Friday, March 9, 2018

Hey Fletch … In a February 6, 2018 “Hey Fletch” column I saw the question: Is anyone out there using a system that allows a church to broadcast a Spanish speaking translator to our congregation? My wife is from Argentina and we sometimes attend a Spanish service near us in the States. When they see me walking in, they hand me a headset without even asking. I find that attending a service being translated into English makes me focus more on the entire message. I get more out of it than I do in an English service. I think that this is because there is an inevitable short translation delay. I pay attention to the body language of the speaker, catch the crowd reaction and then hear the translation. I’d recommend to someone that is considering offering translation services to attend a church that is spoken in a foreign language and translated it to English to get a feel for the experience.

DRF—This comment is pure gold. From my experience in doing ministry in four dozen countries, that comment is true. The act of translation forces me to listen better and enhances my spiritual growth. Thanks for writing in!