Anti-gay activists on Tuesday criticized World Vision, an Evangelical Christian charity founded in 1950, over its decision to hire married gay Christians.

In making the announcement, World Vision U.S. President Richard Stearns stressed that the policy change was “not an endorsement” of marriage equality.

(Related: Evangelical charity World Vision reverses course, to hire married gay Christians.)

Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham and the president of the charity Samaritan's Purse, said that he was “sickened” by the news.

“It's obvious World Vision doesn't believe in the Bible,” Graham said during an appearance on FRC's Washington Watch radio program. “I am sickened and heartbroken.”

“World Vision maintains that their decision is based on unifying the church – which I find offensive – as if supporting sin and sinful behavior can unite the church,” Graham said.

(Related: Franklin Graham praises Vladimir Putin on gay rights.)

Bryan Fischer of the Christian conservative American Family Association (AFA) said that World Vision had abandoned “morality.”

“World Vision's experience is a sobering reminder that once you abandon God at one point (evangelism) eventually it is inevitable that you will abandon him and other points (sexual morality),” Fischer said. “One compromise ineluctably leads to another until all is gone.”

Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, also targeted World Vision, predicting that the decision “points to disaster.”

“The worst aspect of the World Vision U.S. policy shift is the fact that it will mislead the world about the reality of sin and the urgent need of salvation. Willingly recognizing same-sex marriage and validating openly homosexual employees in their homosexuality is a grave and tragic act that confirms sinners in their sin – and that is an act that violates the gospel of Christ,” Mohler said.