EMQ » Jan – March 2025 » Volume 61 Issue 1
Multilingual Church: Strategies for Making Disciples in All Languages
By Jonathan Downie
William Carey Press, 2024
161 pages US$15.99
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Reviewed by Timothy Hatcher (PhD), the program director for the MA in human migration at Dallas International University and a member of Wycliffe Bible Translators.
Jonathan Downie brings his experience as a professional interpreter and published researcher in interpretation studies to the service of multiethnic churches and communities. The resulting book is a gift. Multilingual Church is highly practical, describing how churches can minister in contexts where not all members speak the same language and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of various interpretation approaches used in various church settings.
This book is intelligently practical. It provides churches with an excellent overview of the many interpretation options: different services for different languages, translating prewritten sermons, computer-aided translation, remote simultaneous interpreting, remote consecutive interpreting, in-person simultaneous interpreting, whispered interpreting, and more. Downie works through when and where one might consider using each of these approaches and carefully exposes the positives and negatives of each approach.
In terms of balance, he focuses on language from a theological perspective rather than merely a practical approach. Downie challenges churches that have an attitude of “They will learn English anyway” by asking whether the church’s goal is to introduce people to Jesus or to emphasize English as an arbitrary marker of national identity. He provocatively asks, “Will anyone take seriously our message about God’s love when we do nothing to help them hear it in a way they can understand?” His theological reflection on interpretation is insightful. It avoids the common proof-texting tendency of many such reflections and instead mines the narrative of Scripture to show the emphasis that is placed throughout on the importance of clear communication.
Downie’s emphasis is on the motivation for multiethnic and multilingual ministry. This can be summarized this way: Strong values lead to effective practice. Downie avoids the temptation to only emphasize the practical side of interpretation in multilingual contexts. He instead counsels churches to think through their ministry goals. Do churches truly wish to offer linguistic hospitality to their diversifying communities? Does leadership recognize the gifts that multilingual leadership brings to the church? Do churches recognize that they need multilinguals in their church as much or more than multilinguals need a place to be?
Downie contrasts the way dominant language churches experience multilingual church with the way the speakers of other languages experience multilingual church. Churches often see multilingualism as a logistical nightmare that should be transitional or avoided completely. It is an inconvenience in societies where convenience is a supreme value. However, for speakers of minority languages, a multilingual church is an oasis in a desert. It communicates the Gospel’s message by ensuring that people understand what is being said and sung. A multilingual church also communicates welcome for minority language speakers in the middle of societies that often treat them with disdain.
Finally, a multilingual church communicates empowerment that goes beyond simply welcoming. It says that this is a place where your gifts are valued and where we desire you to move into ministry roles for the benefit of every member of the church. Churches often view multilingualism as an impediment, but minority language speakers see multilingual church as an expression of love.
Throughout his book, Downie emphasizes the need for monolingual Bible studies to facilitate clearer communication for discipling purposes. He assumes that interpreters will use Bible translations in their language rather than interpret Bible passages in real time. This should not be taken for granted. In too many cases, interpreters do not read from the Bible but rather rely on their own skills. Bible translation should not be left to real-time interpretation. All multilingual churches should encourage interpreters to always read from Bible translations in their language. This ensures more faithful communication of the most important words spoken during any church meeting and encourages engagement with the Bible in one’s mother tongue outside of church.
Downie’s book should be read and re-read by pastors of multiethnic churches or for those whose community around them is becoming increasingly diverse. Interpretation is not an annoyance or a temporary requirement. It is a beautiful reflection of Revelation 7:9 to a world in need of a diverse, compassionate witness of the Gospel.
EMQ, Volume 61, Issue 1. Copyright © 2025 by Missio Nexus. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduced or copied in any form without written permission from Missio Nexus. Email: EMQ@MissioNexus.org.
