A US-based clergyman, Prophet Israel Ford, and his first wife, Prophetess Lydia Ford, have sparked reactions after publicly introducing his second wife, Shakayla Ford, to members of their congregation on Sunday, October 25.
According to reports, Prophet Israel and Shakayla had been married for three years but kept the union private from members of the church until the recent announcement.
In a surprising move, Lydia was given the honour of formally introducing Shakayla to the congregation. During her address, she described their family arrangement as “polygynous” and referred to Shakayla as her “sister in marriage.”
Lydia also disclosed that members of the church had benefited from Shakayla’s ministry over time.
In her own remarks, Shakayla described the occasion as a moment of “addressing the big elephant in the room.” She expressed gratitude to God for leading and guiding them in their marriage, adding that despite the differing opinions people might have about their arrangement, she believed they were living according to God’s will and walking in His image for marriage.
Following the announcement, Prophet Israel shared a video of the event on social media and defended his decision to practise polygamy.
He argued that teaching against polygamy is unbiblical, challenging religious leaders who preach against the practice.