Married American Pastor and Prophetess Introduce Church Member as New Wife, Claim Polygynous Marriage Is 'God's Will'

An American pastor and his wife have stunned their congregation after publicly introducing another woman as his second wife. The unconventional marital arrangement had reportedly been in place for nearly three years.

Israel Ford, founder of LifeWorks Church in Ohio, appeared alongside his wife, Lydia Ford, and church minister Shakayla Ford during a service on 25 October 2026. Rather than keeping their relationship private, Lydia personally introduced Shakayla to the congregation as her 'sister in marriage'.

The announcement quickly attracted attention online, particularly after Shakayla described the arrangement as 'the will of God.' Israel defended his decision by challenging the traditional Christian understanding of monogamy.

First Wife Introduces Husband's Second Wife

During the service, Lydia explained that Shakayla was already familiar to members of the congregation because of her involvement in the church's ministry. 'Y'all know her. Y'all love her. Y'all benefit from her ministry every week,' Lydia told the audience before introducing her as 'Prophet's wife and my sister in marriage, Minister Shakayla'.

Lydia, who co-pastors LifeWorks Church with her husband, appeared alongside the couple as Shakayla addressed the congregation. Some attendees applauded during the announcement, while others appeared surprised by the revelation.

The introduction was particularly striking because the relationship was not presented as a new development. Israel explained that he and Shakayla had been married for almost three years, meaning the arrangement had existed privately long before the public announcement.

Shakayla acknowledged that the revelation would raise questions and concerns, but insisted that she had not been disadvantaged by the relationship. 'Cat's out the bag,' she said, before explaining that she believed God had guided her into the arrangement. She also described the relationship as a family dynamic in which the women were not competing against each other.

Pastor Claims Having Multiple Wives Is Biblical

Following the announcement, Israel defended his decision in a social media post introducing Shakayla to a wider audience. 'As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical,' he wrote.

The pastor also encouraged followers to watch a longer sermon explaining his interpretation of scripture, acknowledging that some people might disagree with his position or decide to distance themselves from him. Among the biblical passages associated with the debate is Exodus 21:10, which outlines a man's obligations towards an existing wife if he takes another. Israel has referred to this passage in defending his position.

However, Christian interpretations of marriage differ. Many denominations uphold monogamy and point to passages such as 1 Timothy 3:2, which describes a church overseer as 'the husband of one wife'. Although the Bible contains accounts of men with multiple wives, Christians disagree about how those passages should apply to modern marriages and church leadership.

The Announcement Raises Legal Questions

The couple's declaration has also drawn attention to the distinction between a religiously described marriage and a legally recognised union. Ohio law prohibits a person who is already married from entering another marriage under circumstances covered by its bigamy statute.

However, the public announcement alone does not establish the precise legal status of the arrangement or whether any offence has occurred. The use of the term 'wife' by the couple does not, by itself, confirm that both relationships are legally recognised marriages.

Online Reactions Focus on Faith and Relationships

The announcement has fuelled discussion about religious authority, marriage and whether the arrangement reflects an acceptable interpretation of scripture. Some observers have focused on Lydia's decision to introduce Shakayla herself, while others have questioned Israel's assertion that monogamy is unbiblical.

For the three individuals involved, however, the announcement was an opportunity to explain a relationship they say has existed for years. Israel has indicated that he intends to provide further explanations through a sermon. Until then, the announcement remains a striking example of how differing interpretations of religious teachings can generate debate both within congregations and across social media.