Cleveland Pastor Introduces Second Wife to Congregation as He and First Wife Claim Polygamy Is 'God's Will'

A Cleveland pastor's wife stood before her congregation on Sunday and introduced another woman as her 'sister in marriage'. The woman, a minister known to the church, was presented as the second wife of LifeWorks Church founder Israel Ford.

Lydia Ford, who co-pastors the Ohio church with her husband, told members that the three were 'living even right now in what we would call a polygynous marriage'. Her husband subsequently addressed the arrangement online, arguing that the belief that a man should have only one wife 'is unbiblical'.

The announcement took place on 25 October 2026. Some congregants clapped and cheered during the announcement, while others appeared surprised.

Introduced by the First Wife

The announcement during the service came from Lydia Ford, who founded LifeWorks with her husband in 2009 and serves as co-pastor.

In a Facebook video shared by Israel Ford, Lydia told the congregation that the woman was already familiar to them.

'Y'all know her. Y'all love her. Y'all benefit from her ministry every week,' she said.

She then introduced 'Prophet's wife and my sister in marriage, Minister Shakayla'. The church refers to Israel Ford as a prophet, while Shakayla, formerly known as Shakayla Talley, now uses the Ford surname.

Pastor Says the Bible Is on His Side

Ford outlined his reasoning in a social media post introducing Shakayla 'to the world'.

'As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical,' he wrote.

He presented the arrangement as a matter of religious conviction rather than personal preference. Ford also acknowledged that some followers 'may not accept this and choose to disconnect, and that is ok!'

To support his position, Ford cited Exodus 21:10. In the King James Version, the verse states that if a man takes another wife, he must not diminish the first wife's food, clothing or marital rights.

The passage sets out obligations towards the first wife in the circumstances described. It does not explicitly command men to take additional wives. Another relevant passage, 1 Timothy 3:2, states that a bishop must be 'the husband of one wife'. Christians differ in how they interpret and apply these passages to questions of marriage and church leadership.

Ford has indicated that a full sermon explaining his position will be uploaded later in the week. His detailed reasoning may therefore become clearer when that material is available.

What It Means for the Church and the Law

Ohio law prohibits a married person from marrying another person or continuing to cohabit with that person in the state. Under Section 2919.01 of the Ohio Revised Code, bigamy is a first-degree misdemeanour.

However, the public announcement alone does not establish whether the circumstances meet the legal requirements for an offence. The cited statute also does not, by itself, resolve every question about the status of a religiously described union. No legal action or official investigation is identified in the available reporting.

Ford's post acknowledges that some followers may disagree with his decision or choose to distance themselves from him. Whether the announcement will affect church membership or relationships within the congregation remains unclear.

The situation brings a longstanding theological debate into the life of a local congregation. Ford's interpretation of scripture differs from the one-wife wording in 1 Timothy 3:2, while Ohio law imposes separate legal restrictions on bigamy.

The sermon Ford has promised may provide further insight into his position and how he intends to explain it to his congregation.