Pastor in Iraq slams critics of Franklin Graham whose charity provides aid to displaced families

An American pastor, who has spent some time in Iraq to see the destruction of Christian cities in the region, has denounced the critics of Franklin Graham, noting that his charities have spent millions of dollars to provide aid to displaced families in the Middle East.

Pastor William Devlin of Infinity Bible Church in the Bronx, New York, had noted that Graham's charity had provided $45 million to assist Internally Displaced People in Kurdistan, and questioned whether any of the evangelist's critics have done the same.

"I wondered how much critics of Franklin have poured into Kurdistan? I know Franklin was recently trashed by some pastors in Vancouver, Canada, and Norway," the pastor told The Christian Post.

Devlin noted that he had recently met with the Christian representative to the Kurdistan Regional Government, Khalid Jamal Alber, who had a picture of himself with Graham.

Graham had been criticized by Christian leaders abroad over his remarks about Muslims and the LGBT community as well as his support for the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.

In Vancouver, over 30 prominent Christian leaders from different denominations signed a letter in February to raise their concern over Graham's visit to the city at that time.

Norwegian evangelical leaders have also withdrawn their support for Graham's "revival festival" that will be held in Oslo later this year because of his warnings about the danger of unvetted refugees entering the United States.

Last month, Graham spent his Easter weekend in the Iraqi town of Qaraqosh to see the destruction wrought by ISIS.

"I visited a church that had been burned and destroyed by ISIS and met with the pastor. Incredibly, in the ashes and debris, we discovered one of our Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes that had been given to a child there at some point. I couldn't help but wonder where the child who received this box is today," he said in April.

Devlin, who also serves as the president of REDEEM, which provides funds for persecuted people around the globe, had expressed his concern about other pastors who preach about the End Times but are not doing more to help in the Middle East.

He said that in his multiple travels to the region over the past 10 years, the evangelicals appear to be absent in the areas where Christians persecution is most severe. The pastor noted that money is being donated and prayers are being offered, but he contended that the presence of evangelicals is what the Christians in the Middle East need most.

Devlin noted that he is often asked whether it is safe in the Middle East whenever he invites Western pastors to travel with him. In his reply, he points to the call of Jesus Christ in Matthew 28 and Acts 1, which he says does not give provision for safety, security nor comfort.

"Will we as the western Church be known in our legacy that because of our silence and our refusal to go — the first two letters in God are 'go'; the first two letters in Gospel are 'go'; and the first two letters in Good News are 'go' — so what are we waiting for? The Church in the East was extinguished!" Devlin warned.