A Cleveland-area pastor’s wife introduced his second wife to their congregation on Sunday, telling the room that the arrangement was God’s will, and video of the service has drawn millions of views online.
As reported by EEW Magazine, the announcement came at LifeWorks Church, founded by Israel T. Ford, known to members as “Prophet Israel.” His wife, Pastor Lydia Ford, made the introduction from the front of the room.
“Y’all know her. Y’all love her,” Lydia Ford told the congregation, before presenting Shakayla Talley, a congregant and friend of the family, as “prophet’s wife and my sister in marriage, Minister Shakayla.”
Israel Ford set out his position separately on Instagram. “As a nation we have been taught that a man should have one wife only,” he wrote. “This is unbiblical.”
Footage of the service was posted to X on Monday and has since passed five million views, with more than 4,900 replies and 29,000 likes.
https://x.com/AsakyGRN/status/2114623764495233420
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The response online ran heavily against the couple, though not entirely.
“Now they’re forcing their kinks onto the church,” one commenter wrote.
Another rejected the religious framing outright: “This is NOTHING in resemblance of the plans of God.”
A third turned on the congregation rather than the couple, writing that “everyone who stayed at that church after this is as bad as he is.”
Others treated it as absurd rather than outrageous. “1st bible reading – wife 1. 2nd Bible reading – wife 2. Sermon – Husband. End of Service,” one wrote.
A smaller group defended the arrangement. “Finally living like the apostles of God. This is way overdue,” one commenter wrote, adding congratulations and saying they hoped it worked out.
LifeWorks Church has not commented beyond the announcement made during the service, and no denomination has been named in connection with it.
