ChurchOn01
Common challenges in a bilingual church
The hardest part of running a bilingual church is getting the same news to both congregations every single week. When things are only prepared in one language, the other group slowly falls out of the loop.
- Two separate bulletins drift apart and start saying different things.
- First-generation parents and their English-speaking kids hear about the same event in different ways.
- Members' names are written in Korean in one place and English in another, so it's hard to find the right person.
- Pastors and staff each prefer a different language, which makes sharing one tool awkward.
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Three ways to set up a bilingual church bulletin
The right bilingual church bulletin depends on your size and how your services are set up. Pick one of these three approaches and stick with it, and you won't have to rethink it every week.
| Approach | Works best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| One bulletin, split by language | Churches where both congregations meet the same day | Keep a set order, like Korean first and English second |
| Both languages in every block | Churches with lots of joint services and short announcements | Keep sentences short so the page doesn't get too long |
| A separate issue for another day | Churches that hold English worship on a different day, like Friday or Saturday | You can only create one issue per date |
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Show the Scripture reading in two translations
Putting the Scripture reading in both languages lets parents and kids read the same verses together. In ChurchOn, you type a reference and the text fills in automatically, in the Korean Revised Version (개역개정), the NIV, or the Chinese Union Version (Simplified).
- Add the same reference, like John 3:16-18, twice: once in Korean and once in the NIV.
- If you also have a Chinese-speaking group, add the Chinese Union Version too.
- For a cleaner look, use one language on the big verse card and both languages in the passage block.
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Record members' names in both languages
In a bilingual church, it helps to save each member's everyday name and their native-language name together. For example, saving Daniel Kim as the display name and 김다니엘 as the native name means both congregations can recognize the same person.
ChurchOn member records have a native-name field alongside the display, first, and last name. When you group family members into a household, first-generation parents and second-generation kids show up as one family even if they use names in different languages.
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Let each staff member use their own language
Church management software for a bilingual church should let each person choose their own screen language. The ChurchOn console comes in Korean, English, and Simplified Chinese, so a Korean ministry admin and an English Ministry pastor can work on the same records and bulletins in the language they're most comfortable with.
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Run your bilingual church with ChurchOn
- 1Create your churchAfter you sign in for the first time, create your church and set your service times and church language.
- 2Invite your teamInvite pastors and staff from both congregations by email. Each person picks their own screen language.
- 3Save a bulletin templateSet the order of your language sections, save it as a template, and copy last week's bulletin to start each new issue.
- 4Share one linkUse one always-latest link and QR code to share the same bulletin with both congregations.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I make separate Korean and English bulletins for the same Sunday?
ChurchOn allows one bulletin per church per date, so you can't create two for the same day. Instead, split the Korean and English sections into separate blocks within one issue. If your English service is on a different day, you can create a separate issue for that date.
Can I include both the Korean Bible and the NIV in one bulletin?
Yes. Add the same reference twice and choose a different translation each time. The available translations are the Korean Revised Version (개역개정), the NIV, and the Chinese Union Version (Simplified).
Can I record a member's Korean name and English name?
Yes. ChurchOn member records include a native-name field in addition to the display, first, and last name, so you can keep both names together.
Can each staff member use a different language?
Yes. The ChurchOn console supports Korean, English, and Simplified Chinese, and each person can choose their own. Only the menus and on-screen text change, not the content you've entered.