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ChurchWiseAI
ChurchWiseAIHelping Churches Bring People to Jesus

Enable Your Chatbot

Step-by-step instructions to enable and configure your ChurchWiseAI Chatbot from the admin dashboard

Turning on your ChurchWiseAI Chatbot takes just a few clicks. Once enabled, you can configure it and get the embed code for your website.

Step 1: Open the Settings Tab

  1. Go to your admin dashboard at churchwiseai.com/admin/[your-token]
  2. Click the Settings tab

If you do not see the chatbot options, make sure your subscription includes the chatbot feature (Chat Starter, Chat Pro, Chat Suite, or Bundle plan).

Step 2: Click "Enable AI Chatbot"

Click the Enable AI Chatbot button. This does several things automatically:

  • Creates your chatbot profile with your church's name, location, and denomination
  • Sets a default welcome message based on your church name
  • Assigns a theological lens that matches your church's tradition (for example, Baptist churches get a Baptist theological perspective)

You will see a confirmation once the chatbot has been activated.

Step 3: Configure Your Preferences

After enabling, you can customize:

  • Welcome message — The first thing visitors see when they open the chat. The default is: "Hi! I'm the AI assistant for [Your Church Name]. How can I help you today?"
  • Theological tone — If the auto-detected tradition is not quite right, you can adjust it (Chat Pro and Suite plans)
  • FAQ management — Add custom question-and-answer pairs for topics specific to your church (Chat Pro+)
  • Document upload — Upload church documents (bulletins, handbooks, event guides) to expand the chatbot's knowledge (Chat Pro+)
  • Widget customizer — Adjust the look and feel of the chat widget to match your website (Chat Pro+)

Step 4: Copy the Embed Code

Your dashboard provides two ways to share your chatbot:

Option A: Share Links (Easiest)

The simplest way to get your chatbot in front of people is to share a link. Your dashboard shows two shareable links:

  • Care Hub — A full-page care experience at churchwiseai.com/care/your-church-slug
  • General Chat — An open-ended chat page at churchwiseai.com/chat/your-church-slug

Click Copy Link next to either option and share it in your bulletin, email newsletter, social media, or text messages. You can also click the QR code button to generate a printable QR code for your bulletin or lobby display.

No technical setup is needed for this option.

Option B: Embed Widget on Your Website (Advanced)

If you have a webmaster or know how to edit your website's HTML, you can embed the chat widget directly on your site. Click the Embed on Your Website section in your dashboard to expand it. You will see an embed code that looks like this:

<script src="https://churchwiseai.com/embed/churchwiseai-widget.js"
  data-church-id="your-church-id"
  data-color="#1B365D"
  data-position="bottom-right"
  async></script>

You can customize the widget color and position using the visual controls in the dashboard, then click Copy to copy the embed code with your settings baked in.

Step 5: Add to Your Website (if embedding)

If you chose the embed option, add the code to your church's website. The exact steps depend on your website platform — see Embed on Your Website for instructions for WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, and custom HTML sites.

Once the code is on your site, the chat widget will appear as a floating button on every page where the code is placed.

Testing Your Chatbot

After embedding, visit your website and click the chat widget to test it:

  1. Ask about your service times
  2. Ask a faith-related question
  3. Try submitting a prayer request
  4. Check your dashboard to see the conversation logged

If the chatbot gives incorrect information about your church, update your church details in the Settings tab of your dashboard.

PewSearch Premium Pages

If your church has a PewSearch Premium Page ($9.95/mo), an AI chatbot widget is already embedded directly on your directory listing — no separate ChurchWiseAI chatbot subscription is needed. The embedded widget provides 5 basic ministry tools (prayer requests, visitor contacts, callbacks, directions, and first visit info).

If you also have a ChurchWiseAI chatbot plan, your listing benefits from the additional tools and agents included in your CWA tier.

PewSearch is an optional distribution channel. Your ChurchWiseAI Chatbot works perfectly as a standalone product on your own website without any PewSearch connection. For a step-by-step walkthrough of initial setup, see the Onboarding Walkthrough which covers the 10-step guided setup wizard in your dashboard.