An Ohio pastor’s wife stunned her congregation by introducing her husband’s “second wife” during a Sunday church service, publicly revealing a three-way relationship the trio says has already lasted nearly three years.
Lydia Ford, wife of LifeWorks Church Pastor Israel Ford, 37, made the announcement at the Wickliffe, Ohio, congregation before the three later sat for a joint interview on the YouTube program Larry Reid Live on October 27. The video has since drawn more than 100,000 views.
During the service, Lydia told those gathered: “My husband…he has a second wife.” She identified Shakayla as her “sister in marriage” and said the three were living in what they considered a polygamous marriage.
Shakayla, a member of LifeWorks Church, acknowledged that people might have concerns, but said: “We are a family.” She described the relationship as “the will of God.”
The three told Reid they have shared a home and combined their finances for almost three years. Israel said he and Lydia had been married since 2013. Shakayla had initially helped Lydia while she recovered from surgery, and Israel and Shakayla later developed romantic feelings for each other.
Israel said 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.
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.
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.”
Host Larry Reid described the arrangement as a “spiritual marriage,” He added: “We know what the law says, but this is about…faith, belief and what people feel.”
Their arrangement is not legally recognized as a marriage to both women in the United States. Ohio law distinguishes their relationship from a legal marriage involving more than one spouse. Polygamy is not legally recognized in the United States, and under Ohio law, a married person who marries someone else can be charged with bigamy, a first-degree misdemeanor. The account does not establish that Shakayla is legally married to Israel.
The trio have called their relationship a spiritual or polygamous marriage.