From Tithes to Seeds: Coinage of Seed Planting Doctrine in the New Christian Movements in Kenya

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the transformation of Christian giving from traditional tithing to the coinage of seed planting doctrine (SPD) within New Christian Movements (NCMs) in Kenya. The study employed a descriptive research survey design and used triangulation data collection methods: interviews, questionnaires, and observation. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from a sample of 386 participants and religious texts to capture prevailing attitudes, interpretations, and applications of giving within these movements. Anchored in Newman’s Theory of Doctrinal Development, the study analysed how SPD evolved as a contextual innovation, emerging from traditional biblical interpretations and adapting to meet modern socio-economic and spiritual aspirations. Findings revealed that selected Scriptures are often reinterpreted to support the prosperity narrative, positioning giving as an act of faith that ensures divine reward. The study demonstrated that SPD, while grounded in Biblical Scriptures, reflects a dynamic theological development influenced by cultural, economic, and institutional factors unique to the Kenyan religious landscape. The research made a significant contribution to interdisciplinary fields of theology, religious studies, and the sociology of religion, with a particular emphasis on African Christianity, NCMs, and contextual theology. Further, it also intersects with biblical hermeneutics and cultural anthropology by examining the socio-economic implications of religious giving practices in local congregations. The findings underscore the pressing need for theological discernment and biblical literacy among both clergy and laity, offering insights relevant for faith leadership, theological education and ethical church governance in a rapidly changing religious landscape.