as an unpopular truth.
He maintained that he would not change his position to gain public approval.
“I have no plans to choose pleasing man over what God has revealed,” he stated.
Acknowledging that his decision could lead some people to distance themselves from him, Ford said he was prepared to accept the consequences, adding that life was temporary and that they could all laugh about the matter in heaven.
Ford founded LifeWorks Church in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2009 alongside Lydia. The church says its mission is to help families develop personal relationships with Christ, demonstrate their faith through their lifestyles and serve God through their time, talents and resources.
The church also describes Ford as a prophet and states that people have experienced deliverance, healing and hope through prophetic messages.
Polygyny, the form of polygamy in which a man has more than one wife, differs from polyandry, in which a woman has multiple husbands. Both are forms of polygamy, although their legal status and social acceptance vary across countries and communities.
