A Bible Translation Tool to Serve the Global Church

00:00:08 ISABELLA
Welcome back to the Bible Translation Innovation Podcast, a show brought to you by the E10 Innovation Lab. My name is Isabella, and I’m joined by my friends and colleagues Joel and Clappy. This is an exciting episode because we’re going to talk about Fluent. Based on what we’ve learned from developing and deploying Scribe, we’re now expanding and developing a new application called Fluent, which is current with the latest AI advances and field realities. As you might know, the Innovation Lab was commissioned by E10 to accelerate progress toward the all-access goals. One of our priorities is to deploy a Translation Resource Ecosystem, or TRE, for the Church that includes the development of open-licensed, open-source, and open-access tools that equip church-based Bible translation. One of the Lab’s recommendations for broadening church involvement is a multimodal translation process as the preferred methodology for the remaining Bible translation needs. From a software perspective, multimodality means having tools that can support not only text translation but also audio and, eventually, video. This is where Fluent comes in—it’s currently in development.

00:01:40 KLAPPY
Before we jump into Fluent, I’d like to give a little context on multimodality and what that means on the field. Multimodality might sound like multimedia—it’s related but not the same. Normally in Bible translation, we read text, we read books, and we learn about Scripture through reading. We process things and do our drafting and checking through text. Multimodality breaks this out of pure text. It allows people in the field to interact with Scripture—act it out, recite it, create songs, and live the Scriptures before they even draft them. Before recording as text or audio, or even as video for sign language, people can embody the Scriptures through action and song. With that mindset, multimodality isn’t just about having an audio clip or video Bible.

00:03:03 KLAPPY
It’s the process of people living the Scriptures as they’re doing the translation work.

00:03:11 ISABELLA
That’s great context. So based on that, what is Fluent? How does it connect to multimodality?

00:03:23 JOEL
That’s a great question, Isabella, and thank you for setting us up. Before explaining what Fluent is, I want to clarify what it isn’t. It’s not the one app to rule them all. We’re not trying to make a single application that replaces everything else. Instead, we want Fluent to be an effective tool within the larger Bible translation toolchain—complementary and supportive of existing needs. The Innovation Lab’s efforts are focused on the all-access goals, which are so large and audacious that it would be short-sighted to think one app could accomplish them. It’s far better to have multiple partners and tools working together. The Lab, as Isabella mentioned, has its own priorities and sees gaps that need addressing—and that’s where Fluent was born.

Our vision is to build a free, open, extensible, and multimodal translation product suite that leverages advanced technology and AI, designed to be easy to use, assisting translators throughout their workflow and improving both quality and speed.

00:06:11 JOEL
When I say “free and open,” I mean open source and open license. The code and process behind it will be available for anyone to inspect, audit, or reuse. It’s licensed under the MIT License, which allows broad use—even commercial. For us, the focus is to keep it open and free.

AI is an important part of Fluent’s vision. You might ask, “Why another app?” There are already a few with overlapping features. True—but through our work with AI, we’ve seen there’s still much untapped potential for practical field use. There’s great technology available, but it often isn’t implemented on the ground. We want to shorten the cycle between new AI developments and their practical deployment. Fluent will be AI-native—responsibly integrating the best available technology to create real value for translators.

00:09:57 KLAPPY
Having worked alongside you for years, Joel, I’ve seen how you take technology meant to simplify Bible translation and make it even simpler. From what I’ve seen so far, Fluent continues that tradition. We already have AI-assisted translation and text-based drafting, but Fluent feels like a new embodiment of simplicity and clarity in UI and UX design. It’s fresh and exciting.

00:10:31 JOEL
Thanks, Clappy. It’s interesting how small tweaks—a color change, a layout shift, or a smoother process—can make a huge difference in a user’s experience. We plan to test and refine those details iteratively in the field.

When I mention an end-to-end workflow, that’s a broad term. There’s a lot that goes into producing a Bible translation—from project start through drafting, checking, and publication. Fluent aims to support as much of that workflow as possible, especially for people who might not have access to existing infrastructure or tools.

00:12:24 KLAPPY
Thanks, Joel. I’m excited to hear the grand vision of Fluent. “End-to-end” sounds daunting since there are so many stages and sub-steps in Bible translation. How do you see Fluent achieving that full workflow?

00:13:17 JOEL
We’re adopting an iterative development approach. That means we’ll release the smallest usable version to translators as soon as possible—starting with text translation and drafting—and build from there. The industry has shown that iterative development works better than waiting to release a “finished” product. So this will be a longer-term effort, growing feature by feature with users in the loop every step of the way.

00:14:42 ISABELLA
That’s great. You mentioned that it’s up to teams to decide how best to use the app and that Fluent addresses certain gaps. Who is Fluent designed to support?

00:15:08 JOEL
Right now, we’re focusing on underserved groups, especially church-based Bible translation teams. They can use existing tools, but those tools often don’t fit their workflows. Fluent is designed to meet their needs.

A typical user might be a believer in a small house church—maybe 15 people—with a tenth-grade education. They’re literate, perhaps working as plumbers or electricians, and passionate about having Scripture in their heart language. They might never have used a computer before. Many have smartphones, but a laptop might be new. Fluent is being designed for these users—simple to start with little training, yet capable of growing with them.

Within six months, users often become proficient and want advanced features, so we’ll balance simplicity with scalability. As they grow, they can continue in Fluent or move to complementary tools for complex workflows.

00:19:22 JOEL
Since multimodality is becoming central to Bible translation, we need an app that bridges text and audio. These aren’t separate processes but deeply connected ones. Even in text translation, discussions and decisions often happen orally first. Some consultants even suggest starting with audio drafts before moving to text for more natural translations. Fluent will allow teams to work seamlessly between audio and text.

00:20:59 KLAPPY
That’s great. And while Fluent will help new users transition to computers, there’s also potential beyond that. Looking ahead, what comes after Fluent in its current form?

00:22:00 JOEL
For now, we’re developing a web-based application for desktop and laptop browsers. It will be online-only initially.

00:22:27 ISABELLA
Since our listeners will hear this in November 2025, where are we now in Fluent’s development, and what’s next for 2026?

00:22:59 JOEL
Right now, I’m excited that the development team is focused on delivering a web-based app for church-based translators. The MVP is expected by October—so by the time this airs, it should be available.

After that, we’ll publish a roadmap outlining future features. We’ll continue to expand the web version, starting with text drafting, then adding automated quality checking (like spell-checking and verse consistency), AI-assisted drafting, export to standard formats like USFM and Scripture Burrito, verse-level commenting, and project management tools.

Parallel to that, we’ll develop audio features—recording, playback, transcription, and commenting—all within the same interface. We’re not building a studio-level audio editor but a practical tool for translators in the field.

Alongside the web app, we’ll launch an offline-first mobile app focused on oral Bible translation. It will allow recording, playback, and syncing once users reconnect to the internet. We hope to have versions of both apps tested in the field within the next year.

00:30:01 ISABELLA
One of our core values at the Lab is collaboration. Joel isn’t developing this alone—there are already many partners involved. Who are some of them?

00:30:31 JOEL
Fluent is a collaborative project developed with multiple organizations. Key partners from the E10 Alliance help shape direction and field needs. We also have development and implementation partners in Southeast Asia, where the MVP is being piloted.

00:31:20 ISABELLA
If someone wants to get involved in testing or development, what should they do?

00:31:31 JOEL
We’d love feedback on real pain points translators face—problems not solved by current tools. Even small feature wishes are helpful. Anyone interested can also help by testing the app with a team in the field. We’ll learn from that feedback and adjust quickly—sometimes within weeks instead of months.

00:33:48 KLAPPY
The iterative approach and open-access nature of Fluent make it especially exciting. Open access means anyone can create an account and start using it. Open source means developers can adapt it to their needs. That flexibility helps adoption and collaboration. I’ve seen your past tools forked and customized in all sorts of ways, Joel, and I think that open posture is a real strength.

00:35:52 JOEL
Thanks, Clappy. I agree—the open posture invites creativity. We’ve seen great things come from others taking an open tool, reshaping it, and making it fit their needs. Our goal is for all translation teams to succeed. The task is too big for one organization. We need the whole Church working together.

00:37:07 KLAPPY
Exactly. Over the years, we’ve seen how open-source tools often gain traction only after they’re released. Sometimes it feels quiet at first, but then new contributors emerge and carry it forward. I’ve seen that happen with your past projects—others have taken them, added new features, and continued the work.

00:37:57 ISABELLA
This has been a great conversation. Any final thoughts?

00:38:04 JOEL
I’m excited for Fluent to meet real needs in the field. We recently finalized the logo, which will be available soon on the Lab’s website. Please reach out if you’d like to learn more or get involved.

00:38:34 KLAPPY
While we’ve focused on Fluent today, it’s just one tool in a larger suite designed to help reach the all-access goals by 2033. No single tool can meet every need, so partnership is key. Multiple teams and tools working in parallel will be how we get there.

00:40:07 ISABELLA
Thank you. We’ll include a link in the show notes so you can learn more about Fluent and get involved. Don’t forget to subscribe to stay updated on future episodes.

00:40:36 CREDITS
The Bible Translation Innovation Podcast is brought to you by the E10 Innovation Lab. This episode was edited and produced by Jake Doberenz with Theophany Media. Hosts were Joel Matthew and Christopher Clapp, with facilitation by Isabella Scarenzi. Please subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and we’ll be with you again next month.