Marcus Lamb, a well-known Christian broadcaster who was known for his outspoken opposition to COVID-19 vaccines, died of the virus.
He was 64 years old at the time.
“The president and founder of Daystar, and the love of my life, went to be with Jesus this morning at 4 a.m.,” his wife, Joni, said on a Tuesday morning broadcast. “I wanted you to know he’s with the Lord,” I said.
Marcus Lamb was the co-founder and CEO of the Daystar Television Network, a popular evangelical and charismatic Christian television network. Friends and supporters had been praying for his recovery from the virus in recent weeks, seeing it as a spiritual attack due to his anti-vaccine stance and push for alternative treatments.
On a Nov. 23 broadcast of the Ministry Now program, Lamb’s son, Jonathan, said of his father’s COVID-19 illness, “There’s no doubt in my mind that this is a spiritual attack from the enemy.” “As much as my parents have gone on here to kind of inform everyone about everything that’s going on with the pandemic and some of the ways to treat COVID, there’s no doubt that the enemy is not pleased.” And he’s doing everything in his power to bring down my father.”
Daystar has aired a series of programs featuring vaccine skeptics such as Robert Kennedy Jr., Sherri Tenpenny, and Del Bigtree, as well as America’s Frontline Doctors, a group of doctors who support the use of hydroxychloroquine and other alternative treatments for COVID-19.
Marcus and Joni Lamb sat with their young granddaughter and defended their efforts to help people do their own research about vaccines in an episode starring Bigtree, best known for his anti-vaccine film “Vaxxed,” and Kennedy.
“Can you tell me why we’re doing this?” Marcus Lamb expressed his thoughts. “Because God loves people and we love people,” says the narrator.
“And let me tell you something: God created us in our entirety, body, soul, and spirit.” He, like us, is concerned about the whole person,” he said. “And you know that the devil has the ability to take people out before they fulfill their destiny and purpose — and that’s exactly what he wants to do because he despises God.” As a result, the only way he could retaliate against God is to attack God’s children.”
Joni Lamb revealed on the show that her husband had diabetes and had been admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 after his oxygen levels dropped. She also stated that he had attempted alternative treatments but had not been successful.
She claimed she “breezed through COVID” by following the protocols they promoted on the show.
Lamb is survived by his daughters Rachel and Rebecca, in addition to Joni and Jonathan.
For religious broadcasters like Daystar, the issue of COVID-19 vaccines has been contentious. The spokesman for the National Religious Broadcasters, a trade group, was fired in August after encouraging evangelicals to consider vaccinations, which his employer claimed violated the NRB’s vaccine neutrality.
The death of Lamb saddened the Rev. James Merritt, a former president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He’d appeared on Lamb’s show to promote books on several occasions, and the two shared a passion for the University of Georgia football team. Lamb was surrounded by family during his visits, he said, and he described him as a sweet man.
He said, “They have a wonderful, beautiful family.” “It’s a complete tragedy.”
President of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Sam Rodriguez, said he recently paid a visit to the Daystar studios to see Lamb, a longtime friend. He said Lamb had been outspoken about the need to address racism in the church and society, and that the Daystar network had a diverse audience.
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, Rodriguez cited a Daystar program hosted by Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, a Black megachurch pastor in Los Angeles.
According to Rodriguez, Marcus and Joni Lamb were committed to combating racism.
Rodriguez stated, “They were very committed to racial unity and reconciliation.” “They’re dead set on bringing down the titans of bigotry and segregation.”
In the summer of 2020, Lamb shared a photo of Floyd on his Facebook page with the caption “I can’t breathe.”
He wrote on the post, “Joni and I remain committed to standing against the evil sin of racism.” “The assassination of George Floyd and the ensuing pain have been heartbreaking, and I know it has broken God’s heart as well.”
Rodriguez claimed that he never discussed COVID with Marcus Lamb and that he never heard Lamb criticize vaccines during their interactions. Rodriguez hopes that his friend will be remembered for his ministry legacy rather than that one incident. And he expressed his sorrow over his friend’s death, as well as the deaths of so many others due to COVID-19.
“This is the real deal,” he declared. “It’s just a terrible pandemic,” says the narrator.
Lamb’s ministry made headlines earlier this year when “Inside Edition” reported that Daystar had purchased a private jet not long after obtaining a $3.9 million loan through the Paycheck Protection Plan program, which was made possible by federal COVID-19 relief funds. The loan was eventually paid back.
According to Daystar’s website, the station first went on the air in 1997 as part of the Word of God Fellowship.
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