Are you engaging the community? Contributed by Margaret Doll
2025.07
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Digital media, when thoughtfully integrated into Scripture translation, offers transformative opportunities for meaningful engagement, cultural relevance, and deeper comprehension of the biblical message.
These two thought-provoking studies highlight how audio-visual resources from dubbed animated Bible stories actively involve communities, enrich the translation process, and inspire genuine responses. By bridging cultural gaps and sparking curiosity, visual storytelling captures attention in ways traditional print cannot, cultivating a strong sense of local ownership and interest in Scripture. Ultimately, these interactive, community-driven approaches demonstrate that the true value lies not merely in the final translated product, but in the dynamic journey of collaboration, creativity, and spiritual growth along the way.
The Use of Scripture Media for Agile Publishing, Revisions, and Community Engagement
By Margaret Doll
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11gBXdc9YASjh8-71N38fRdV0fK_1wQ07VIdFJ4GSJa4/
Dr. Margaret Doll serves with SIL’s International Media Services as Research and Resource Consultant. She holds a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry in Leadership from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Her doctoral thesis includes oral strategies for leadership training in oral societies. She has been teaching on orality for the IMS training program for about 15 years.
The Visual Storyteller: Using Oral Translation and Digital Media to Engage Local Communities with Scripture
By Kristofer Toler
Kris Toler is a Linguist/Translator and the Coordinator for Oral Translation Services for SIL Global. He and his family are involved in an oral Bible Translation project in the Central Pame Language of Mexico. He completed his MA in Applied Linguistics with a concentration in Bible Translation at Dallas International University in 2020. The article was presented at the Bible Translation Conference on October 14, 2017.
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The Seven Days of Creation
IMS Resource Spotlight
The Seven Days of Creation video offers Bible translators a creative format for the presentation of the seven days of creation covered in Genesis 1:1-2:2.
Just ten minutes in length, this video features a stunning compilation of high-quality natural world footage and is designed for easy dubbing with a single narrator. Visit https://www.internationalmediaservices.org/creation to discover more about this free resource.