On a sober yet uplifting episode of the Celebration Tuesday, Marcus and Joni Lamb, the husband-wife founders of Daystar television network, discussed an “inappropriate” relationship Marcus Lamb had several years ago with another Christian woman.
The one-hour show included not only the Lambs’ admission of the affair, but also details about their marriage restoration process. They also described a blackmail scheme that contributed to the couple deciding to share their story on their international network.
According to Joni, three people–unaffected by the Lambs’ marital problems–had demanded Daystar pay them $7.5 million to keep this story out of the media.
Joni insisted that the couple were not hiding their story but restoring their marriage. “This is not a secret story that we have been hiding but rather a private matter for which we have been healing,” she said.
During the show, (which can be viewed here) the couple said they now have a renewed passion for seeing marriages restored. Marcus said that revealing his “embarrassing” failure was worth it if it meant another marriage would be saved.
Joni said that making this private matter public was freeing. Marcus confessed it showed him God’s forgiving love.
“We’re not here today to excuse sin but we are here today to celebrate the goodness of God that He has helped Joni and me, and He has healed our marriage and restored my heart to Him,” Marcus said. “For the last 38 years I have preached the message of grace but for the last several years I have lived the gospel of grace.”
When she first heard of her husband’s affair, Joni said she was “devastated” but that she immediately turned to God in prayer. She said He told her to “fight” for her marriage.
“I felt the Holy Spirit so strongly,” she said choking back tears. “He said to me these words: ‘[Marcus] is worth fighting for.’ And that’s all I needed to hear.
“I decided that my husband and my marriage were worth fighting for.”
Next, the couple shared how they sought counseling to restore their marriage with Fred and Anna Kendall of Life Languages Institute in Dallas. They also said they were transparent with their family and close friends about the affair. Marcus stopped his public speaking during this period.
Though Joni admitted having a busy life and failing to focus enough on her marriage, Marcus took full responsibility for his actions.
“I take 100 percent responsibility,” he said. “Joni has no blame. The other person has no blame. I don’t even blame the devil. It’s all on me,” Marcus said.
The Lambs’ marital adviser, Fred Kendall, said Marcus was transparent during his counseling period and truly repentant. He believes there was only one affair and that Marcus has proved his fidelity to his marriage.
Pastor Jimmy Evans senior pastor of Trinity Fellowship in Amarillo, Texas and host of Marriage Today with Jimmy & Karen and Frank Minirth, M.D. president of Minirth Clinic in Richardson, Texas, also appeared on the program to add their endorsement of the process the Lambs are going through.
The Lambs have been in television ministry since 1985.
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