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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I agree. I understand that men stray but his going forward without stepping down when his wife found out a few years ago and her collusion makes me lose all respect for them both. This is a television network so why is he even out fron in the first place. Step out of the limelight and work behind the scenes. That is what he should have done. Joni could have carried on in front of the camera.
They will never get another dime out of me. And for the record, I never liked him and was waiting for this type of thing or something worse to occur. The next thing is a charge of financial mismanagement because if you cheat you steal.
I have not or would not call a Christian a homorphobe for defending the Word of God neither am I a Liberal in either the political or spiritual sense. I am a born again Christian who has made mistakes and I know the forgiveness of God.
It was a time of celebration when the Prodigal son returned to his father so lets be glad for repentant sinners. Marcus is leader of Daystar because God put him there and the gifts of God are without repentance. Yet this man has repented. Many men of God have made very serious mistakes and carried on.
The new believers (and children) will see both sides of this argument if allowed to, and will (hopefully) eventually decide by reviewing Gods Word and seeing how men of God reacted to their failures.
I believe a resignation is in order. Just because he has been forgiven of his adulterous conduct, doesn’t remove his responsibility as a Christian leader. There are still consquences he must be responsible for to those who have faithfully supported his tainted ministry. He has weakened the faith of many and made a mockery of the Christians who were his guests during the time.
Everything you expressed is true, yet we as the Church must demand that 1 Timothy 3: 1-7 is followed for the children and new believers. Discipline as a major public Church leader is not taking counseling classes and then getting back to business – that sounds like an idea coming from someone who has in interest in Lamb not losing his position. Any Church leader caught in adultery should be removed – it is that simple. It has nothing to do with the Grace of Christ, or forgiveness, as that is a given, it is all about discipline and keeping the body well. To allow a leader to remain with such worldly reproach will set a horrible precedent. We either follow 1 Timothy 3: 1-7 or we are hypocrites: it’s that simple. Here is the test of our faith, (ALL OF OUR FAITHS -THIS IS A MATTER FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH) do we obey or do we want Marcus Lamb bad enough that we will ignore the requirements for Church leadership.
You make a good point was Marcus even going to apologize to the viewers?
Phil Kammer, you are a breath of fresh air!
Not sure if your a Christian, but your comment certainly does express a general frustration and confusion coming out of the Church today. Christians who truly love the Jesus are themselves frustrated with Mr. Lamb. – I do apologize for any confusion. Let me assure you that the Church of Christ is strong and there are wonderful leaders who unlike Mr. Lamb would have quickly stepped down. I plan to continue demanding it.
Thank you – Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @lizarddawg if your on that is – Be blessed
He’s also tried to demonize the other woman by claiming she is out to get “God’s money”. As if he is some type of hero for standing up for God’s money and she’s just some fortune seeking whore.
Mr. Walsh everyman struggles with that but in a position like his he should not continue in his position.Don’t use that as your trump card here,we are not the issue here, he is.You can’t point fingers like he is to save his skin and use domations to pay hush money,that is not his money.Making Peter the head of the church has nothing to do with this issue.Today the lure of temptation is much more and I agree we all need to be picked up when we fall but no more mantle for Marcus should be the outcome.
Thank you Phil for clarity on this tragedy and upholding the truth of the Word. I am so sick and tired of wishy washy Christians drawing on their emotions and making light of moral failures on the part of (so called) Christian leaders. They need to take a look at the book of Revelations and see what Jesus says to the churches. I watched Marcus and Joni pitch their spin of what happened “several years ago”. I was befuddled with exactly what his “improper behavior” was. Now we learn it was a sexual relationship with another woman for seven years that got confronted late in 2007. I call that recent. I call that “behavior” adultery. Continuing for a seven year period makes him rather an adulterer. While he begged for money from God’s people and then allegedly took those funds and paid hush money. And Joni appears to have been complicit in a cover-up. While pressuring the whistle-blower to lie about why the other woman was no longer at Daystar. And Marcus had the nerve to say others were using he and Joni’s pain for gain? Weasel and a cad. He inflicted untold pain on people. And he and Joni turn their guns on the employees that exposed the nightmare in their midst? Disgusting. But not surprising, when you really consider that his moral failure did not begin with his sexual act. Adultery is a process that begins with a flawed heart, immoral character and lust. Has he really been restored? In watching Fred Kendall I question that. It seems the motive of the Kendall’s ministry to the Lamb’s was to keep the secret and mend the marriage. So Marcus made a mockery of “stepping down??” Marcus is accountable to the Christians he raises funds from. And he is accountable for how he has managed “God’s money.” I contributed to Daystar but never again. I forgive them but trust is broken.
I am very saddened by Mr. Lambs conduct.
I also hope you do not lose your job for commenting. I will pray that God will bless you and all you are doing.
About the article there are some things I would like to know. How long was the affair? was it one time or ongoing for years?
Your article sounds a bit like a “stone thrower”. Thinking that he is without being punished is not true. And just as in the past with televanghelist they are always exposed. If God wants him out he will be out it will just be a matter of time. And money comes and goes if people want to give, they have a right.
The affair lasted for multiple years according to reports. This issue is simply do we abide by 1 Timothy 3: 1-7 in the Church or do we turn to the world and do as they do. I hate even discussing this, but then who will? – the church must demand that their leaders are beyond reproach – We are the hands of God here on earth and if Mr. Lamb has broken the trust we need to demand his resignation.
I see a lack of balance in this because some want to show mercy others on the accused others want to crucify them can’t we have a balance between discipline and mercy any thoughts??