DayStar – Integrity, Adultery and Church Discipline
Marcus Lamb, just another adulterer on the heap of hypocritical televangelists who have reaped millions from faithful donations all while apparently committing adultery for several years. As a Christian myself, I can’t help but to be saddened: I like the Daystar network.
It never surprises me how utterly confusing an adulterous affair can become when money and ego are involved. A mad race ensues, to plug the leaks as to limit how much truth is released. This is truly an article I hate writing, but honesty, integrity and Biblical standards need defending.
In a society struggling to retain its Christian heritage the Marcus Lambs of our community certainly need their fair share of reproach. Unfortunately, because so many Christians are becoming enriched through the Daystar network I dare say few will call Mr. Lamb out. Instead they will suggest forgiving and forgetting, as it is biblical; however, so is discipline.
You know what really makes me angry, as a Christian, it is that so many people like Marcus lamb believe that they can have their lustful adulterous experiences and remain unscathed. The Church has established doctrine for such sin within its leadership and demands integrity of its leaders, but so many offenders use time and inertia to carry them past any discipline. This has left the Church with many pastors and leaders who have gotten away with their deeds only to teach our youth that the Grace of Christ is best used to cover our tracks.
I feel for Joni Lamb, Mr. Lamb’s wife, and can understand her support for her husband. I can only hope and pray the best for her, but in not demanding here husband resign I naturally wonder what her motivation is. As a Christian I wonder, but also try to temper my wondering without mistakenly judgeing. This feeling is not mine alone: Christians are getting tired of defending their leaders to the world.
To have a short term fling is one thing, but several years of knowing that your more interested in defiling your marriage and rebelling against God is truly an open picture of a persons heart: one who needs not to be leading.
I hate what Mr. Lamb has done, it truly is heart breaking. The fact that he is just trying to pick up where he left off irritates the senses even more. Mr. Marcus has almost successfully gotten away with adultery on his terms.
In a Christian Organization such as Focus on the Family. if caught in such a blatant and regular sin. the guilty party would surly resign. However, I can almost assure you that Mr. Lamb will not even consider such a thing: I suggest that you, the reader, demand it. Marcus Lamb is not beyond discipline in the Church, yet I believe he will smooth this over and continue as usual unless the Church demand standards be met.
Jeanette Hawkins the Marketing Director for Daystar filed suit against her employer Daystar because the situation became so outrageous that she was no longer able to respect her work place: it gets more complicated. Many of us have been in similar situations within the work place. In a effort to protect Daystar and Mr. Lambs reputation a counter suit was filed against Ms. Hawkins which almost forces me to question what is going on. Do Christians act in this fashion?
I dare not delve into the detail as this would likely upset me even greater.
I just wonder how many other men in Christian leadership positions are living a rebellious and unfaithful life. I wonder how, we as the Church, can not shout out and tell the Marcus Lambs that sin may be forgiven by a wife and the Church, but that integrity demands resignation.
A man of Mr. Lambs adulterous past would never be considered a candidate for a senior leadership position, so why should he remain the leader of one of Americas greatest Christian television networks.
1 Timothy 3: 1-7 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
Unfortunately for the worlds Christian population, Mr. Lamb is the founder of Daystar and will likely fight for his legacy, ego and a cash flow that he would lose if he resigned.
The Church has a duty to its children to not hold men who have such breaks of integrity in such high places of authority. Children and new Christians observe how we deal with sin within our Church body and learn to fear sin or negotiate it. God’s grace is big enough for all our sin, but this does not excuse the discipline necessary.
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96 Responses to DayStar – Integrity, Adultery and Church Discipline
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Thank you for this. You have obviously spoken from your heart and it resonates a huge yes and amen! God’s Grace is amazing but His discipline is too!
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One of the world’s greatest Christian networks. Are you kidding?
You can’t use funds donated to pay hush money.I like Daystar too but that putz Lamb should step down and be a man. That is not play money to use as you will like a lot of these ministries do anyway all the time.Time for more pressure from the Feds to make sure these type of people don’t get away with this abuse.Forgivness is key for Mr.Lamb, however he should lose his mantle and go do something else,trust is violated.Yes I am a believer and of a charasmatic and pentecostal background but these guys all live too high and mighty and especially it’s disdainful in Gods eyes too.Judgement starts in gods house first,1st Peter 4:17.For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Read that Marcus!!!!!!
This writing you’ve done I appreciate. You have written with thought, heart, kindness and strength . As someone who works on the inside my heart breaks over what is going on.
I appreciate your words – It is tough writing on the subject. Sadly, until we as Christians stop seeking a man made kingdom life we will see more abuses of this nature. I just can’t figure how the Church can go so wrong especially since Jesus left us so many Disciples to follow after – Best of Blessings
The bitter critics above should examine themselves. Which one of them has not looked at another woman and therefore comitted adultery in their hearts. Marcus has made a big mistake, repented of it and I am sure it has now been removed as far as the east is from the west.
Peter swore that although every one would forsake Jesus he would stay faithful. A short time later he denied he ever knew Jesus and Then Jesus turned and looked at him. This could be construed worse than adultery in human terms. Yet six weeks later Jesus made him the head of the first Church. A much greater position than head of Daystar. So let us lift and encourage those who have made mistakes. Someday we made need to be picked up when we have sinned.
Wonderful – and grace abounds surly. Today is a new day – children and new believers know of Lambs adultery and that it is forgiven: Praise God. However, at the same time 1 Timothy 3: 1-7 demands a sound heart and mind above reproach in a leadership position and therefore Lamb on this new day should resign as to not cause more harm to the body. This verse was designed, simply put, to keep the weak from instructing the weakest.
I like how you use the words bitter critics to discipline those who are saddened and appalled by Mr. Lambs conduct. It reminds of of how a Liberal will call a Christian a homophobe for defending the Word of God.
Good article. In American society today (2010), there has been the invention of modern Christianity: Adultery is ok if one is a Christian Bible thumper from Arkansas and lives in the White House; Torture (waterboarding) is ok is one promotes Christian Bible reading in the White House, lives in the White House, and is from Texas; child crime hiding is ok if one is the celebrity Pope of Italy and wishes to save Rome lawsuit money; Catholic condoms are superior to Protestant condoms, Buddhist condoms, Hindu condoms, and Scientology condoms; adultery for seven years with an employee is ok for the second largest Christian TV network in the world – Daystar TV – if the owner is a Reverend and regularly publicly prays over stacks and stacks of prayer requests (often accompanied by money love gifts) implying that God will answer these prayer requests due to the help of the adulterer Christian preacher. This is modern Christianity (2010), not Christianity as described in the Bible.
I agree with the this opinion, especially being an employee of this network. My emotions have been excillerating as of the news on Wedsnesday when I found out. The Lambs should resign so God’s work can go forward as how many will trust when the trust factor has been broken. As I said, I have had a lot of emotion and frankly, it really irritates me to think that I not only have done two jobs and have been paid as one but have not been given opportunity to use my talents. My job has not ever been recognized, now to know my giving is used to support someones infidelity and misuse of funds for his own selfiish desires really irritates me. Marcus, please step down for the sake of the Gospel and may all of Daystar and it affiliates be revised and reworked from bottom (so to speak) to top. I have prayed so many times at my affiliate workplace, Lord, start at the top and do away with all that is not of You. It is not about me or you, it is about God and His Kingdom Work. Lord, may your work be done and May Your Kingdom Come. Church, rise up and take authority. P.S. May I not lose my job over such a declaration, In Jesus Name.
well said. u r using the word of god 2 judge his sin
Jeanette Hawkins, if no one else apologizes to you, I apologize to you for Joni and Marcus putting you in the position of hiding this situation. Finding sin out can make all of us sick, and they are wrong for speaking out that there could be any “other parties not affected by this.” Often times people in high profile, or who are more self-centered than we should be don’t realize how deeply our lives affect others. To go to work in a Christian organization builds up our hopes in Christ and HIS power to keep us out of sin. Know that not everyone is a hypocrite. Also, realize that sexual sin is still just sin, and needs to be dealt with properly–by repentance, by confession and by a stance of no-excuse making–take on the guilt of the blood of Jesus, and walk on. There will be consequences, but righteous judgement AND mercy are trademarks of God.
There is a proper way to deal with someone hurting you with their sin. You go to them first. Then if they don’t hear you, you go to the church elders, and then to higher levels if the church isn’t able to help. A lawsuit seems to have skipped a step where ML’s organization could have interceeded and helped him come forward. What is the purpose of the Lawsuit? Anger? Desire to see fraud exposed? Not all of these purposes will have an outcome that glories the rightness of God, if that is the purpose.
As for the lawsuit, no good lawyer goes to the other party BEFORE a lawsuit is filed. Any other threats before a lawsuit is even filed is EXTORTION. You guys might go to jail.
As for the countersuit–don’t think that the cocoon of prayer will stop ugliness from escalating if you leave the principles of God in order to discredit or get back at others. Why discredit them if you’ve already confessed all? Hopefull there are no more lies to be revealed. Maybe just apologize personally to these people and pay what the judge tells you for hurting someone else?
As for the broadcast. It was very good television, with a message that could have helped others, if it wasn’t done “under the gun.” I cried for Joni and everyone else, and hope that ML is not hiding behind her faith, nor hiding any other lies (how long the affair lasted, paying people off). I also hope that Joni is not involved in paying anyone else off. That would not have been the right thing to do with ministry money. Perhaps if that was paid out of your own salaries, ok. I can understand trying to remove this woman out of your husband’s sight…(Sarah removed Hagar) but if after you know she’s been involved with your husband you pay her a huge fee for something out of ministry money…well, the judge will have to say. That’s His and God’s job, but I would feel very sad to know it was done with ministry money.
The show was very nice television, but I disagree with Frank on pushing us all to ML’s side. Joni and he had an opportunity to question the man, and we don’t know anything–yet. We should forgive too. We should have the respect though, of knowing first what we are forgiving–so we aren’t hurt again if ML is not telling the truth. The next truth is that the Lamb’s may have “done this right” in following the good road for their marriage. However, from all accounts, they may not have done it right in using ministry funds (called misappropriations, if true), and did not do it right in ministry responsibilities. JL had two duties, to her family and to the ministry. She spoke what she believed God would lead her to do for ML in trying to save him/their marriage/family. But, I hope they had some good counsel on how to handle all the overlapping affairs of ministry accountablity. I do know from David’s situation that without someone coming to say something, we will continue to sit on sin. David did confess, and when he was called names, he turned to the LORD, not killing the man who pointed their finger at him (Ziba).
The show’s taste was smooth in the mouth–but it does burn all the way going down–just like sin’s aftertaste should. I have posted this message a few places today, because I believe we do have the responsibility of speaking up in right vs. wrong. Paul asked, “is there not one among you who is able to judge?” That is righteously, not according to favortism, but according to the rightness of God and His Word.
Bottom line: No winners except the Devil. Trap was set long ago, some people fell in, and everyone is hurting. All the rest is tempting men to do what is old news/evil under the sun.
I hope things turn out better, but I keep posting to apologize to the Jeanette Hawkin’s of these situations. It takes some time, away from the situation, and out of their power/influence to realize how traumatic situations really were…how angry we can be about it. I hope she truly knows the LORD.
Thanks for the article. You are so accurate when you claim “people like Marcus Lamb believe that they can have their lustful adulterous experiences and remain unscathed.”
Sexual misconduct should be a career-ending sin where the work of the Lord is concerned. Marcus Lamb should resign. If not, he should be removed.
This article was very well written and it spoke to the real heart of the matter. The other point is that by taking people’s money and saying that it will be used to spread the Gospel but then enjoy a millionaire lifestyle while violating the marriage bed is not only a violation of trust for his wife, Joni, but a tremendous violation of trust for his viewers who donated their hard earned money – and most of it from people who don’t live millon dollar lifestyles.
Has Marcus even THOUGHT about apologizing to his viewers and even giving BACK the money they have donated in good faith? Believe me, I want my money back and I will truly give it to a worthy cause this time. I have already sent a communication to Daystar seeking my money back. Unfortunately, I believe criminal laws were violated here. If Jim Baker could be prosecuted and spend time in prison, maybe this is another case for prosecution.
This has really hurt me and broken my trust of almost any man who says they are a Christian and wants my money. Marcus – you have hurt so many people, so many, many people and you just want to brush over it as it it is no worse than just stepping on someone’s toes. I am also saddened by Joni’s behavior of not standing up for those hurt by this.
I listened to the interview and if you remember this did not just happen last week and when it came to light Marcus did step down. So it is not as if he continued when this affair came to light. he stepped down and Joni continued with Daystar. They were haveing counselling and help hence why they can now say their marriage is restored and they have moved on. What Marcus did was wrong and all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God. I feel this was dealt with already and there is no need for him to step down again!