Joni Lamb, Protestant Daystar Founder Dead at 65

Remembering Joni Lamb: A Life Dedicated to Christian Broadcasting

Joni Lamb, co-founder and president of the Daystar Television Network, passed away on May 7, 2026, at the age of 65. Her death followed serious health issues that were compounded by a recent back injury, those some online sources are claiming it was bone cancer.

 Brief Biography

Born Joni Trammell on July 19, 1960, in Colleyville, Texas, she grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, in a faith-filled environment. She met her first husband, Marcus Lamb, at her family's Church of God during a revival. They married in 1982 and began ministering together as evangelists.

In the mid-1980s, the couple entered Christian television. They purchased a station in Montgomery, Alabama, and later moved to Dallas. In 1993, they launched Daystar Television Network, which grew into one of the world's largest Christian broadcasting platforms, reaching millions of homes globally via cable, satellite, and streaming. After Marcus's death from COVID-19 complications in 2021, Joni became president and continued leading the network. She remarried Doug Weiss in 2023.

 Accomplishments

Joni Lamb served as executive producer, host, singer, author, and speaker. She hosted Joni Table Talk, a program featuring discussions on faith, culture, and contemporary issues, which earned recognition including a Daytime Emmy nomination. She co-hosted flagship shows like Ministry Now! (formerly Marcus & Joni) and authored books such as Through the Storm and Surrender All. Under her leadership with Marcus, Daystar expanded dramatically, broadcasting inspirational content, worship, teaching, and interviews with prominent Christian leaders worldwide.

Her work emphasized sharing the Gospel, family values, and practical faith. She was known for her authentic on-air presence and commitment to ministry excellence.

 Her Faith

Joni Lamb's faith was deeply rooted in Pentecostalism. She embodied a charismatic, Spirit-filled Christianity with a strong emphasis on personal relationship with Jesus, the power of prayer, miracles, and bold proclamation of the Gospel. She often spoke of trusting God through trials, including her husband's infidelity (which the couple publicly addressed and overcame), grief after his death, and leadership challenges. Her ministry focused on evangelism, encouragement, and applying biblical principles to daily life.

 Views on Catholicism and Heretical Statements

As a committed Protestant in the Pentecostal tradition, Joni Lamb's teachings aligned with evangelical Protestantism. This included sola scriptura (Scripture alone as the ultimate authority), rejection of papal infallibility and the Magisterium, and an emphasis on personal faith in Christ for salvation apart from certain sacramental frameworks emphasized in Catholicism. Daystar programming often featured Protestant perspectives that critique Catholic doctrines such as veneration of Mary and saints, transubstantiation, or purgatory as unbiblical additions.

Many Protestant positions promoted on Daystar—including those associated with Joni—contain serious errors or heresies, such as denying the Real Presence in the Eucharist, the necessity of the Church's visible unity under the Pope, or the role of Tradition alongside Scripture. Specific controversies around Joni included strong teachings on spiritual authority and submission (e.g., in family and ministry contexts with Jimmy Evans), which some critics labeled as unbalanced or heretical even within Protestant circles. She also faced scrutiny for on-air comments on topics like homosexuality, vaccines, and politics, reflecting a conservative evangelical worldview.

 A Personal Reflection

I sometimes watched her show on CBS and last week she looked a bit weak and bloated. It was a shock to learn of her death. May she rest in peace and we pray for God to have mercy on her soul. Her faith was not fully authentically Christian and had many Protestant errors, but God is merciful. She seemed like a genuine person who loved the Lord. We pray for her soul. She might be in the Purgatory her views and network critcized.  May she rest in peace.