US Pastor marries second wife, defends polygamy as biblical

Israel Ford Says He Will Not Abandon Beliefs After Marrying Second Wife

US-based pastor Israel Ford has said he will not change his position on polygamy to satisfy public opinion following his announcement that he has married a second wife.

Ford, who leads LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, introduced Shakayla Ford to the public in a Facebook post featuring a church-recorded video with his first wife, Lydia Ford, also present.

“I would like to introduce to the world, my second wife, Shakayla Ford!!!” the pastor wrote.

Explaining his decision, Ford challenged the belief that marriage must involve one man and one woman exclusively, arguing that the position was not entirely consistent with biblical history.

“As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only. This is unbiblical,” he stated.

The pastor said he intended to release a detailed sermon later in the week to explain the scriptural interpretation behind his decision.

He also suggested that many pastors avoid discussing polygamy because of the controversy surrounding the practice.

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Ford maintained that his religious convictions were more important to him than winning public approval.

“I have no plans to choose pleasing man over what God has revealed,” he wrote.

He acknowledged that some followers or members of the public might disagree with his decision and choose to distance themselves from him.

According to Ford, he would accept their decision rather than compromise what he believes to be his spiritual convictions.

The announcement has prompted discussion about the relationship between religious beliefs, personal choices and expectations placed on Christian leaders.

Views on polygamy differ across religious traditions, with some pointing to biblical accounts of men who had multiple wives, while many contemporary Christian churches teach monogamy.

Ford’s planned sermon is expected to provide more context for his interpretation and address questions surrounding his marriage announcement.

His position has brought the subject back into public conversation, particularly regarding how religious leaders interpret scripture and apply its teachings to contemporary family life.