Photo: Ford and his two wives
By Mandy Park
A United States-based pastor, Israel Ford, has announced his marriage to a second wife, Shakayla Ford, arguing that the belief that a man should have only one wife is not supported by the Bible.
Ford, who is associated with LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, made the announcement in a Facebook post on Sunday, accompanied by a video recorded at the church.
The pastor introduced Shakayla to his followers as his second wife, while identifying his first wife, Lydia Ford, as being present with them at the church.
“I would like to introduce to the world, my second wife, Shakayla Ford!!!” he wrote.
Ford argued that the teaching that a man should have only one wife was a belief that had been passed down through society, insisting that it was inconsistent with biblical teachings.
“As a nation, we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical,” he stated.
He urged his followers to watch his sermon on the subject, which he said would be uploaded later in the week, adding that the issue was one many pastors were unwilling to address publicly.
“I encourage you to watch today’s sermon in its entirety (uploaded later this week). I understand that this is an unpopular truth that we have gotten away from and many pastors will not preach,” he said.
The pastor maintained that he would not allow public opinion to influence his position, insisting that his decision was based on what he believed God had revealed to him.
“I have no plans to choose pleasing man over what God has revealed,” Ford added.
He also acknowledged that his position could attract criticism and cause some people to distance themselves from him, but said he was prepared to accept the consequences.
“People may not accept this and choose to disconnect, and that is okay! This life will be over soon, and we can all laugh about it in Heaven. Until then, God bless,” he wrote.
Ford’s announcement has brought renewed attention to differing interpretations of biblical teachings on marriage, particularly the distinction between polygamy practised by some figures in the Old Testament and the New Testament’s teachings on marriage and church leadership.
While several Old Testament figures, including Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon, had multiple wives, other biblical passages are frequently cited by Christians who support monogamy.
In Genesis 2:24, the Bible describes a man leaving his father and mother to be united with his wife, with the two becoming one flesh. Jesus Christ also referred to this passage in Matthew 19:4–6 when discussing marriage and the union between a man and a woman.
Similarly, 1 Timothy 3:2 states that an overseer should be “the husband of one wife”, a passage that many Christian denominations interpret as requiring church leaders to practise monogamy.
However, interpretations of these passages differ among Christian groups, with some arguing that the Bible records instances of polygamy without explicitly prohibiting it in every context.
Ford’s position is therefore likely to fuel further debate among Christians over biblical interpretation, pastoral conduct and the standards expected of church leaders.
