Numerous readers will be familiar with the Seed Sowers texts that have been used over the years to the blessing of many. With a variety of verses, some updated designs, and many languages available they are ideal outreach material. This article gives some of the background to the work and details of a distribution centre that has been set up to facilitate their use in the UK.
Seed Sowers goes back to 1986 when Christians in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, Canada decided to deliver a small poster of John 3.16 to all the homes in their local area. Along with the poster, there was an "Owner’s Manual" which briefly outlined the meaning the verses, and a reply card. The reply card gave the opportunity to request more information about the Christian faith and the Bible.
One day one of the Christians, a Manitoban farmer, was in his field watching tumbleweed blow across the newly-prepared soil. As it was blown around the field the tumbleweed dispersed its seed. He knew that this seed would either emerge soon after or stay dormant in the ground for years before springing into life, just like the parable that the Lord Jesus Christ told his disciples. It struck him that God works in a similar way with the souls of men and women, although instead of weeds the outcome is eternal life. He came to the conclusion that displaying the Word of God in homes would have a far greater impact than any sermons he might preach.
From that point he set himself the target of distributing these Seed Sowers posters throughout his home province of Manitoba within his lifetime. This target was reached within five years and the work stretched into other Canadian provinces and then into the USA.
Since then, Seed Sowers posters have been delivered to homes in many other countries - in total over 20 million have been distributed globally in about 25 different languages.
There are countless stories of how Seed Sowers have been used by God to bring men and women to salvation, testifying to the power of the Word of God alone. Numerous distributions have been done in conjunction with special outreaches, including many in the UK. The vision of those producing Seed Sowers continues to be to enable the Word of God to be displayed in as many homes as possible.
To make the material more easily accessible for those living in the UK, a distribution centre has been set up to provide a local and prompt service for those desiring to spread the Scriptures in this way. A full catalogue of the material available can be viewed online or by requesting a sample pack using the contact details given at the end of this article.
The verses can be used in many ways – for example in door-to-door distribution, framed as children’s work prizes, or passed on in conversation. Also, appropriately displayed in the home (such as by the front door), they can be a quiet witness to visitors. A wide variety of languages is available to help with witnessing to those for whom English is not their first language.
A trust has been set up which will oversee the work. The trustees are Jim McMaster (Bensham, Newcastle) who also directly runs the distribution centre, Glyn Davies (Bracknell, Berkshire), Matthew Henry (Bakewell, Derbyshire), and Steve Buckeridge (Datchet, Berkshire). The trustees desire that the Lord’s people will be helped in their gospel outreach and the Lord honoured in the distribution of His mighty Word.
To find out more information or to place an order:
Visit www.seedsowers-uk.org
Email info@seedsowers-uk.org
Phone 0560 312 6060
Write to Seed Sowers UK, c/o Unit 28, Team Valley Business Centre, Earlsway, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE11 0QH.
