So, something funny (and a little frustrating) happened to my wife and I recently…

Someone labeled us “prosperity gospel preachers” because we talk about God’s goodness and trust His promises.

Note: “Prosperity Gospel” is a term used to describe greedy, manipulative, or exploitive preachers who distort scripture for selfish gain.

Anyway, it got us thinking…

Why is it controversial to believe that God is actually good? That He provides, blesses, and takes care of His kids?

That doesn't mean we never have hardship—it's the ability to have peace amidst it.

• It was His goodness that saved our son from tragedy just days before Christmas, less than 3 months ago. Read it here.

• It was His goodness that completely redeemed our caravan accident last year. Read it here.

• It was His goodness that enabled our friends to conceive after years of silent struggle, sharing a prophetic word for them, and baby being born on my birthday—you can't script or manipulate that. Read it here.

Those were hard moments where God's goodness shone brightly—and not by some vague “mystery of God's sovereignty", but by intentionally resting in His goodness.

So why is living in His goodness seen as selfish, greedy, or even deceptive—especially by those who claim to follow Him?

Somewhere along the way, Christians have blurred the lines between God's goodness and man's greed—and it's disturbing. Some phrases get thrown around so much that people stop questioning whether they actually make sense.

“Prosperity Gospel” is one of those terms.

For years, this term has been used to warn against preachers who twist Scripture—promising wealth in exchange for faith (or more often, money). And while there’s truth to that concern, the term itself is deeply flawed.

Why?

Because it paints prosperity as something bad, as if God Himself isn’t abundant and as if the Bible doesn’t call us to flourish. It also makes critics quick to judge and resistant to the reality of God’s generosity—rejecting His blessings out of fear of being deceived.

Rather than seeking truth, many become cynical, throwing out God’s goodness along with man’s distortions.

Worse, it’s a lazy way to dismiss anyone who believes that God blesses His people. It's also foolish because it creates a false choice between godliness and abundance—when Scripture affirms both.

It seems that by using this term to "guard against error" we have lazily and foolishly created more.

It’s time to rethink the language we use.

The real issue isn’t prosperity; it’s greed, manipulation, and self-centered theology.

But instead of calling it the “Greedy Gospel”, critics lump all prosperity into one category and slap a negative label on it.

If prosperity is evil, then why does God bless His people with it?

“Let the Lord be magnified, who delights in the prosperity of His servant.” – Psalm 35:27

The problem isn’t prosperity—it’s the heart behind it.

God is not in lack. He never has been. If God Himself is prosperous, why would prosperity be the enemy?

The Bible is filled with verses about God’s desire to bless His people:

• “The Lord will make you abound in prosperity.” —Deuteronomy 28:11

• “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree.” —Psalm 92:12

• “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” —3 John 1:2

If God delights in the prosperity of His people, why are so many Christians quick to rebuke it?

One of the worst things about this term is that it teaches Christians to judge others by their wealth or their words instead of their hearts.

• If someone speaks with bold faith about God’s goodness, they must be a “prosperity preacher.”

• If someone is financially successful, they must be chasing money instead of God.

• If someone is struggling, they must be more “righteous” because they suffer.

This is carnal thinking—judging by outward appearance instead of the heart.

“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7

Jesus didn’t judge people based on how much money they had. He loved the rich and the poor alike—but He did expose those whose hearts were far from God.

Meanwhile, the Pharisees judged people by their status, their words, and their appearance.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly what people do when they slap the 'Prosperity Gospel' label on someone without knowing their heart—they've made a religous judgment, just like the Pharisees.

Not only that, but they end up blocking themselves from receiving and experiencing God’s goodness and prosperity. It’s a double-edged sword that ultimately “makes the power of God of no effect.” (Mark 7:13)

I've seen so many gifted believers, uniquely designed for business and entrepreneurship, dim their light because of labels and judgment.

If that’s you, I encourage you to stop agreeing with these lies and labels. Step into the life God specifically designed you for and embrace it unapologetically.

"The greatest enemy of truth is very often not the lie—deliberate, contrived, and dishonest—but the myth: persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic." —John F. Kennedy

The term Prosperity Gospel creates a false choice:

• Do you want to follow Jesus or be prosperous?

• Do you want to be holy or successful?

• Do you trust God or have money?

It's either/or we say. But this is a manufactured tension.

The real question isn’t prosperity versus Jesus—it’s how and why we pursue prosperity.

If prosperity were evil, Solomon—whom God made the richest man alive—would have been condemned. Instead, his downfall came when he turned away from God, not when he prospered (1 Kings 11:4).

If prosperity was the root of all evil, then Abraham, Job, David, and Joseph—all incredibly wealthy men—would be dangerously false people to avoid at all costs!

The Bible never condemns prosperity. It condemns the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10).

Big difference.

Many of the same people who mock “prosperity” have no problem:

• Praying for financial provision when they’re in need

• Enjoying nice things when it benefits them

• Expecting God to bless them, just not too much

It’s hypocrisy. They don’t reject prosperity—they just want to control how much is “acceptable.”

Let’s follow the logic:

• If prosperity is bad, then God is bad for blessing His people.

• If prosperity is evil, then Heaven itself is corrupt (streets of gold, anyone?).

• If wealth is wrong, then Abraham, David, Solomon, and Job were all out of line.

“Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.” – Psalm 112:1-3

Clearly, the Bible doesn’t see prosperity as the enemy.

Much of the energy behind this term comes from a genuine concern about manipulative and exploitative preachers. There’s no doubt that harm has been caused.

But another major factor fueling this fire is disappointment and loss. I actually touch on this in my Healing the Sick teachings here.

Bible college teacher and theologian Barry Bennett once said:

"Too many good-hearted believers have been so indoctrinated with unbelief that the goodness of God sounds like error to them."

Too many good hearted believers have been so affected by disappointment, traditions of men, and misunderstanding of God’s nature, that His goodness now sounds like error to them.

Disappointment, loss, heartbreak—even resentment toward God—are real struggles. But instead of confronting these issues, many use them as a trigger when they see others experiencing genuine prosperity.

Rather than deflecting with labels, it's far more helpful and healing to address the root of the disappointment. When you do, you can be healed, see prosperity through a kingdom lens, and experience more of His goodness.

• Maybe someone prophesied over you, and it didn’t come to pass.

• Maybe you prayed for a loved one, and they weren’t healed.

• Maybe you were told you didn’t have enough faith—leaving you feeling condemned rather than challenged, as Jesus challenged His disciples for not having enough faith.

Whatever it may be, have the courage to face it and heal from it. When you do, you’ll gain a clearer perspective on prosperity and be able to receive more of the goodness that God is already freely giving.

Jesus said, “Let it be unto you, according to your faith.” (Matt 9:29)

We each determine the measure of goodness we choose to walk in or not—and Jesus has already invited us into the fullness of it (John 10:10).

That's His idea, not ours.

If critics really want to expose false teaching, they should call it what it is: the Greedy Gospel—a self-serving, money-worshipping distortion of truth.

But attacking all prosperity? That’s like banning food because some people overeat.

If someone twists Scripture for selfish gain, that’s not prosperity—that’s manipulation. If a preacher promises wealth in exchange for donations, that’s not prosperity—that’s extortion.

Would we call a corrupt pastor’s behavior the “Christian Gospel” just because they claim Christ? No. So why use the term Prosperity Gospel when it’s greed, not prosperity, that’s the real issue?

If the problem is greedy preachers, then call it the Greedy Gospel.

Imagine a father who loves his kids. He provides for them, teaches them, and wants them to flourish. He delights in seeing them healthy, joyful, and thriving.

Now imagine someone saying, “Wow, that’s terrible. What a Prosperity Dad!”

Ridiculous, right? Yet that’s exactly how people treat God when He blesses His children.

The phrase “Prosperity Gospel” is a lazy, dismissive way to avoid having real conversations.

Just like the term "Conspiracy Theory" is used to shut down inconvenient truths, “Prosperity Gospel” is used to mock believers who take God at His word.

Yes, some preachers abuse money. Yes, some messages distort the gospel. But let’s not throw out the goodness of God just because some people misuse it.

The correct response to misuse is not non-use but right use.

"The moment you label something, you no longer see it for what it truly is." —Unknown

The term Prosperity Gospel works the same way as Conspiracy Theory—it allows people to dismiss something without actually examining it.

• If someone teaches about biblical prosperity, they’re labeled a heretic.

• If someone experiences God’s provision, they’re accused of following a false gospel.

• If a believer flourishes in life, they’re told they must be compromising.

If the enemy can’t stop believers from stepping into the abundant life Jesus promised (John 10:10), he’ll at least make them feel guilty for it.

Let’s be clear: Biblical prosperity isn’t about hoarding wealth or chasing material success. It’s about flourishing in every area of life—spiritually, emotionally, relationally, and yes, even financially.

That's the goodness of God.

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” – 3 John 1:2

When God prospers His people, it’s not just for their benefit—it’s so they can be generous, effective, and a blessing to others.

Words matter. The phrase Prosperity Gospel is a terrible label that lumps biblical prosperity together with greed, deception, and abuse. It allows people to dismiss God’s provision as unspiritual and to shame those who flourish.

Let’s call the problem what it really is:

• If someone preaches manipulation, call it the Greedy Gospel.

• If someone preaches selfish gain, call it the Self-Serving Gospel.

• If someone treats God as a slot machine, call it the Transactional Gospel.

But don’t attack prosperity itself—because prosperity, when received through faith and stewardship, is a gift from God.

It’s time to stop apologizing and feeling guilty for God’s goodness, and start walking in it.

"The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it." —Proverbs 10:22