Are Tithing and Sowing Seeds the Same?

The phrase “sowing seeds” is used often in the church, especially among Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith preachers. When they use the phrase, they refer to you giving money to their ministry. When they talk about tithing, they also refer to you giving money to their ministry.

Table of Contents

• Listen to the Podcast
• What the Bible Says
• The Tithe
• Sowing Seeds
• Jesus Speaks About Sowing Seeds
• Preachers and Sowing Seeds
• Summary
• FAQS About Seed Sowing
• Outsmart the False Teachers

Listen to the Podcast

IN THIS EPISODE of The Tithing Hoax podcast, I address a question by one of our visitors: Are tithing and sowing seeds the same thing?

Let’s talk about what the prosperity preachers don’t want you to talk about.

What the Bible Says

What does the Bible say about sowing seeds and tithing? Are they the same? Are preachers in error when they tell you to sow seeds? Is sowing seeds replacing the practice of so-called tithing? Why is so much emphasis placed on sowing seeds (i.e., giving money to a preacher, church, or ministry)?

In today’s church, tithing and sowing seeds both refer to money. However, the Bible does not equate tithing and sowing seeds with money. Accordingding to the Bible, tithing, sowing seeds, and money differ.

Hold up for a minute if you want to know more about sowing “money” seeds. I wrote an article that dives deeper into what the Bible says about seed sowing that I encourage you to read.

The Tithe

The word tithe means 10 percent. The biblical tithe refers to 10 percent of agricultural produce and livestock grown in the land of ancient Israel. They are incorrect when preachers tell you that tithing means you should give money.

Ready to deepen your understanding of tithing? Don’t miss our article on the different types of tithes – click now to read!

Sowing Seeds

Now, what did the Bible say about seed sowing? The words “seed” and “sowing seeds” refer to money, especially in the Prosperity Gospel and Word of Faith movements.

The Bible speaks of seeds or sowing seeds in two ways. First, “seed” or “sowing seeds” refers to farming or agriculture.  Specifically planting seeds in the ground to grow food, plants, trees, flowers, etc.

Genesis 1:11

11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

Second, the phrase “sowing seeds” is used as a metaphor.  A metaphor is a figure of speech that compares two, unlike things with something in common.

Examples of metaphors:

• Life is like a box of chocolates
• Skin like silk

Is Tithing the Key to Heaven? Find Out by Reading Our Article Today!

Jesus Speaks About Sowing Seeds

Jesus tells the most well-known sowing seeds Bible story. He uses “seed” and “sowing seeds” as a metaphor in his Seed Parable (Matt. 13:1-58, Mark 4:2-41). Is Jesus talking about money? Absolutely not. 

See Luke 8:11

This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.

• A seed is a metaphor for the Word of God.
• Sow is a metaphor for sharing, speaking, and teaching the Word of God.
• Ground/soil is a metaphor for the heart.

Jesus never uses “sowing seeds” as a metaphor for giving money.

Hold up for a minute if you want to know more about tithes and sowing seeds. I encourage you to read an article I wrote about the Seed Faith Doctrine.

Preachers and Sowing Seeds

Many preachers commonly use “sowing seeds” as a metaphor for money. They are not wrong to use it as a metaphor for money. Sowing seeds may be used as a metaphor for anything. For example, a seed can be wisdom, encouragement, gratitude, or a compliment.

The problem with preachers constantly associating sowing seeds with money is that it leads you to believe the Bible always refers to money when you see the word “seed” or “sowing seeds” in the scriptures. Generally speaking, the Bible does not use seed or sowing seeds as a metaphor for money.

Wait for a minute if you want to know more about false teachings about sowing seeds. I wrote an article addressing whether “sowing seeds” is a scam that I encourage you to read.

Summary

Are tithing and sowing seeds the same? No. The tithe is 10 percent of agricultural products and livestock grown in the land of ancient Israel. The Bible uses the words seed and sowing seeds in the literal sense and as a metaphor.

In the literal sense, a biblical seed is a seed that is planted in the ground and produces fruits, vegetables, plants, trees, and flowers. As a metaphor, Jesus uses sowing seeds as a reference for spreading the Word of God.

Sowing seeds can be used as a metaphor for money or anything else, including gratitude, wisdom, encouragement, etc. The Bible does not refer to money when it speaks of the seed or sowing seeds.

However, that’s how many preachers are using the phrase sowing of seeds as a reference to you giving money to their ministry or church. Remember, even though the preachers use it as a metaphor for money, it doesn’t mean that’s how the Bible uses the words.

FAQS About Seed Sowing

Why Do We Sow Seeds in Church?

The concept of sowing seeds in church involves giving money. The Word of Faith and Prosperity Gospel preachers popularized the terms “sowing seeds” and “seed sowing” to encourage Christians to support their ministries. Ultimately, sowing seeds is a way to express faith, trust in God’s provision, and participate in the growth of the church community and God’s kingdom on Earth.

Outsmart the False Teachers

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the tithe doctrines, don’t worry! You can start by reading The Tithing Hoax, where we break down everything you need to know about tithing.

We explain why Christians don’t have to tithe and provide biblical verses to back it up. So don’t let anyone tell you you’re going to hell if you don’t tithe.

📌 DISCOVER THE TRUTH ABOUT TITHES PROSPERITY GOSPEL PREACHERS DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW. Click 👉 👉 this link