There is a path forward to what I would call biblical prosperity. It is not easy, it is not formulaic, and it certainly is not quick, but it is real.
When people in the majority of the world look at the West, they often see material abundance: higher incomes, stronger institutions, and more stable systems. What they also see, rightly, is the cost of that prosperity: social fragmentation, loneliness, cultural decay, and moral confusion. The mistake is assuming these outcomes are inseparable. The West did not become prosperous because it abandoned moral structure; it prospered long beforehand.
Much of what built Western prosperity was not economic theory or industrial genius alone. It was something far more foundational. Biblical principles, sometimes consciously embraced, sometimes inherited unconsciously, were woven so deeply into Western culture that even people who have never opened a Bible still live by many of its assumptions. Property rights, contracts, the dignity of work, stewardship, personal accountability, and ethical behavior did not appear spontaneously. They emerged from centuries of moral formation shaped by Scripture.
History matters here. After the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, ordinary families gained access to the Bible for the first time, and literacy became more common. Over generations, those texts shaped culture, law, and expectations. They influenced usury laws, concepts of justice, protections for private property, and the idea that no one, not even a king, is above the law. Awareness of a loving Creator, accessible to anyone, slowly replaced rulers and institutions in people's minds as the ultimate source of laws and justice.
As the Bible formed the consciences of the people, these principles became baked in. People followed them not because they could quote Scripture, but because that's just how things were done.
The Bible's view of work was especially formative. Work was not a curse or a necessary evil; it was participation in creation itself. When people believe their labor has purpose and that they might improve their lives, creativity and innovation follow. This belief fueled what later became known as the Protestant work ethic, but at its core it was biblical anthropology: human beings as gifted, creative stewards.
Another overlooked principle is stewardship over accumulation. Scripture consistently frames money and assets as something entrusted, not hoarded. Where stewardship replaces desperation, thrift and wisdom follow. Where thrift exists, capital forms. And where capital forms, opportunity multiplies. This is not a theory, but an observable reality.
Consider institutions. Economists Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson argue that nations succeed when their institutions are inclusive rather than extractive. That distinction mirrors biblical wisdom almost perfectly. Extractive systems pull wealth out of communities. Supportive systems allow people to save, invest, and build. The World Bank estimates that corruption alone costs developing economies over $1 trillion annually, acting as a hidden tax that suppresses growth and initiative. Corruption is not merely immoral; it is economically destructive.
Financial institutions matter deeply. When banking systems are designed only for elites, creativity dies at the margins. The spread of credit unions in the West changed this dynamic by giving ordinary people access to low-cost capital. Today, more than 80% of the world's 1.4 billion adults remain excluded from formal financial systems altogether. Without access to fair financial systems, people cannot turn effort into advancement.
Culture also matters. Anthropologist J.D. Unwin studied thousands of societies and concluded that civilizations flourish when sexual restraint and family stability are upheld across generations, and decline when they are not. One does not need to agree with every conclusion to recognize the pattern: social order is not morally neutral. The breakdown of family structures has measurable economic consequences. Data show that children from stable two-parent households consistently experience higher educational attainment and economic mobility.
There are other principles that are uncomfortable to discuss, but seriousness demands honesty: Societies that devalue life itself, especially at its most vulnerable, undermine their own moral foundation. Scripture is unambiguous on this point. A culture cannot flourish while normalizing the destruction of its future.
But none of this works without leadership integrity. Laws alone cannot transform a society. Culture cannot be commanded into existence. If leaders exempt themselves from the standards they demand of others, cynicism replaces trust. When leaders extract instead of serve, people see it and lose heart. Prosperity does not grow in soil poisoned by hypocrisy, and fatalism kills motivation.
The lesson is not that the world should copy the West. That is not the point. The West itself is struggling precisely because it has forgotten many of the principles that once guided it. The lesson is that biblical prosperity, holistic, relational, moral, and economic, is built slowly through biblically aligned values, supportive institutions, accountable leadership, and a shared vision of human dignity.
There is a path forward. It is demanding and requires humility, patience, and courage. But it exists, and it is far older and far wiser than most modern development strategies are willing to admit.
About the Author
Virgil Hughes is the founder of NewVines International (NVI) and a longtime executive and development practitioner with decades of experience across healthcare, banking, and economic development initiatives in the majority world. His work focuses on strengthening institutions, expanding access to fair financial systems, and promoting individual and leadership accountability rooted in biblical ethics and long-term societal flourishing.
