The Bible Translation Innovation Podcast

Speech-to-speech translation is in early experimentation, with initial indications of how it could shape Scripture accessibility for oral-first communities. In this episode of the Bible Translation Innovation Podcast, Joel Mathews and Chris “Klappy” Klapp, alongside Communications Strategist Isabella Scarinzi, explore the current state of this emerging approach and its potential role in oral Bible translation. They explain how speech-to-speech systems work, why most approaches rely on multi-step processes, and where these systems fall short—especially in low-resource languages. The conversation surfaces practical challenges while also pointing to ongoing research and emerging approaches being tested across the ecosystem.Have questions? Send us an email at [email protected] and we'll answer them on the show!Subscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methodologies and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.

Iterative publishing in Bible translation can help place Scripture in people’s hands sooner, when supported by strong processes. In this episode of the Bible Translation Innovation Podcast, Joel Mathews and Chris “Klappy” Klapp, alongside Communications Strategist Isabella Scarinzi, explore why iterative publishing is often misunderstood. They discuss questions around theological accuracy and the practical tensions translation teams navigate, while pointing to the role of community feedback, digital distribution, and evolving tools—including AI—in strengthening both pace and quality. Drawing on real-world experiences, they argue that iterative publishing, when done thoughtfully, can accelerate access to Scripture while strengthening the translation process through ongoing revision and collaboration.Register for the OBTC Hackathon 2026 here.Have questions? Send us an email at [email protected] and we'll answer them on the show!Subscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methodologies and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.

Change in Bible translation is rarely simple—balancing urgency, quality, and risk requires careful judgment. In this episode of the Bible Translation Innovation Podcast, hosts Joel Mathews and Chris Klapp ("Klappy") from the ETEN Innovation Lab, along with Communications Strategist Isabella Scarinzi, discuss common barriers to change, including stewardship concerns, training costs, fear of reduced quality, and resistance to new technology. Drawing on field experiments with tools, process improvements, and product development, they highlight the importance of starting small, running controlled tests, iterating quickly, and matching innovation efforts to the right projects and people. Have questions? Send us an email at [email protected] and we'll answer them on the show!Subscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methodologies and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.

User experience in Bible translation tools is never universal—cultural context, literacy, and technology access fundamentally shape whether tools succeed or fail. In this episode of the Bible Translation Innovation Podcast, hosts Joel Mathews and Chris Klapp ("Klappy") from the ETEN Innovation Lab, along with Communications Strategist Isabella Scarinzi, examine the cultural and contextual challenges of designing user-friendly Bible translation tools. Drawing from their experience developing Fluent and other apps, they explore how assumptions about usability often break down across regions, literacy levels, and technical familiarity. The hosts highlight tips on building tools around actual user behavior and emphasizes iterative testing, field feedback, and intentional design for oral cultures.Subscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methodologies and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.

In this episode of the Bible Translation Innovation Podcast, hosts Isabella Scarinzi and Chris “Klappy” Klapp examine the current state of the All Access Goals for Bible translation, with particular attention to languages at risk of not being completed by 2033. They welcome Peter Huang, Operations Director at the Innovation Lab, who explains how data analysis and AI are being used to identify at-risk languages and surface gaps in progress. The conversation emphasizes the role of collaboration, shared data, and clear visibility across translation efforts to help ensure that Scripture reaches communities still waiting for access.Subscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methodologies and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.

In this episode, we explore how emerging AI tools are reshaping software development, specifically for Bible translation. Facilitator Isabella Scarinzi and co-host Chris “Klappy” Klapp welcome Ian Lindsley from Unfolding Word to discuss his journey from skeptical observer to avid practitioner of AI-assisted coding. We unpack early doubts about trust and job security, and describe practical solutions to wisely implement AI coders into a workflow that significantly accelerates development without sacrificing quality.Subscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methodologies and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.

In this episode, we introduce Fluent, a new Bible translation tool designed to serve the global church. Hosts Joel Mathew and Chris Klapp ("Klappy") from the ETEN Innovation Lab, along with Communications Strategist Isabella Scarinzi, discuss the development of this free, open, and easy-to-use multimodal translation product suite that leverages intelligently assisted (AI) technology. Together, they explore the vision behind Fluent, the translation teams it’s built for, and their partnerships in the development process.Sign up for updates or for a 1:1 demonstration at: http://etenlab.org/fluent.Subscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methodologies and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.

Can the world’s most popular chat app become part of the Bible translation process? In this episode of The Bible Translation Innovation Podcast, hosts Joel Mathew and Chris Klapp ("Klappy") of the ETEN Innovation Lab, along with ETEN Innovation Lab Communications Strategist Isabella Scarinzi, unpack how WhatsApp—used widely and often exclusively in low-resource communities—is already supporting translation work. From sharing oral Bible translation files to facilitating community checking and AI-enhanced support, the team explores how this familiar platform is lowering barriers for translation. Throughout, the hosts discuss how innovation often comes from using what’s already in people’s hands.To learn more about this topic, read this post from Joel Mathew: https://www.etenlab.org/post/bible-translation-and-whatsappSubscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methodologies and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.

In the inaugural episode of The Bible Translation Innovation Podcast, hosts Joel Mathew and Chris Klapp aka "Klappy" of the ETEN Innovation Lab are guided in discussion by ETEN Innovation Lab Communications Strategist Isabella Scarinzi on the role of innovation in Bible translation. Together, they explore the urgency of accelerating translation work to meet the All Access Goals by 2033, and how technology supports local church ownership. Joel and Klappy also preview topics for upcoming episodes, from AI-enabled drafting and checking to multimodal translation tools.Subscribe to hear more conversations, updates, and experiments on new methods and technologies advancing Scripture accessibility worldwide.“Glitch Logo” Sound Effect by Oleg Fedak from Pixabay

Welcome to the Bible Translation Innovation Podcast! This show is brought to you by the ETEN Innovation Lab and hosted by Joel Matthew and Christopher “Klappy” Klapp. The conversation is facilitated by Isabella Scarinzi.Once a month, we are going to explore new methods and technologies that are advancing Bible translation worldwide. We'll discuss the latest industry ideas and also share what has already been proven to accelerate Scripture accessibility. This show is an exploration of methods and processes so we can reach our accessibility goals by 2033.Subscribe to listen in on our experimentation, updates, and conversations with innovators advancing new methods and technologies to help reach the All Access Goals by 2033. Thank you.