Features — Church Translation Live

Real-time translation

Speech-to-text. Translated in parallel. Delivered instantly.

Audio from your sound desk is captured, transcribed, and translated into every enabled language simultaneously — in under two seconds, end to end.

Laptop connected to USB audio interface — the hardware setup for Church Translation Live

Deepgram Nova-3 speech-to-text

Industry-leading real-time STT with exceptional accuracy on accented and conversational speech. Interim (partial) results appear as the speaker talks.

Under 2-second latency

From spoken word to translated text on a listener's phone in under two seconds. Fast enough to follow naturally — not fast enough to distract.

Parallel translation to all languages

All language channels are translated simultaneously. A session in six languages translates all six at once — no queue, no delay on one channel affecting another.

Error isolation

If one language channel encounters a problem, the other languages continue unaffected. Each channel is isolated — no single point of failure for the whole session.

Two translation providers

Choose DeepL (standard, fast, cost-effective) or Claude AI per language channel. Both providers receive church-aware context. Mix and match based on your congregation's needs.

STT provider abstraction

The speech-to-text layer is built to support multiple providers. Alternative providers (Google Cloud Speech, Azure) can be enabled without changing your workflow.

Pastor preaching passionately at a pulpit with congregation behind

Church-aware translation

Translation that listens to how your church speaks

Set your church tradition — Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox, or Pentecostal — and the AI adapts its theological vocabulary to match. Or leave it on auto and the AI follows the speaker's own language.

Tradition-specific vocabulary

When you set a tradition, theological terms are rendered in their established equivalents for that tradition. "The Eucharist" for Catholic, "the Lord's Supper" for Protestant — in every target language.

Biblical reference consistency

When a speaker quotes or references Scripture, the AI recognises the passage and uses the established translation for that verse — not a paraphrase.

Pastoral tone preservation

Whether the speaker is exhorting, comforting, or teaching, the AI reads the register and preserves it — not flattening all speech to a neutral documentary tone.

Session context continuity

The AI uses session title, speaker name, and the last several segments of the transcript to maintain contextual coherence across the whole sermon.

Cultural illustration handling

Illustrations, idioms, and culturally-specific illustrations are handled thoughtfully rather than translated literally in ways that lose their meaning.

Listener experience

No friction for the congregation

A QR code scan is all it takes. No app download, no account, no configuration. The listener page opens instantly on any phone and the translation begins.

Person in church pew reading translated sermon text on a dark-mode phone screen

No app required

Listeners scan a QR code or tap a link. The page opens instantly in any mobile browser — iOS or Android — with no download or account needed.

Native-script language selector

Each language appears in both English and its native script (e.g. "Arabic — العربية"). Listeners find their language immediately.

Dark-themed mobile view

Optimised for low-light sanctuary environments. Clean, readable typography with no distracting interface elements.

Adjustable font size

Font size adjustable from 14px to 28px and persisted across the session. Accessible for older members and those with visual impairments.

Auto-scroll with "Resume live"

The page scrolls automatically as new text arrives. If a listener scrolls up to re-read, a "Resume live" button returns them to the latest text.

Automatic reconnection

If a listener's phone locks or the connection drops, the page reconnects and fetches any missed segments automatically.

Audio output

Hear the translation, not just read it

Browser-native TTS

A "Listen" toggle uses the Web Speech API to read translated segments aloud on the listener's device. Zero server-side cost, available on all modern browsers.

Server-side TTS (Conference plan)

Higher-quality audio generated server-side using Google Cloud TTS or ElevenLabs. Audio files streamed to listeners with automatic queue management.

Original audio relay

Stream the raw sound-desk audio to overflow rooms, family rooms, or hearing-impaired members' phones — at approximately 500ms latency.

Volunteer interpreter in a church pew wearing earphones and speaking quietly into her phone

Human interpreters

Your volunteers, amplified

Your volunteer interpreters remain central to the ministry. Church Translation Live gives them a phone-based channel that reaches every listener simultaneously — with AI as their backup.

Token-authenticated interpreter page

Volunteer interpreters join via a secure link — no account needed. They hear the original audio and speak their translation, which is relayed live to listeners.

AI fallback on disconnect

If an interpreter steps away or disconnects, listeners automatically switch to AI translation — no gap in service. A "Live interpreter" badge shows which mode is active.

No new equipment for interpreters

Interpreters use their own smartphones. No specialist headsets, no radio frequency licences, no interpreter booths required.

Analytics

Understand your multilingual congregation

See exactly who is connecting, which languages are being used, and how engagement grows over time. Evidence for your elders, data for your planning.

Analytics dashboard on laptop showing listener counts, language breakdown charts, and weekly growth graph

Listener-minutes and peak counts

Per-session metrics: how many listeners connected, peak concurrent, total listener-minutes, and per-language breakdown.

Usage over time

Charts showing sessions and listeners per week. Understand growth trends in your multilingual congregation at a glance.

Downloadable reports

Export per-session reports (stats, costs, technical notes) and monthly summaries. Useful for trustees, elders, and grant reporting.

Everything you need for live multilingual ministry