Joni Lamb
Joni Lamb (born July 19, 1960) is a Christian broadcaster and the co-founder, vice-president, and executive producer of the Daystar Television Network. Joni has been involved with Christian television since the mid-1980s and are most well known for her work with her late husband, Marcus Lamb, with Daystar Television.
Joni Lamb | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joni Trammell July 19, 1960 Colleyville, Texas, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3 |
| Church | Christianity (Pentecostal) |
Congregations served | Co-Founder, DayStar Network, Dallas, Texas |
Offices held | Vice-President DayStar Network |
Lamb is a supporter of Donald Trump, using the Daystar Television Network to promote conservative values. Lamb's media contributions are often controversial with criticisms of those who do not share evangelical views, in statements such as an panel in 2012 where she stated "“if you live in America and you understand that we are a Christian society then [...] you shouldn’t live here.” [1]
Early life
Joni was born as Joni Trammell on July 19, 1960. Her family lived in Greenville, South Carolina through her formative years. Her family were members of the Tremont Avenue Church of God, where Marcus Lamb came as a visiting preacher during a revival. The two met each other at her home church and were married two years later, in 1982. Marcus and Joni traveled for the next few years, visiting churches as evangelists. Then, in 1984, they 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. By 1998, they had raised the funds necessary to start Daystar.[2][3]
Personal life
Joni has three children: Jonathan, Rachel, and Rebecca.
Marcus Lamb had an extramarital affair, which both partners acknowledged publicly in 2010.[4] In a statement released by their marriage counselor, Fred Kendall stated "He had one inappropriate period of misbehavior, with one person and it wasn't a man. It wasn't a transvestite. It was with a woman; a Christian woman."
Daystar programming
Joni Table Talk
Lamb hosts her self-titled half-hour program Joni Table Talk (initially titled Joni) each weekday on Daystar. The format of the show is 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.[5][6]
“Ministry Now!”
Lamb also co-hosts the Daystar flagship program “Ministry Now!” (previously called, “Marcus and Joni” and initially titled “Celebration”). This hour-long program appears five days a week on their Daystar network. Joni and/or her children, who also share host duties, discuss news regarding their network and ministry, and issues affecting the Christian faith with daily guest(s). Joni and her daughters also sing with the Daystar Singers during this Daystar program that reaches 100 million U.S. households and more than 200 countries.[7][6]
Other notable works
Lamb is the author of Surrender All: Your Answer to Living with Peace, Power and Purpose, which was released in 2008, Joni Lamb shares stories about how the power of surrender changed her life and others.[8] Joni Lamb also hosts the annual Refreshing Times conference, which is held each year in the United States.[9]
Controversies
Anti-LGBT views
According to statements following an extramarital affair by Marcus Lamb and private jet controversy, Joni Lamb holds anti-LGBT views. Lamb stated "thousands" of people "have come out of homosexuality" and "may be the most discriminated people in the world today." She has also claimed homosexuality is "ungodly" and "God cannot bless you and you cannot fulfill your destiny while you are operating within the realm of homosexuality."[10]
Anti-vaccination and voter fraud conspiracies
Lamb also uses family platforms and shows to promote conservative values and unfounded[11] claims related to vaccination and voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. "The Lamb family have used their platforms to advertise prayer events in conjunction with the Trump family as well as to promote anti-vaccination organizations. In November, Daystar encouraged its members to sign a petition urging the Supreme Court to either recount or overturn the presidential election results and institute a re-vote."[12]
References
- Joni Lamb: If You Don't Like That America Is A Christian Nation, "You Shouldn't Live Here", archived from the original on 2021-12-12, retrieved 2021-05-11
- "About Daystar Television with Marcus Lamb and Joni Lamb". Daystar.com. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
- "Exclusive: Texas Televangelist Couple Outraged Over Extortionists' Demands for 'God's Money'". ABC News. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
- "Joni Lamb - Vice President and Co-Founder - Daystar Television". Daystar.com. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
- "About Daystar Television with Marcus Lamb and Joni Lamb". Daystar.com. Retrieved 2017-01-16.
- Browning, Bil (2020-12-14). "Anti-LGBTQ pastor's church gets $4M in COVID bailout funds. They bought him a private jet". LGBTQ Nation. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
- "AP FACT CHECK: Trump's claims of vote rigging are all wrong". AP NEWS. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
- "D-FW Christian TV network reportedly returned $3.9 million PPP loan after investigation into jet purchase". Dallas News. 2020-12-17. Retrieved 2021-05-10.