(Screenshot: Marcus and Joni broadcasting from Israel.)
The unsealing of court records is a powerful but infrequently used tool for bringing financial transparency to religious organizations.
Trinity Foundation filed requests to obtain financial records from Word of God Fellowship, the parent organization of Daystar Television Network, and Paula White Ministries, following the conclusion of lawsuits filed against the two ministries.
Three former Daystar employees sued the network for alleged harassment, discrimination and emotional suffering. The three cases were later dismissed.
After Paula White sued YouTube (theremnantsjnj channel) content creator Shirley Johnson for alleged copyright infringement, Johnson countersued for malicious prosecution and won.
These documents, while old, disclose compensation information that televangelists often try to keep secret.
Daystar Television Network claims to be a church and Paula White Ministries acts as an integrated auxiliary of a church to avoid filing a Form 990 which would disclose to donors the total revenue, total expenses, and compensation of key ministry employees.
Compensation for Marcus and Joni Lamb, Co-Founders of Daystar
Numerous questions arise when examining financial records. While it looks like Joni Lamb was paid significantly more than the late Marcus Lamb because the housing allowance was reported separately, if Marcus received the housing allowance, he was paid more than Joni.
Following Marcus’ death in 2021, Joni became president of the network and married marriage counselor, sex-therapist Doug Weiss.
Compensation for Paula White
In 2016, New Destiny Christian Center provided Paula White with $379,500 of taxable compensation.
The church changed its name to City of Destiny in 2019 and is the parent organization of Paula White Ministries. In what appears to be a re-branding, StoryLife Church was created as a non-profit organization and now hosts church services rather than City of Destiny.
Housing Allowances
Televangelists and megachurch pastors frequently live in expensive homes that are paid off by tax-exempt clergy housing allowances.
Clergy housing allowances are reported to the IRS on the W-2 Form as “other.” In 2016, Paula White received a $77,311.52 housing allowance from New Destiny Christian Center.
Joni and her late husband Marcus Lamb received $1,671,324 in housing allowances from 2002 to 2011. In 2004, the Lambs purchased property in Colleyville, Texas, and constructed a home which is currently worth $3.3 million, according to the Redfin real estate website.
Paula White’s Business Relationship with Ex-Husband
After the 2016 election, White’s first ex-husband Dean Knight created Center Industries Maryland, LLC—a company with no known business purpose—which appears to have operated as a subsidiary of White’s church. Meanwhile, Center Industries was never incorporated in Florida where White’s church operates.
Several questions arise: Was Center Industries incorrectly listed as a church subsidiary? Was Knight’s company the recipient of a church loan for $1,470,000 resulting in notes receivable? If so, was the loan paid off or forgiven?
Love Offerings
One method that televangelists use for obtaining wealth is love offerings.
During the week of the pastor’s birthday or during a Sunday in October (Pastor Appreciation Month), some churches will collect an offering specifically for the pastor. The money given is treated as a gift rather than income.
In one year, White received $65,658 in love offerings.
Word of God Fellowship Consolidated Financial Statement
The unsealed Word of God Fellowship documents include consolidated financial statements. By June 2010, Word of God Fellowship’s total assets reached $227,399,039.
Daystar’s largest source of revenue was the sale of airtime and not donations to the network.
The network generated almost $78 million in revenue while spending almost $75 million.
During a televised sermon, the late Marcus Lamb told a congregation that Daystar was appraised at over one billion dollars.
Some of Word of God Fellowship’s biggest assets are FCC TV licenses and cable carriage agreements.
Church Bylaws Give Paula White Dictatorial Church Power
The unsealed documents for New Destiny Christian Center included church bylaws.
While church articles of incorporation are often available online from the secretary of state website of the state where the church is located, church bylaws are rarely available online.
Church bylaws usually reveal if a pastor can be removed by a vote of the congregation or church elder board.
The old bylaws for New Destiny Christian Center revealed that Paula operates the church as a spiritual dictator. Paula cannot be removed from the church leadership: “The Pastor-President shall serve as President and a member of the Board of Directors of the Church until her death or resignation, and without the need of election or appointment. She shall not be subject to removal.”
The Board is powerless to hold Paula accountable. Paula can remove any board member that questions her decisions.
