Marcus Lamb
Encyclopedia
Marcus Lamb is an American televangelist, minister and Christian
broadcaster
. He is most well known as the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Daystar Television Network
, the second-largest Christian television network in the world. The network has 90 TV stations and satellite and cable coverage that reaches 90 million U.S. households and more than 200 countries. The estimated value of the network is $230 million.
at age sixteen. Three years later he graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors. In 1982, four years after finishing college, he married Joni Trammel of Greenville, South Carolina. The couple spent their early years of marriage as traveling evangelists. Marcus was ordained as a Bishop with the Church of God and they visited churches throughout the Southeast to teach the gospel.
. This was the first full power Christian station in the state. Marcus and Joni built it to the point that it garnered interest from Trinity Broadcasting Network
. They sold the station to TBN in 1990 and moved to Dallas, Texas. It was in Dallas that Marcus founded Daystar. At the end of 1997, the Daystar network was officially launched.
Marcus is a regular speaker and teacher on his network and as a visitor in churches around the world. His most regular public forum is on Celebration, the Daystar flagship program. Every weekday, he hosts the show with Joni and speaks about the Bible and their network. Marcus has been named one of the top 50 most influential Christians in America by the Church Report Magazine.
The Lambs have appeared on mainstream network programs such as Good Morning America
and Dr. Phil to say that Marcus' infidelity was several years ago, that their marriage is now whole, and that they want to do all they can to help other married couples stay together.
Marcus and his wife, Joni, reside in Dallas, Texas with their three children, Jonathan, Rachel and Rebecca. Jonathan recently married Suzanna Sagar.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
. He is most well known as the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Daystar Television Network
Daystar Television Network
The Daystar Television Network is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcasting network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas...
, the second-largest Christian television network in the world. The network has 90 TV stations and satellite and cable coverage that reaches 90 million U.S. households and more than 200 countries. The estimated value of the network is $230 million.
Early life
Marcus was born October 7, 1957 in Macon, Georgia. He grew up in a Christian home, attending the East Macon Church of God with his family. He became a Christian at the age of five and continued in church attendance and work as he grew older. He began to preach as an evangelist at age fifteen. He graduated from high school at a young age and was enrolled at Cleveland, Tennessee’s Lee UniversityLee University
Lee University is an American accredited, private, four-year liberal arts college located in Cleveland, Tennessee, United States. It is historically affiliated with the Church of God, a Pentecostal denomination, and was the denomination's Bible Training School from 1918 until 1947, when the name...
at age sixteen. Three years later he graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors. In 1982, four years after finishing college, he married Joni Trammel of Greenville, South Carolina. The couple spent their early years of marriage as traveling evangelists. Marcus was ordained as a Bishop with the Church of God and they visited churches throughout the Southeast to teach the gospel.
Media ministry
In 1980, the same year that Marcus met his wife Joni, He founded The Word of God Fellowship, the company that would eventually birth the Daystar Television Network. In 1984, Marcus and Joni moved to Montgomery, Alabama to begin WMCF-TVWMCF-TV
WMCF-TV is a religious television station in Montgomery, Alabama, broadcasting locally on digital channel 46 as an affiliate of TBN. Founded in 1985, the station is owned by Trinity Broadcasting Network.-External links:*...
. This was the first full power Christian station in the state. Marcus and Joni built it to the point that it garnered interest from Trinity Broadcasting Network
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...
. They sold the station to TBN in 1990 and moved to Dallas, Texas. It was in Dallas that Marcus founded Daystar. At the end of 1997, the Daystar network was officially launched.
Marcus is a regular speaker and teacher on his network and as a visitor in churches around the world. His most regular public forum is on Celebration, the Daystar flagship program. Every weekday, he hosts the show with Joni and speaks about the Bible and their network. Marcus has been named one of the top 50 most influential Christians in America by the Church Report Magazine.
Personal life
In November 2010, Lamb admitted on the Daystar Network that he had an extramarital affair. In his admission, Lamb took "100 percent responsibility" for his actions. Due to the advice of their marriage counselors, the decision was made to keep this matter private as long as they could, in order to heal adequately. The Lambs decided to publicly disclose the infidelity shortly after they claimed to have been blackmailed about it. They were allegedly asked for US $7.5 million in exchange for silence on the matter. The Lambs response was to share their story on their daily show which airs on Daystar. They also counter-sued those involved, which included an attorney and a former Daystar employee. An examination by Bedford, Texas authorities determined that the Lambs had not been extorted, however the attorney representing the former Daystar employee had in fact, offered a settlement for $7.5 million, therefore the criminal case was dropped. Civil suits and counter-suits between Daystar and former employees continue over the matter.The Lambs have appeared on mainstream network programs such as Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
and Dr. Phil to say that Marcus' infidelity was several years ago, that their marriage is now whole, and that they want to do all they can to help other married couples stay together.
Marcus and his wife, Joni, reside in Dallas, Texas with their three children, Jonathan, Rachel and Rebecca. Jonathan recently married Suzanna Sagar.