Joni Lamb's funeral, being held at Gateway Church, has sparked intense discussion due to the church's association with founder Robert Morris, who has faced allegations of sexually assaulting a minor.
Beloved Daystar co-founder and president Joni Lamb's funeral arrangements have sparked backlash online after her memorial venue was revealed to be Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, the megachurch that's generally avoided following its founder's arrest. The church's founder and former pastor, Robert Morris, has been registered as a lifetime sex offender after being found guilty of assaulting a minor.
Some reports have also claimed that Joni Lamb was allegedly preparing to expose the disgraced pastor, with speculation suggesting she had known about Robert Morris’ alleged crimes long before they became public. And now, seeing her memorial being held at the very church immediately triggered a reaction on social media.
Lamb died at the age of 65, for reasons that have not been officially disclosed. Daystar previously shared that she had been dealing with health complications following a serious back injury. Shortly after her passing, the Christian television network announced plans for a public memorial service. In a new social media statement, Daystar wrote:
"Thank you for the outpouring of love, prayer, and memories you’ve shared with us since Joni’s passing... Please join us to honor Joni Lamb at a special memorial service open to the public on Monday, May 18th at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas."
However, the post immediately triggered controversy after ministry commentator Joshua Simone publicly questioned why Gateway Church had been selected as the venue. Citing Morris' ongoing criminal case, Simone openly criticised the decision and wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
"Who thought it was a good idea to hold Joni Lamb’s memorial service at Gateway Church? Gateway Church was once America’s largest megachurch, but its attendance was cut in half after its founder, Pastor Robert Morris, sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl. Why didn't they choose another church?"
The post has since gained traction online, with users holding different opinions about the venue choice. Some defend the decision on the basis of its capacity, while others note that Lamb's daughter, Rachel, is allegedly a regular at the church. At the same time, the post has sparked curiosity about the disgraced pastor and the exact nature of his crimes. Here's all you need to know about Robert Morris and where the case stands now.
Robert Preston Morris, 64, is the founder and former senior pastor of Gateway Church, one of the largest megachurches in the US. He founded the church in Texas in 2000, growing it into a huge evangelical organisation with national political and religious clout. For years, the pastor remained closely tied to the nation’s conservative political circles, even serving on President Donald Trump’s evangelical advisory board. In 2020, the church even hosted a public discussion for Trump.
In June 2024, Morris resigned from his position as the church's pastor after being found guilty of sexually abusing a woman in Oklahoma in the 1980s. His decades-long reputation collapsed after the victim, identified as Cindy Clemishire, publicly accused him of sexually abusing her over several years, beginning when she was just 12 years old. According to court filings, Morris was 22 at the time the abuse allegedly began.
In October 2025, Robert Morris pleaded guilty to multiple counts of lewd or indecent acts involving a child as part of a plea agreement in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, stated that the abuse continued for nearly four years, beginning in 1982, when the victim was 12, and Morris was staying with her family in Hominy, Oklahoma, as a travelling evangelist.
The court found Morris guilty of five counts of acts with a minor that are considered lewd or indecent under Oklahoma law. While the charges could have initially carried a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, Morris was later given six months of jail time in Osage County Jail and was ordered to register as a sex offender. The Oklahoma grand jury's plea agreement also gave him a 10-year suspended sentence.
The disgraced pastor is now out of jail, being released on March 31, 2026, and is serving the remainder of his sentence at his residence in Palo Pinto County, Texas. He cannot consume alcohol, carry firearms, or associate with other convicted felons during this time. He was also ordered to pay USD 270,000 in restitution to his victim.
Just days ago, reports revealed that Gateway and Morris had settled an ongoing legal battle regarding the disgraced pastor’s multimillion-dollar retirement payout. Court documents previously alleged Morris sought significant financial compensation from the church even after resigning amid the abuse allegations. At the same time, he still faces additional civil lawsuits tied to the abuse accusations and alleged cover-up claims involving church leadership.
One of the commentators on Joshua Simone's X post mentioned that Joni Lamb "actually knew about Robert Morris' crimes before they were made public", and that she "was going to expose him very soon." However, this turns out to be an unverified report, and there is currently no public evidence suggesting that Joni Lamb had plans to expose the disgraced pastor. In fact, Daystar Television Network only removed Morris’ programming in June 2024, after Cindy Clemishire publicly accused the former Gateway Church pastor of sexually abusing her when she was 12 years old.
See the post here.
With Robert Morris still facing additional civil lawsuits tied to the abuse accusations and alleged cover-up claims, the Lamb family's association with the church has raised eyebrows.
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