The majority of our current projects fall within the 10/40 window which is home to some of the largest unreached people groups in the world. But Spoken is not focused on a particular location, ethnicity, or language group; we are called to reach oral learners with Truth, wherever that may take us.
When people ask “Where does Spoken work?” the question assumes that geography is the primary factor in how we identify ministry opportunities. In reality, Spoken Worldwide goes wherever oral learners are found—and that means nearly everywhere.
Oral cultures are not confined to a single region or continent. They exist in remote mountain villages in Asia, in bustling urban centers across Africa, in indigenous communities throughout the Americas, and in countless language groups scattered across the Pacific islands. What unites these communities is not their location on a map, but their reliance on spoken word communication as the primary means of learning, storytelling, and passing on knowledge from one generation to the next.
Our work is driven by need, not by borders. We partner with local churches, indigenous leaders, and ministry organizations in regions where oral Bible translation, audio Scripture, and orality-based discipleship can have the greatest Kingdom impact. This means our footprint is constantly expanding as new opportunities arise and as God opens doors into communities that have been waiting—sometimes for generations—to hear the Word of God in a form they can truly understand.
The majority of Spoken’s current oral Bible translation projects fall within the 10/40 Window—a geographic region stretching from West Africa across the Middle East and into Asia, between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator. This region is significant for several reasons:
Home to the largest concentration of unreached people groups — The 10/40 Window contains the majority of the world’s unreached peoples, many of whom have had little to no access to the gospel in any form.
High oral learning prevalence — Communities within this region often rely heavily on oral communication due to low literacy rates, lack of written language systems, or cultural traditions that prioritize spoken word over written text.
Linguistic and cultural diversity — The 10/40 Window is home to thousands of distinct language groups, many of which have no existing Bible translation—written or oral. For these communities, oral Scripture may be the only viable pathway to encountering God’s Word.
Barriers to traditional missionary access — Many countries within the 10/40 Window are closed or restricted to Western missionaries, making indigenous-led oral Bible translation and discipleship efforts essential for gospel spread.
While Spoken’s work is concentrated in this region, we do not limit our vision to the 10/40 Window. We recognize that oral learners exist everywhere—and that the need for orally communicated Scripture extends far beyond a single geographic band.
With 195 languages currently engaged across the continent, Africa represents the largest share of Spoken’s active oral Bible translation work. This is no accident. Africa is home to some of the world’s most diverse linguistic landscapes, with over 2,000 languages spoken across the continent—many of which have no written form.
In rural and remote communities throughout sub-Saharan Africa, oral communication is not simply preferred—it is the dominant mode of learning and cultural transmission. Even in regions where literacy programs exist, the pace of adoption is slow, and many communities continue to rely on storytelling, proverbs, and spoken testimony as the primary vehicles for preserving history, teaching values, and passing on faith.
Spoken partners with local churches and indigenous translators to develop oral Bible translations that honor the natural rhythm and communication patterns of African oral cultures. These translations are then used in discipleship training, evangelism, and church planting movements that equip believers to share the gospel within their own communities using methods that feel natural and culturally authentic.
Asia’s 74 engaged languages reflect the extraordinary linguistic and cultural diversity of the continent. From the mountainous regions of Central Asia to the island nations of Southeast Asia, oral learners are found in communities that span vastly different religious, political, and cultural contexts.
In many parts of Asia, orality is intertwined with religious identity. Oral traditions have preserved Hindu epics, Buddhist teachings, and Islamic recitations for centuries. For oral learners in these contexts, encountering the gospel through spoken word Scripture is not foreign—it is familiar. It aligns with how they have always encountered sacred truth.
Spoken’s work in Asia often involves partnering with local believers who are themselves part of oral cultures and who understand the power of storytelling, memorization, and reproducible oral methods for spreading the gospel. These indigenous leaders are equipped to translate Scripture orally, disciple new believers, and train others to do the same—creating sustainable, multiplication-focused movements that do not depend on outside resources or literacy-based materials.
While Africa and Asia represent the bulk of Spoken’s current language engagement, we are actively working in the Americas (3 languages), Europe and the Middle East (14 languages), and the Pacific (8 languages).
These regions may have fewer engaged languages, but the need is no less urgent. Indigenous communities in the Americas, migrant and refugee populations in Europe and the Middle East, and remote island groups in the Pacific all include oral learners who have limited or no access to Scripture in forms they can engage with meaningfully.
In these contexts, Spoken’s work often involves pioneering efforts—entering communities where oral Bible translation has never been attempted, training the first generation of indigenous oral translators, and establishing reproducible frameworks that can be passed on to future leaders.
Spoken Worldwide is not bound by geography, political borders, or strategic plans that limit our reach to a predetermined set of regions. We are called to reach oral learners with Truth—wherever that may take us.
This means we remain open to new opportunities, responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and committed to partnering with anyone—local churches, mission agencies, or indigenous movements—who shares our vision of making God’s Word accessible to every oral learner on earth.
The 294 languages we are currently engaged with represent just the beginning. There are thousands more language groups waiting for oral Scripture, waiting for indigenous leaders to be trained, and waiting for the gospel to be communicated in forms that connect with how they naturally learn and communicate.
Our work is urgent. Our calling is clear. And our commitment is unwavering: we will go wherever God leads us to bring the spoken Word to those who are waiting to hear it.