Tributes pour in for Joni Lamb as death reignites controversies, questions over marriage

Joni Lamb, the founder of Daystar Television Network, has died at the age of 66, said a statement issued on Thursday.

The network said, "Prior to her recent back injury, Lamb has been dealing with serious health matters that she chose to head one and in private."

"The back injury compounded those challenges and led to a more serious medical situation than anyone had anticipated. Despite the dedicated efforts of her medical team and the prayers of so many around the world, her condition worsened in the the few days." said the statement without elaborating  on her actual cause of death.

It said Joni Lamb's family has asked for prayers and for privacy, adding that information about a memorial service will be shared by at the appropriate time.

Shortly after her death was announced, supporters sent sympathies to the grieving family while critics recalled controversies surrounding the Christian broadcasting founder.

In a controversy that became public in 2024, she was accused of covering up a family  scandal involving allegations of child sex abuse at Daystar. 

Her  son Jonathan Lamb, who also worked at Daystar, and his wife Suzy Lamb publicly accused Joni and her late husband, Marcus Lamb, and other family members of covering up the sexual abuse of their then-5-year-old daughter by a male Lamb family relative referred to publicly as "Pete". 

She dismissed the allegations, claiming they stemmed from her son's disappointment over succession.

US authorities launched an investigation into the allegations but no charges were filed against  "Pete" during the course of inquiry  that was closed in 2025.

Joni Lamb also sparked controversy with her anti-LGBTQ+ remarks, claiming many have "come out of homosexuality."

She got married to Dr. Doug Weiss, a psychologist and author, after her first husband, Marcus Lamb died in 2021.

Critics accused Doug Weiss of divorcing his ex-wife Lisa Weiss without biblical grounds to marry Joni Lamb.