Daystar Cofounder and President Joni Lamb Dies at 65

Joni Lamb, cofounder and president of Daystar Television Network, who helped transform a single Texas television station into a global Christian broadcasting network, died Thursday at age 65.

Daystar announced Lamb’s death in a statement posted May 7 on the network’s website, saying she had been facing “serious health matters” before suffering a recent back injury that worsened her condition.

“Prior to her recent back injury, Lamb had been dealing with serious health matters that she chose to face head on and in private,” the statement said. “The back injury compounded those challenges and led to a more serious medical situation than anyone had anticipated.”

The Bedford, Texas-based network said Lamb died despite “the dedicated efforts of her medical team and the prayers of so many around the world.”

“Joni’s love for the Lord and for the people we serve shaped this ministry from the beginning,” Daystar’s board of directors said in the statement. “We grieve her loss, and we are grateful for the legacy of faith she leaves behind.”

In a separate statement shared on Instagram, Daystar described Lamb as “an inspiration to millions” and praised her willingness “to be fearless, to be bold, and to stand for righteousness even when it’s unpopular.”

“Her love and compassion for people were unparalleled,” the post read. “She will be so greatly missed.”

Lamb cofounded Daystar alongside her late husband, Marcus Lamb, in 1993 after the couple relocated to the Dallas area to launch Christian television station KMPX-TV. What began as a local station eventually expanded into an international media operation carried through cable, satellite, streaming, and digital platforms.

According to Daystar, the network now reaches more than 2.3 billion homes worldwide and broadcasts in over 195 countries. The organization describes itself as the world’s largest Christian television network and says it operates more than 100 television stations across the United States.

Over the years, Lamb became one of the network’s most recognizable on-air personalities while also overseeing operations behind the scenes. In 1998, she launched her women’s program “Taking a Break with Joni,” which later evolved into “Joni Table Talk.” The program expanded into syndication across multiple national and regional television outlets.

Lamb spent nearly four decades in ministry as an executive producer, television host, author, and network executive. Her biography on the network’s website describes her as “daring, authentic, and fiercely committed to sharing the Gospel with the world.”

Following Marcus Lamb’s death in 2021, Joni Lamb assumed an even larger leadership role at the network. In 2023, she married psychologist and author Dr. Doug Weiss, with whom she cohosted Daystar’s flagship program “Ministry Now.”

Daystar said Lamb had worked with the board to establish an executive leadership structure before her death so the ministry could continue uninterrupted.

She is survived by her husband, Doug Weiss, her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren.