Pastor's wife stuns congregation revealing his 'second wife' during service and announces poly relationship
A pastor in Ohio has told his congregation that he is in a relationship with two women, after his first wife introduced the other woman as his 'second wife' during a church service.
The trio say they have shared a home and combined their finances for almost three years.
Their arrangement was described as a 'polygamous marriage', although it is not legally recognized as a marriage to both women in the United States.
Per People, Pastor Israel Ford, who leads LifeWorks Church in Wickliffe, Ohio, later discussed the relationship with his wife Lydia and Shakayla on the YouTube show Larry Reid Live.
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The interview video has since attracted more than 100,000 views,
During the service, Lydia told the congregation: "My husband...he has a second wife." She called Shakayla her 'sister in marriage' and said the three were living in what they considered a polygamous marriage.
Shakayla acknowledged that people might have concerns, but said: 'We are a family.'
She described the relationship as 'the will of God'.
How did the pastor's three-person relationship begin?
The three appeared on Larry Reid Live on October 27, saying the relationship had developed over nearly three years.
Israel said he and Lydia had been married since 2013. Shakayla, a church member, had helped Lydia while she recovered from surgery.
Israel and Shakayla later developed romantic feelings for each other, and he spoke to Lydia about the possibility of a relationship involving all three.
Lydia said she initially rejected the idea, telling the interview: 'I ain't doing that. That's not for me.'
She later reconsidered after what she described as a spiritual journey. Israel said they moved forward only once Lydia was comfortable.
The trio now live together and combine their finances. Israel acknowledged that Lydia has more influence over some decisions because of their longer relationship.
'Certain decisions, certain things I definitely will give [Lydia] more of the weight,' he said, noting they had been together and married for 13 years.
Is polygamy legal in Ohio?
Ohio law distinguishes their relationship from a legal marriage involving more than one spouse.
Polygamy is not legally recognized in the United States. Under Ohio law, a married person who marries someone else can be charged with bigamy, a first-degree misdemeanor.
The trio have called their relationship a spiritual or polygamous marriage, but the account does not establish that Shakayla is legally married to Israel.
During the interview, host Larry Reid described it as a 'spiritual marriage'. He added: "We know what the law says, but this is about...faith, belief and what people feel."
Shakayla said she would have preferred to keep the relationship private. Israel said going public had been his decision, adding that people in church leadership already knew.
He also said he would not consider bringing another woman into the relationship without agreement from Lydia and Shakayla. Asked whether he would accept either woman taking another husband, he replied: "If they wanted, you know, another husband, then they don't want me."
UNILAD have approached LifeWorks Church for comment
Thomas Bamford