If you ask any ministry leader what worries them, you’ll soon come across this point: even though they are certain the message is correct, they still question whether it is actually getting across to people. A sermon series that transforms a congregation in Dallas may have no impact in Nairobi, not because the truth has changed, but because of the words used. Translation of the Christian message links a message that exists with one that is understood.
The bridge matters more now than at any time in the church’s history. About seven thousand languages are currently in use, and an increasing proportion of the global church worships in a language different from English. If you head a denomination, publish books, manage a nonprofit, or produce a weekly podcast, the Christian translation of your materials has a direct effect on how far your work reaches and how accurately it is received. Getting the translation right is not just a technical matter; it is a stewardship decision.
What Makes Christian Translation Different from Ordinary Translation
A general translation service is able to translate words from one language into another, but a Christian translation ministry must translate the meaning and since biblical meaning is particularly fragile this makes it more difficult.
Take the word ‘grace’ for example. In some languages the closest equivalent suggests a favour which one has earned, thereby contradicting the teaching. In certain situations redemption has a commercial ring to it and in others it has a sacrificial one. The term fellowship can end up sounding as if it refers to a social club. When you also include Scripture quotations that have to conform to an approved local Bible version, expressions that don’t survive the transition, and denominational terminology that differs from region to region, it becomes clear why professional Christian translators are a special kind of specialist.
The difference in practice is seen in the kinds of questions a translator poses. A generalist enquiries as to deadlines and file formats, while an experienced Christian translator finds out which Bible version your audience uses, whether your reader is a new believer or a seminary-trained pastor, and whether a particular phrase has negative connotations in the target culture. It is those questions which constitute the work.
Christian Lingua was based on this belief when it was set up in 2006. Since there are more than 1,300 Christian translators, editors, and voice actors around the world, each project is carried out by people who understand the theology of the sentence, not merely the grammar.
Christian Translation Services That Go Beyond the Printed Page
Back then, translating a ministry involved translating its books; nowadays your audience gets to know you through video, audio, apps, curriculum, and live streams, and each of these formats has its own requirements.
For authors and publishers, services relating to the translation of Christian books are still fundamental and include much more than just the translation of text. Bible references have to be checked, the footnotes have to be renumbered, and the final file has to be typeset so that the Arabic or Korean version looks just as thought out as the English one. The team at Christian Lingua carried out the translation of Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life in 220 languages, a project which demonstrates what disciplined publishing workflows can achieve.
Sermons, films, and training videos are made available to those who prefer to listen to or who are at a basic level of reading through the use of Christian voice over and overdub work. The tone in this case reflects the theology involved. A voice actor who grasps the importance of a particular passage will deliver it in a different way from one who reads the script without understanding it. Christian Lingua has produced over 500,000 minutes of overdubbing, this comprising 25,000 minutes of video for RightNow Media in 16 languages.
The use of ASL video interpretation opens up your ministry to the Deaf community, a group which is frequently the most neglected mission field within the city of your church. American Sign Language is a complete language with its own grammar and is not simply signed English, which is why ASL video translation needs native Deaf and hearing interpreters to work together on camera; captions by themselves are not sufficient.
Podcast and radio translation services allow Christian radio, pastors, and teaching programmes to extend their influence into areas where audio is still the main medium, and translation services for training, discipleship or theological education ensure that courses remain consistent across different groups and countries.
What Global Ministries Gain When They Translate Well
You only realise how good the return on translation is when you see it. A discipleship curriculum that has been translated once is capable of training leaders for ten years. One film that has been overdubbed can spread via social media in areas where a missionary team would take years to gain access. A book in a reader’s own language is passed on within a family in a way that an English version never will be.
There’s another, more subtle advantage: it builds trust. When people meet your ministry using the language in which they pray, they no longer feel as though they are guests at someone else’s table. That isn’t the result of marketing; it is a matter of dignity and it affects the way the message is received.
The same applies here: ministries which cut corners usually end up having to pay twice, once for a translation which native speakers unconsciously find awkward or contrary to doctrine, and then again to correct it. Although volunteers and bilingual staff intend to do the right thing, translating theology to a publishable standard is a skill, and no one can acquire such a skill without training.
How to Choose a Christian Translation Ministry You Can Trust
When you’re assessing Christian translation services, a few questions will reveal most of what you need to know.
- Are the translators people who believe? If faith is not just a matter of routine, then it enables one to detect a subtle shift in doctrine in the fourth paragraph.
- Who is responsible for reviewing the work? You should find out if a second Christian editor checks the file and also how the Scripture quotations are confirmed by referring to the approved versions.
- Will they deal with all the formats you require? By using a single partner for book translation, subtitling, voiceover, ASL, and website content, you’ll keep your terminology consistent in all areas.
- What can be said about their record? Specific examples from clients and case studies are better than general assertions.
- What do they do with AI? Although it may reduce costs on certain projects, it should be looked at by qualified Christian professionals before it is presented to your audience.
Christian Lingua has answered those questions through twenty years of effort, having worked with over 220 languages, translated more than 200 million words, and served more than 2,000 ministries, including Cru, YouVersion, the Jesus Film Project, and the Bible Project.
Take the Next Step in Your Christian Translation Ministry
Christian language translation isn’t a final addition to a project; it makes the difference between a message remaining within a single community and one that spreads to other nations. If you need services such as the translation of Christian books, overdubbing and voice-over, ASL video interpretation, or the translation of podcasts and radio programmes, the right partner will ensure both your message and your peace of mind are protected.
Christian Lingua would be pleased to go through your project with you. You can visit Christian Lingua to get a free quotation, ask difficult questions, and find out what it’s like to work with professional Christian translators who regard your ministry’s words in the same way that you do.