The modern world has turned into a global village, which means Christian authors and ministries can now expand beyond local or national borders. This, in turn, has made the vision of a global and inclusive church a reality, and the real credit goes to the enhanced capabilities of translation services. This has made it easier to share God’s word, whether it’s a devotional, a theological teaching, or a personal testimony, with readers belonging to diverse languages, cultures, and continents.
In this blog, we will tell you all about the process of how translating and publishing work in terms of Christian books. You will learn about the tools and insights essential for this seminal work, right from selecting the right translation partner to distributing your book across the globe.
If you’re keen on making your book available for global readers and leveraging literature to fulfill the Great Commission’s mandate, this marks the beginning of your global journey.
Why Translating Christian Books for Global Audiences Matters
Spreading the Gospel is a global mission, going far beyond borders. As the Christian community grows in numbers, the need for spiritually enriching and Biblically accurate literature has become greater than ever. A potent tool towards this end is translating Christian books into multiple languages so as to reach a global audience, no matter where they are or what language they speak.
Christian book translation isn’t simply about converting from one language to another. It’s a core part of ministry with an aim to make a transformative effect on humanity with life-changing biblical teaching. It acts as a link, uniting people from different cultures and languages while also expanding evangelism and discipleship efforts.
The Wycliffe Global Alliance reports that over 1.5 billion people still don’t have access to the Bible in their first language. This shows how vital it is to translate Christian books for believers in underserved communities.
When you publish Christian books internationally, you accomplish two things: you reach more readers and help fulfill the Great Commission by making the Gospel available to Christians worldwide.
The Key Challenges of Translating Christian Books
Christian book translation is altogether different from translating a secular book. The literal equivalents in the target language are not just sufficient unless they are placed in an appropriate context. The process is more complex as it demands not just linguistic proficiency to ensure accurate results but also an understanding of theology and sensitivity to cultural nuances.
Maintaining Theological Accuracy
Faith-based content is a job of immense responsibility. When a theological concept or doctrine is wrongly translated, it is robbed of its original intent, which may be misleading for readers. The Old Testament, for example, talks of a covenant between God and man struck by prophets like Noah, Abraham, and Moses. These are not temporary deals like world contracts, but solemn commitments that establish God’s identity and His relationship with His people.
A regular translator may use terms like “contract,” “treaty,” or “promise.”, none of which fully justify the theological implications behind a Biblical covenant.
A central requirement for Christian book translators is to understand biblical principles and variations across different denominations. This is essential to preserve theological integrity throughout the manuscript and to safeguard the book’s spiritual message.
Adapting to Cultural Contexts
When you merely translate a Christian book verbatim, the resultant work often falls short of resonating with believers from different cultures. This is because each culture is unique with a distinct repertoire of Idioms, metaphors, and cultural references, which must be dealt with discerning eyes and precision. Only then can the text be relatable for that audience.
For example, members of rural communities are likely to be familiar with a metaphor involving sheep, but readers in urban or non-agrarian cultures may get confused about what is implied. Only when a message is consistent with a given cultural context can it connect with readers both emotionally and spiritually, while preserving biblical truth.
Steps to Translate and Publish a Christian Book Internationally
The idea of an international publication of your Christian book sounds promising, but it is no less challenging. You need to be equipped with the right guidance and professional expertise so that you can execute your goal successfully. Here’s a step-by-step process of how to publish a Christian book internationally.
Step 1 – Choose the Right Christian Translation Partner
A preliminary step in opting for a faith-based translation agency, since you require more than just language proficiency. A successful Christian book translation calls for Christian book translators with these traits;
- A solid background in theological studies
- Understanding of the cultural nuances of your target audience
- Ability to communicate spiritual truths clearly and accurately
Consider Christian Lingua, which specializes in Christian translation services with a team of well-trained translators in ministry and theology.
Step 2 – Prepare Your Manuscript for Translation
Before initiating the translation, there should be a critical scrutiny of the manuscript to check whether it has a logical flow and clarity. In case any ambiguous sentences or cultural idioms are found or the theological terms are not intelligible, these should be revised or annotated right away.
Also, the final text should be evaluated from a theological perspective to ensure that your message remains faithful to biblical truth. An accurately translated text begins with a well-prepared manuscript.
Step 3 – Translation and Proofreading Process
Next comes the actual process, where qualified Christian book translators undertake to translate a book, which is then transferred to a subject authority who conducts a theological review. The text is then subject to an editing process to discover whether any grammatical errors are present and improve its flow and clarity to yield a refined text.
This is then followed by a proofreading process to eliminate any remaining errors or inconsistencies, ensuring it is fit for the final submission.
Ultimately, it should be seen as a collaborative effort where authors and translators, and editors all work together to translate in a way that effectively captures the voice and message of the author.
Step 4 – Localizing for Target Countries
The purpose of localization is to do more than just publish a Christian book internationally.
It’s equally important to adapt various literary elements like title, cover design, and cultural references to the customs and values of the local audience. This step lends a native touch to your book, hence making it easier for a global Christian audience to relate to its messaging.
A simple step of substituting local imagery on the book cover or molding biblical examples to fit local church practices can go a long way towards influencing reader engagement.
Read our blog for tips on how your Christian content can be tailored to yield the maximum cross-cultural impact on global readers.
How Christian Lingua Helps Authors Go Global
At Christian Lingua, we appreciate the spiritual importance of Christian books. As one of the leading Christian book publishing services, we help authors, ministries, and missionaries share their message in different languages and countries. Our book publishing services include:
* Christian book translation in over 220 languages
* Theological editing by a Christian editor
* Localization for cultural relevance
* Audio and video translation and overdub for multimedia
* Publishing advice and distribution help
Whether you’re writing a devotional, study, or memoir, we support you from start to finish.
Stories of Success in Christian Book Translation and Publishing
One of our clients, a missionary writer, sought to translate her devotion into Spanish and Swahili. With the assistance of Christian Lingua, her book was shipped to readers across South America and East Africa via local churches and digital platforms.
Another client had his theological handbook translated into Arabic and integrated into Bible colleges throughout the Middle East. These translations not only expanded the author’s international influence but also helped churches equip leaders with sound doctrine.
For further insights on how translation acts as a driving force behind global missions, see this article from Mission Frontiers.
These stories serve as a glowing example of what faithful Christian literature translation can achieve in terms of opening new avenues for evangelism and discipleship, thereby expanding the global outreach of Christian organizations.
Start Reaching Global Readers with Your Christian Book
Your message deserves a global Christian audience. Why limit your words to just one language when you have the whole world before you? Translating your book isn’t just about winning more readers, it’s about fulfilling your religious calling to share your message worldwide.
Contact Christian Lingua today for a free consultation on translating and publishing your Christian book worldwide.
Let’s take your story global.