We are an international fellowship of Torah-observant and plural marriage-accepting believers under the leadership of twelve present and future end-time apostles and operate under the wider umbrella of New Covenant Ministries (www.nccg.org/NCM). The apostles, evangelists, pastors, elders and deacons belong to the Chavurat Bekorot which is the Priesthood Order that supervises and regulates all our congregations worldwide (www.nccg.org/CBQ-HP.html).
Because we are attracting whole congregations in addition to single converts, a secondary organisation called the New Covenant House Church Fellowship (NCHCF) was organised (www.nccg.org/NCHCF) which is a loose organisation of applicant congregations who wish to come under the full leadership of this ministry. And within the NCHCF is a specialist ministry called Holy Echad Marriage (HEM) which specialises in polygamous communities that wish to embrace this work (www.nccg.org/fecpp/CPM-HP-Index.html).
The first wholly polygamous, self-governing congregations were raised in Nyanza Province, Kenya in 2003 and the work has been spreading ever since. In countries devastated by war and AIDS especially, plural marriage offers a wonderful solution to the problem of widows and orphans. We are inviting our own associate congregations and families in Africa especially to consider taking in these widows and orphans in plural marriage relationships to offer them security, love and a happy home environment, or to otherwise shelter them if they are not interested in this lfiestyle. We do, however, have strict rules governing the expansion of monogamous families that require the prayerful agreement of both husband and wife, for as you have read in this book we absolutely do not advocate plural marriage by force. Again, not everybody will be suited for this lifestyle and it must by no means be thrust on them. The Gospel of Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) is by attraction and love only.
It should be clearly understood that whilst this ministry accepts plural marriage it does not promote it generally. Our default position is that people should seek our monogamous marriages. The regulation of this practice is entirely the responsibility of the Chavurat Bekorot. Except where converts are themselves already polygamous, plural marriage is not permitted to any but those who are mature enough spiritually to handle it, have been clearly called into it by Yahweh, and where husband and first wife are in agreement mentally, emotionally and spiritually. We do not permit the unilateral breaking of monogamy-only wedding vows (see Chapter 22). Furthermore, in countries where plural marriage is illegal, the state registration of marriage is usually avoided, and those living the principle keep a low profile to avoid conflict with the state. In the West particularly there is a price to be paid in embracing all of Yahweh's laws, be they multiple marriage, Sabbath observance, observing the biblical dietary code, etc.. For this reason, at this time (2003) only Elders are permitted to enter into plural marriage. Later, as congregations spiritually mature, this practice will be extended to the Deacons also. There are always exceptions and as with the regulation of the practice in general, approval of the Apostolate and their pastoral agents is often required to ensure that proper plural marriage education has been given and councelling received by prospective practitioners.
This ministry has as an international apostolic policy of not discussing plural marriage with the secular media, régimes or private persons not a part of our fellowship. We consider marriage to be a private and sacred affair and not the concern of anyone but those who practice it. We will not therefore do TV, newspaper, magazine, telephone or radio interviews. We are not interested in promoting its legalisation in countries where it is not accepted because we have never considered marriage to be within the province of state institutions, though we absolutely support efforts to decriminalise it. This book is written for you, the African or Asian polygamist, who wishes to become a Messianic Evangelical and to know how to defend your lifestyle from the Bible and how you are supposed to live it in a way that acceptable and pleasing to Yahweh, our Father in Heaven.
May Yahweh bless you and keep you in His truth, reveal His great love for you and your family, and show you the way to peace and love through His Son, Yah'shua the Messiah (Jesus Christ).
