Listening to the service in your language: a simple guide

What you need

• A smartphone. iPhone or Android, any recent model.
• Earbuds or headphones. They help you hear clearly, and the people next to you will not hear the translation.
• Internet. The church Wi-Fi or your own mobile data. Listening uses some mobile data, but not much.

How to listen, step by step

1. 01
   Find the QR code

   Look at the screens before the service, or for a sign at the door or the welcome desk. You can also ask a greeter.

2. 02
   Scan it with your camera

   Open your phone's camera and point it at the QR code. Tap the link that appears. The listening page opens in your browser.

3. 03
   Choose your language

   Find your language in the list. You can type the name to search. Tap it.

4. 04
   Press play

   Tap the play button. Put in your earbuds. When someone speaks at the front, you hear them in your language a few seconds later, and you see the words on the screen.

5. 05
   Keep the page open

   Leave the page open during the service. You can turn the screen down, but do not close the browser.

Ways to follow along

You can choose what works best for you:

• Listen. Hear a translated voice in your language, a few seconds behind the speaker.
• Read only. Turn the translated audio off and read the live captions. You can still hear the pastor's own voice in the room.
• See the original too. Show the original words next to the translation. This is useful if you are learning English.
• Large text. Switch to the large-text reading mode if the letters are too small.

Get the sermon by email

Do you want to read the sermon again later, or send it to your family? You can ask for the transcript by email in your language. Type your email address on the listening page. You receive the text after the service. Your email address is deleted after 30 days.

Being considerate in the service

Please use earbuds or headphones, so the people around you hear the pastor and not your phone. Turn your screen brightness down a little in a dark sanctuary. If you only want to read the captions, you can turn the translated audio off and keep your phone on silent. When the service ends, you can close the page. Nobody will notice that you are listening in another language, and you are very welcome here.

If you come every week, save the link on your home screen or in your bookmarks. Then you can open it quickly next Sunday, even before you see the QR code.

Do I need the app?

No. The browser is enough, on iPhone and Android. If you use an iPhone and prefer an app, you can download ChurchTranslate from the App Store. It works the same way.

Something is not working?

• No sound. Turn up the volume on your phone. Check that your phone is not on silent. Tap the play button again.
• The page will not open. Check that you are connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data. Scan the QR code again.
• The sound stops. Your phone may have locked the page. Open the browser again and press play.
• My language is not in the list. The church chooses which languages are available. Ask a greeter or the pastor. Some languages are not available yet.
• The translation stopped. Maybe there is a song, a video or a short pause at the front. It starts again when someone speaks.
• Still stuck? Ask a greeter or someone from the tech team. They are happy to help.

Good to know

• The translation is made by AI, not by a person. It is usually clear, but names and difficult words can be wrong sometimes.
• The translation is a few seconds behind the speaker. That is normal.
• Songs are often not translated. Many churches show the words of songs on the screen.
• You do not need to give your name. No account is needed.
• No audio recordings are stored. The church keeps a text transcript of the service.

For churches: helping your visitors

Most visitors manage on their own once they see the QR code, but a friendly greeter makes a big difference on the first Sunday. Keep a few spare earbuds at the welcome center, put the QR code on screen before the service starts and put your guest Wi-Fi password next to it. Older visitors may like someone to sit with them for a minute while they start. If you serve Spanish-speaking families or newcomers and refugees, ask a bilingual member to explain this page in their language.

Want to set this up for your church? Read how to translate a church service or the first-service checklist.