Technology continues to reshape how churches connect with their congregations, and artificial intelligence (AI) has opened doors to new possibilities for delivering captioning and multilingual translation during worship services, conferences, and livestreams. With AI-powered tools now reaching reliability levels suitable for ministry use, churches of every size are implementing solutions that help them reach more people without compromising message integrity.
Aberdeen Broadcast Services—a faith-based closed captioning and media services company serving Christian ministries since 2001—has spent years researching and testing the potential of AI in both closed captioning and multilingual translation. Accuracy had to come first. The rollout couldn’t be rushed because even small mistranslations of biblical terms or spiritual truths can distort the message. Now that the quality finally rivals that of human captioners and translators, Aberdeen has launched a suite of AI-powered tools specifically designed to support real-time captioning and translation in ministry settings.
The following examples—a global event, a multi-day conference, and a weekly worship service—illustrate how ministries are already using this technology to serve diverse audiences in meaningful ways. Each setting demonstrates not just what’s possible with the latest tools, but how they can faithfully support the mission of the Church.
Global Reach in 84 Languages: Gather25
In February, Aberdeen partnered with IF:Gathering for Gather25, a 25-hour livestream designed to inspire and unite the global Church. While Aberdeen had previously supported IF:Gathering with live captioning for their events, Gather25 represented a major step forward—expanding from traditional captioning into real-time, multilingual engagement on a global scale.
The numbers tell the story of unprecedented reach: more than 1.25 million viewers and over 21,000 Gather Groups participating across every continent. Aberdeen supported the event by providing live captioning for the broadcast feed and delivering subtitle translations in 84 languages using Automated Machine Translation (AMT).
The technical complexity was substantial. Seven global filming locations were routed into a master control hub in Dallas, where the final mixed feed was produced. The program audio was then stripped and sent via 20 HLS streams to Aberdeen, where SyncWords’ platform applied real-time AI-powered subtitle translations for international viewers.
What made this possible wasn’t just the technology; it was the preparation. Aberdeen conducted over 50 hours of pre-event testing, stress-testing multi-language streams, and simulating 25-hour sessions to ensure system endurance. This level of preparation demonstrates how AI tools require both sophisticated technology and careful human oversight to work effectively in high-stakes ministry environments.
On-Site Accessibility at Scale: NRB 2025
Large-scale broadcasts aren’t the only place where ministries are putting real-time translation to work. Just days before Gather25, the same technology supported a live, in-person environment at NRB 2025, the largest annual gathering of Christian broadcasters and media leaders.
This in-person conference featured over 40 sessions across multiple rooms, stages, and formats, serving more than 5,800 Christian media professionals—including 345 international attendees representing 52 countries. Aberdeen delivered live captioning, multilingual subtitles, and real-time audio dubs using advanced Automated Speech Recognition (ASR) and Automated Machine Translation (AMT) technologies.
The engagement statistics reveal the real impact: 663 unique users engaged with Aberdeen’s accessibility tools (10.67% of attendance), with 41.6% of those users choosing to listen via translated audio dubs. This confirms a growing preference for natural, immersive language access during live events.
Managing dozens of simultaneous sessions across multiple formats requires more than automation—it takes real-time coordination, experienced staff, and dependable technology. Aberdeen’s technical team handled setup, content routing, monitoring, and troubleshooting to ensure everything ran smoothly throughout the four-day event.
Weekly Impact: Saddleback Church
AI captioning and translation aren’t just for major conferences and global events—they’re also transforming weekly church services. Saddleback Church, one of the largest and most influential churches in the United States, provides a compelling example of how this technology serves local congregations.
Drawing tens of thousands of attendees each weekend across multiple campuses and online, Saddleback has long been a leader in global outreach and ministry innovation. With such a diverse and far-reaching congregation, the church has embraced technology to ensure everyone can fully engage with the message.
Aberdeen’s AI-powered translation tools recently helped a Brazilian family feel at home in their new church community while attending in-person services at Saddleback’s Lake Forest campus. As they shared: “We found our church. It’s the place where we truly feel at home, even as immigrants…I was able to watch the service from home as well, and the translation was perfect there too.”
After relocating to California, the family specifically looked for a church offering Brazilian Portuguese translation. Saddleback made that possible through their partnership with Aberdeen.
Pastor Rob Mortenson recognized the broader implications: “This implementation…is going to be pivotal in how we communicate the gospel message to other language groups, and it has the potential to spread to other ministries and even some of our international campuses.”
Since launching the service, Saddleback has introduced new languages weekly and has seen strong adoption with Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, and Farsi translations.
The Technology Behind the Ministry
What makes these implementations successful isn’t just the AI technology—it’s how that technology is optimized for ministry contexts. Aberdeen uses AI models that are trained to best handle biblical terminology, ensuring accurate transcription and translation of religious content.
The workflow typically involves:
- Audio capture from venue sound consoles
- Real-time processing through cloud-based ASR systems
- Instant translation via AMT into multiple languages
- Multiple delivery options including captions, subtitles, and voice dubs
- Human oversight to ensure accuracy and handle technical issues
Overcoming Implementation Challenges
Every deployment brings unique challenges that require both technical solutions and ministry-focused thinking. At NRB 2025, for example, the hotel’s network configuration initially blocked standard setup procedures. Aberdeen’s team quickly adapted by reconfiguring all network-enabled hardware and manually accessing each system—demonstrating the importance of having experienced technicians on-site.
User awareness presented another challenge. Most attendees didn’t initially know the service was available, so Aberdeen deployed printed QR cards, instructional banners, and pre-session screen slides to guide users. This kind of proactive user education is essential for successful adoption.
Looking Forward: Ministry Applications
These examples demonstrate how AI-powered accessibility tools can serve churches regardless of size or scope:
Large churches and conferences can use these tools to serve international attendees and online audiences simultaneously, breaking down language barriers that might otherwise limit engagement.
Mid-size churches can offer multilingual services without hiring full-time translators, making it financially feasible to serve diverse communities.
Small churches can use these tools to welcome visitors who speak different languages, creating more inclusive worship environments.
Online ministries can expand their global reach by offering real-time translation during live streams, potentially reaching audiences they never could before.
One Message, Any Scale
Since 2001, Aberdeen Broadcast Services has partnered with churches and ministries to make their messages more accessible. Founded as a faith-based media company, Aberdeen’s mission has always been to support Christian broadcasters with technical excellence and a deep understanding of ministry goals.
Today, Aberdeen prepares and delivers more than 88,000 television programs each year, managing everything from captioning and formatting to final broadcast distribution across major networks. The company combines automation with human expertise, ensuring that every message is delivered clearly, reliably, and in real-time.
From global simulcasts to multi-day conferences to weekly church services, Aberdeen helps ministries break through language and hearing barriers with scalable, AI-powered accessibility tools. Whether serving 1.25 million viewers worldwide or helping a single-family feel at home in their new church, the mission remains the same: ensuring that everyone can access the transformative message of the Gospel.
As Pastor Rob Mortenson observed, this technology is “pivotal in how we communicate the gospel message” to diverse language groups. For church leaders considering these tools, the question isn’t whether AI translation is ready for ministry use—it’s how quickly they can implement solutions that will help them reach everyone God has placed in their path.
Ready to explore how AI-powered accessibility can expand your ministry’s reach? Contact Aberdeen Broadcast Services to discuss how these solutions can be tailored for your church’s unique needs and audience.
