The lead pastor of LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, Prophet Israel Ford, has defended his decision to marry two women despite criticism from Christians, arguing that biblical teachings on monogamy have been misunderstood.
Ford recently attracted widespread attention after introducing his second wife, Minister Shakayla Ford, to his congregation alongside his first wife, Pastor Lydia Ford, during a church service on Sunday, October 25.
The announcement sparked debate among Christians, with critics citing biblical instructions that church leaders should be “the husband of one wife”.
However, during an interview with The Shade Room published on Tuesday, Ford, alongside his two wives, argued that the scriptural requirement applied to specific church leadership positions rather than all Christians.
“One, I’m not a bishop nor am I a deacon. Two, if that’s actually what that meant, then that would only pertain to those who are on that level of leadership,” he said.
Ford further maintained that certain biblical instructions reflected the cultural practices of the period in which they were written and should be understood within that context.
He referenced the passage instructing women to remain silent in church, arguing that Christians had accepted cultural explanations for that teaching but were unwilling to apply similar reasoning to the requirement that a bishop have one wife.
“And once I got that understanding, I was able to even go to the chapter before in chapter two where it says women should be silent in the church. Well, I was able to get over that one. And I knew that that was a cultural thing. So why can we not get over the other one, which is a bishop? It’s cultural,” he stated.
During the interview, Ford was also asked whether his wives would be permitted to marry additional husbands, given his decision to have two wives.
He rejected the possibility, saying, “No. If they want another husband, they don’t want me because I am not doing that.”
When questioned about the apparent difference in the rules he applied to himself and his wives, Ford argued that men and women had different responsibilities in marriage.
“If I have the responsibility to die for you and you only have to respect me, then that means I have the greater sacrifice,” he said, referring to what he described as a husband’s obligation to sacrifice his life for his wife.
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His position has fuelled further debate over why he considers it acceptable for a man to have multiple wives while rejecting the same arrangement for women.
Lydia, his first wife, disclosed that she initially opposed the idea when her husband raised the possibility several years ago.
She said the discussion began in 2021 or 2022 when Ford, while studying the Bible, told her he believed God had instructed him to consider marrying more than one woman.
“The polygyny conversation started in 2021–2022. He was studying the Word of God, and God told him. He brought it to me, and I rejected it then. I asked him to allow God to speak to me about it,” she said.
Lydia explained that she subsequently embarked on a period of prayer, fasting and Bible study to determine whether she could accept the arrangement.
“After talking and praying, I asked God to speak to me about it. I said, whether I like it or not, I need God to tell me if this is something I should do or not. I went on the journey of studying the Word of God, praying and fasting, and reading so many books. At the end, God spoke to me, and I accepted,” she added.
She also spoke about her involvement in the process of selecting Shakayla as Ford’s second wife, acknowledging that the idea initially made her uncomfortable.
According to Lydia, her acceptance came after studying the scriptures and discussing the matter further with her husband.
Shakayla, who previously served under Ford’s spiritual mentorship, also described her transition from being his spiritual daughter to becoming his wife.
She acknowledged that adjusting to the new relationship required some learning but said Lydia helped her understand her role.
“He will always be my spiritual leader; that does not change. In terms of wife, I feel like that was a transition because I had to learn what it was like to be a wife. But the best part is that I had an example right here,” she said, referring to Lydia.
“It was not hard. It was a transition in general.”
Ford, however, said the adjustment was straightforward for him because his behaviour at home remained consistent with his conduct in church.
“It was easy for me because who I am in church is who I am at home,” he said.
Shakayla also insisted that she had no intention of replacing Lydia or competing with her for a leadership position in the church.
“I’m still Minister Shakayla. I’m not a pastor. I’m not here to take any light from Pastor Lydia. Not at all. I’m here to serve, to help, to submit to the prophet, to our husband, and help her wherever I can,” she said.
Describing the relationship between the two women, Shakayla said they viewed themselves as members of one family rather than rivals.
“We are a family. We don’t walk around like individuals fighting and beefing, but it is a family dynamic in the image of what God wants to put in the earth,” she said.