Translation Tool Makes Global a Reality
We launched something this week that has me CRAZY excited: live translation in our Internet Campus chat. Last week, we had people from more than 100 countries in our Internet Experience, with several languages spoken in our chat area. Now, with this new tool, people from all over the globe can connect and communicate in an online experience.
Here’s an example of how it works:
I speak English. Someone joins the experience speaking Russian. Someone else enters text in Spanish. Someone else shows up and is speaking Chinese. I can read anything those people type, since their native language is translated into English. Anything I type in response is translated into their language on their computer.
This process applies not just one or two or three languages at the same time, but 34 different languages. The translation is far from perfect, but it is a HUGE step forward in removing the language barrier as we seek to reach more and more people on a global level.
It’s made possible by the API from Google Translator, which currently applies to 34 languages. The translation tool detects the native language from your browser or the words you’re typing and offers simultaneous translations for both the person speaking and the person reading.
This innovation is truly a game-changer. It removes some of the biggest obstacles traditionally encountered with translation—time and money—and enables real-time interaction on a global level. This is a perfect example of how technology can accelerate ministry, and I couldn’t be more excited to see where it leads.
What other applications can you imagine for this kind of translation tool?
Visit 
If you ever wanted to do any kind of focused “missions” on Myspace or Facebook or any other global social connection. This could be a great way to develop relationships with the ultimate goal of bringing people to know the greatness of Christ.
I think it this would be a huge step in taking the internet social scene for the glory of God.
Bobby that is so great!! I know you have been wanting something like this for a while. Congratulations!
I’ll be in Lima, Peru this weekend trying it out. Awesome @terrystorch and team!
ummm…WOW! Very impressive. I’ll be passing this along.
This is amazing! Can’t wait to see it in action.
This will add depth in your content offering. Mash this with the Maps so that a chat user can find information about others in his/her hometown, and in their language.
Job well done. A great accomplishment!
Way to go Bobby! This is so awesome! I’ll be sharing like crazy with all of my International friends. This, along with last week’s True(ish) message is a great opportunity for me to share Christ. Thanks!
Absolutely amazing! This opens the door to so many possibilities in global ministry and missions such as: 24 Hour Global Prayer Movements - the Nations all praying as one w/o language barrier limitations. May God bless us all with wisdom to apply this tool for His purposes. Thank you LifeChurch.
This is amazing. I’m always so impressed with how Lifechurch continues to push the envelope in finding new ways to reach people.
Congrats!
This is a huge win, guys! It’s a game changer. Thank you for your tireless leveraging of technology for the Kingdom.
This could make online multi-lingual life groups possible.
Talk about the ‘Big C’ church, way to blaze a path for truly ‘global’ worship!
Incredible!! God has gifted and called Lifechurch.tv to spread the Gospel outside the box of modernity’s methodologies. I have linked more than one topic from here to my blog for my local network with much success.
[...] church circles) for their innovative use of the Internet and social media technology has implemented Google’s Translator API into their chat rooms. Make it possible for people from all over the world to talk to each [...]
Oh shoot, now this is cool.
Wow… this is absolutely amazing. I don’t even know what else to say… Wow
“Anything I type in response is translated into their language… The translation is far from perfect”
To make the translation better, write text specially for machine translation. If the source text is optimised for machine translation, machine translation gives good results. See http://www.international-english.co.uk.
Hi, cool idea. But I don’t fully understand. Why would they watch a service anyway if they don’t understand English?
This is awesome. Truly bringing the world together. I like what Danny brings up regarding the teaching still being in english. What tricks do you have up your sleeve for that? :)
Danny good question. This is just one step in the right direction. The exciting thing is right now we have over 140 countries represented each week with people coming that their secondary language being English or not knowing English well at all. This allows them to speak their native language and still join in the conversation. This tool is just a first step in the right direction. In the future we hope to see other global aspects follow in regards to language: video, prayer, etc.
Our ministry could use this extensively!
[...] check out the Swerve post on the new auto-translation feature and join in the [...]
Great!!!, I was at the first day of this tool, and was very exciting!!! God bless you!!! from Guatemala
[...] Man, I do think a lot of my online self. Yeah, I’m a word ninja. So what happens if I go blind? Or worse yet, just the inner view of myself goes dark? If suddenly the best I can come up with is the written version of “oh yeah? yeah, I got nothing.” [...]
Looking forward to it! Like you said, this is HUGE :P
It would be neat if the sermon messages could be translated - audio is obviously hard and expensive, but maybe the sermon notes themselves, or subtitles for the main message once/if they are implemented. Users then could pick a language, and you could use this same technology to translate the subtitles =] - or even just the sermon notes.
God bless
You guys are the masters at making the impossible, possible. Thanks for your constant example of innovation, especially with online church. I am so appreciative that someone is leading where no one has ventured before. Can’t wait to see you Craig in Dallas in May.
This is an excellent idea, 1st time I have ever heard about anything being translated more then one language at a time! Fantastic! unlimited possibility’s. Please keep me informed, Thanks