Joni Lamb Death: Christian Broadcasting Icon Dies at 65 After Health Decline
The Christian broadcasting community is in mourning following the death of Joni Lamb, who co-founded Daystar in 1993 with her late husband, Marcus, and helped grow it into one of the world’s largest Christian TV networks after spending nearly 40 years on-air and in leadership.
Joni Lamb, the president and founder of the Daystar Television Network, died on May 7, with the network confirming the loss. She was 65 years old.
The news of her passing triggered an immediate wave of tributes from pastors, Christian leaders, television personalities, and longtime viewers who followed Joni Lamb and Daystar for decades.
What Happened to Joni Lamb? Health Decline and Back Injury
Daystar said Lamb had been dealing with serious private health challenges before a recent back injury “compounded those challenges and led to a more serious medical situation than anyone had anticipated”.
According to Daystar’s official statement, Lamb was dealing with “serious health matters” compounded by a previous back injury, and “despite the dedicated efforts of her medical team and the prayers of so many around the world, her condition worsened in the last few days”.
Exact Cause of Death: The specific medical diagnosis has not been publicly disclosed by the family or the network. Daystar indicated the complications stemmed from undisclosed health challenges that were exacerbated by a back injury she had been privately managing.
Last month, Doug Weiss, Lamb’s husband, announced that Lamb had suffered a back injury and would be off the air for a while, noting that “prior to her recent back injury, Lamb had been dealing with serious health matters that she chose to face head-on and in private”.
Who Was Joni Lamb? A Life in Christian Broadcasting
Early Life and Meeting Marcus Lamb
Joni Trammell was born in Greenville, South Carolina, with her family being members of the Tremont Avenue Church of God, where Marcus Lamb ministered as a visiting preacher during a revival. The couple met at her home church and were married two years later, in 1982.
Building Daystar from Scratch
In 1984, Joni and Marcus Lamb settled in Montgomery, Alabama where they purchased a full power television station and began teaching the Bible on broadcast television. This continued until 1990, when the couple moved to Dallas and formed another station in the larger Texas market.
Joni Lamb co-founded Daystar in 1993, which would eventually become a global phenomenon in Christian media.
Her Broadcasting Career
Lamb hosted her self-titled half-hour program Joni Table Talk (initially titled Joni) each weekday on Daystar. The format of the show was typically a round table discussion with other ministers, singers and celebrities discussing a wide range of topics that combine contemporary cultural issues and the Christian faith. In 2004, the show was awarded as the Best Television Talk Show by the National Religious Broadcasters.
Lamb co-hosted the Daystar flagship program Ministry Now! (previously called, Marcus and Joni and initially titled Celebration). The hour-long program was broadcast five days a week on their Daystar network.
Daystar’s Global Impact and Scale
Daystar reaches over 7 billion viewers, and it is the fastest growing faith-based television network in the world. Alongside her late husband and Daystar founder, Marcus Lamb, they turned one station into a broadcasting network that is in over 2.3 billion homes worldwide over all major cable carriers and satellite systems.
Through her broadcasting career and various ventures, Joni Lamb achieved considerable financial success, with her net worth estimated at $40 million as of 2024. This wealth stemmed from multiple sources, including the Daystar Television Network, book sales, and real estate investments.
Marcus Lamb’s Death in 2021: The Turning Point
Marcus Daron Lamb (October 7, 1957 – November 2021) was an American televangelist, prosperity theologian, minister, Christian broadcaster, and anti-vaccine advocate. He was the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Daystar Television Network.
Marcus Lamb died from COVID-19 complications at the end of November, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was 64 years old.
Lamb’s wife, Joni, announced the televangelist’s death on Daystar’s program. She said her husband had diabetes but was healthy and was hospitalized after being diagnosed with Covid-19.
Marcus’s Anti-Vaccine Stance
Notably, Marcus Lamb became a fierce critic of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic and pushed for alternative treatments such as hydroxychloroquine. This became a significant part of Daystar’s programming during the pandemic.
Family Controversies
Beyond his death, Marcus Lamb’s leadership had been marked by scandal. In November 2010, Lamb admitted on the Daystar Network that he had an extramarital affair that had ended several years before. He and his wife sought the help of spiritual counselors.
Joni’s Leadership After Marcus: Challenges and Controversies
After Marcus’s death in 2021, Joni Lamb stepped into a more prominent leadership role at Daystar. However, her tenure was marked by significant family and public controversy.
The Doug Weiss Marriage and Jonathan’s Opposition
On June 10, 2023, Joni Lamb married Doug Weiss. Weiss is a television co-host, author and psychologist.
In 2023, Joni Lamb married Weiss, a sex therapist and Daystar guest, causing a rift in the family as her son, Jonathan, opposed the marriage, arguing that Weiss had not divorced his previous wife on biblical grounds.
The Jonathan Lamb Allegations and Firing
In 2024, allegations of abuse emerged, with Jonathan Lamb being fired from the network in November 2024. Joni Lamb said the decision to terminate her son’s employment followed a 15-month review of his performance. She also accused him of “fabricating a smear campaign.” A Texas police department declined to file charges and closed its investigation into the abuse allegations in May 2025, citing “insufficient evidence”.
A number of high-profile Christian preachers, including Joyce Meyer, distanced themselves from Daystar after the allegations of abuse became public.
Joni Lamb’s Controversial Views and Statements
During her career, Joni Lamb generated controversy for several public statements. Lamb commented on her television program about being against vaccinations and spoke out on what she believed was voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election.
These positions, shared on Daystar’s platform, influenced millions of viewers and contributed to broader conversations about misinformation in Christian media.
Daystar Board’s Tribute to Joni Lamb
Following news of her death, the Daystar Board of Directors praised her faith, leadership and legacy in a statement, saying “Joni’s love for the Lord and for the people we serve shaped this ministry from the beginning. We grieve her loss, and we are grateful for the legacy of faith she leaves behind”.
The network said that “She has modeled what it means to be fearless, to be bold, and to stand for righteousness even when it’s unpopular. Her love and compassion for people were unparalleled. She will be so greatly missed”.
What Happens to Daystar Now?
Leadership Continuity Plan
Daystar says its mission continues, with an executive leadership plan already in place. “Previously, (Joni Lamb) worked with the board to ensure an executive leadership team was in place so that the ministry would continue uninterrupted”.
Programming and Tributes
Programming will continue as scheduled, with on-air tributes planned. The network has not announced specific details about leadership succession or future direction.
Family Survivors
Joni and Marcus Lamb had three children: Jonathan Lamb, Rachel Lamb Brown, and Rebecca Lamb Weiss. At the time of her death, Lamb owned four houses in Texas, a home in Georgia and a beach condo in Miramar Beach, Florida.
The Legacy of Joni Lamb in Christian Broadcasting
A Pioneering Force
Joni Lamb’s career spanned more than three decades in Christian television. She was instrumental in transforming Daystar from a small operation into a global media empire reaching billions of viewers across multiple platforms.
Her Impact on Christian Media
Lamb and her first husband, Marcus, founded Daystar in the 1990s and grew it into one of the largest Christian networks in the country. Their work influenced how Christian broadcasting evolved in the digital age and helped launch the careers of numerous religious media personalities.
Influence Through Her Shows
Through programs like “Joni Table Talk” and “Ministry Now!,” she discussed faith, contemporary issues, family matters, and topics relevant to Christian audiences. Her accessible, conversational approach made her relatable to millions of viewers worldwide.
Public Reaction and Tributes
As news of Joni Lamb’s death spread, tributes flooded social media and religious communities. Many viewers shared how Daystar programming had influenced their faith journeys and family lives over decades of viewing.
“I’m heartbroken at the news of the passing of my friend, Joni Lamb. Her life, love for Jesus, passion to share the Gospel, and her friendship has meant so much to me and to people around the world,” Pastor Travis Johnson of Pathway Church in Alabama posted.
Joni Lamb’s Personal Life and Interests
Beyond her broadcasting career, Joni Lamb was known for:
- Author: She published books addressing Christian living and faith topics
- Singer: She performed with the Daystar Singers during network programming
- Producer: She served as executive producer on numerous Daystar programs
- Family Person: She maintained close relationships with her children and grandchildren, who occasionally appeared on network programming
The Questions Remaining
While Daystar confirmed Joni Lamb’s death and provided general information about her health decline, many specific details remain private:
- The exact medical diagnosis causing her death
- Specific timing of when her health began to decline
- Details about her final days
- Plans for a public memorial service (to be announced later)
- Full details about Daystar’s leadership transition
Her family is requesting prayers and privacy.
Conclusion: Remembering Joni Lamb
The death of Joni Lamb represents a significant moment in Christian broadcasting history. For over 40 years, she was a visible, influential presence in the lives of millions who watched Daystar Television Network.
From her humble beginnings in Greenville, South Carolina, to building a global Christian media empire with her husband Marcus, Joni Lamb’s life exemplified dedication to faith-based broadcasting. Despite controversies that marked recent years, her fundamental impact on Christian television and ministry remains undeniable.
As the Christian community grieves her loss, Daystar continues with the executive leadership team Joni put in place, ensuring that the ministry she helped build will continue its mission of reaching viewers worldwide.
Whether remembered for her pioneering work in Christian broadcasting, her distinctive communication style, or her decades of on-air ministry, Joni Lamb’s legacy will endure through the network she helped establish and the millions she touched through her work.
Key Facts About Joni Lamb
- Born: July 19, 1960, in Greenville, South Carolina
- Died: May 7, 2026, at age 65
- Married Marcus Lamb: 1982
- Co-Founded Daystar: 1993
- Daystar Reach: 7 billion viewers, 2.3 billion homes worldwide
- Awards: Best Television Talk Show (2004, National Religious Broadcasters)
- Remarried: June 10, 2023 (to Dr. Doug Weiss)
- Children: Jonathan, Rachel, and Rebecca
- Net Worth: Estimated $40 million as of 2024
Sources: CBS Texas, Daystar Television Network, Wikipedia, Religion News Service, Christianity Today, CNN, NPR, NBC News, Washington Post
Memorial service details will be announced by Daystar Television Network in the coming days. The family requests privacy and prayers during this time of grief.
