AI-Powered Translation Expands Church Accessibility

Artificial intelligence is changing the landscape of church communication, making worship and ministry more accessible than ever before. Aberdeen Broadcast Services, a faith-based media company, is leading the way by offering AI-powered captioning and multilingual translation tools designed specifically for churches. From global livestreams to small congregational gatherings, these technologies are breaking down language and hearing barriers—scaling to meet the needs of ministries at every level.

The impact of these tools was notably demonstrated during Gather25, a 25-hour livestream that reached more than 1.25 million viewers across every continent. Aberdeen supported the event with real-time captioning and subtitle translations in 84 languages, made possible through advanced Automated Machine Translation and careful pre-event testing. At NRB 2025, Aberdeen again showcased the power of AI-enabled ministry by providing real-time captions, subtitles, and audio dubs across dozens of simultaneous sessions for thousands of Christian media professionals.

But AI-powered church translation isn’t limited to large-scale events. Saddleback Church, for example, is using Aberdeen’s tools to provide real-time translations for weekend services, enabling multilingual congregants—including a Brazilian family new to the U.S.—to fully engage with worship. Since launch, the church has added new languages each week, including Spanish, Mandarin, and Farsi.

Aberdeen’s success lies in blending automation with human oversight, using ASR and AMT technology optimized for biblical terminology, and addressing implementation challenges through trained technicians and user education. This approach ensures accuracy and reliability in high-stakes ministry settings.

Whether serving international audiences, local attendees, or online viewers, AI-powered accessibility is proving to be a pivotal tool for modern ministry. Churches of all sizes can now extend their reach and fulfill their mission more effectively than ever before.

For more details, refer to the original article on ChurchLeaders.