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IllustrateTheWord — Help

Canonical copy for the customer-facing help page rendered at illustratetheword.com/help. The actual page source lives in the sermon-illustrations repo at sermon-illustrations/src/app/help/page.tsx; this document is the source of truth the page is derived from.

When customer language changes here, update the page within the same PR (or vice versa). The /ensure-solid itw scorecard dim-5 check depends on this file existing at help_surface.canonical_source per knowledge/readiness/itw.yaml.

Browsing Illustrations​

How do I search for illustrations?​

Use the search bar at the top of any page. You can search by keyword, topic, scripture reference, or phrase. Results are ranked by relevance and quality score.

What filters are available?​

You can browse illustrations by topic (200+ topics), scripture passage, emotion (joy, hope, comfort, conviction, and more), theological tradition (17 traditions), liturgical season, and source type (stories, quotes, movie analogies, poetry, historical, and more).

How do I browse by category?​

From the homepage, click any of the browse cards: By Topic, By Scripture, By Emotion, By Tradition, or By Source Type. Each category page shows all available options with illustration counts.

What is the Lectionary calendar?​

The Lectionary page shows upcoming Sunday readings from the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) with linked illustrations for each passage. It helps pastors following the lectionary find illustrations matched to their weekly readings.

How many illustrations are available?​

IllustrateTheWord has over 50,000 sermon illustrations across 26 content types, including stories, historical illustrations, quotes, movie analogies, devotionals, poetry, character profiles, prayers, and more. New content is added weekly.

Theological Traditions​

What are theological tradition lenses?​

Each illustration is tagged with one of 17 theological traditions (or marked "Universal"). The tradition lens shapes how an illustration approaches a topic — for example, an illustration on grace might emphasize covenant theology in a Reformed lens, sacramental grace in a Catholic lens, or Spirit-empowerment in a Pentecostal lens.

What traditions are available?​

The 17 traditions include: Reformed, Baptist, Methodist/Wesleyan, Lutheran, Pentecostal/Charismatic, Catholic, Anglican/Episcopal, Presbyterian, Non-denominational, Evangelical, Church of Christ, Assemblies of God, Orthodox, Adventist, Anabaptist/Mennonite, Quaker, and Salvation Army. Plus a "Universal" category for tradition-neutral content.

Can I filter by my tradition?​

Yes. Visit the Traditions page to browse all 17 traditions. Click any tradition to see illustrations written from that perspective. You can also use the tradition filter on search results.

What are LensLines?​

LensLines are tradition-specific perspectives on illustrations. They show how the same topic or passage is approached differently across theological traditions, helping you find content that fits your church's perspective.

Favorites​

How do I save an illustration to my favorites?​

Click the heart icon on any illustration card or detail page. You need a free account to save favorites. Once saved, access all your favorites from the Favorites page (linked in the header when signed in).

Do I need a paid subscription to use favorites?​

No. Saving favorites is available with a free account. You can browse public and free-signup content and save as many favorites as you like.

Premium Subscription​

What does Premium include?​

Premium ($9.95/month or $99.50/year) unlocks the entire illustration library with no limits. You get full access to all 50,000+ illustrations, movie analogies, devotionals, LensLines, application points, unlimited sermon slide downloads, the ability to save and organize favorites, and priority access to new content.

What can I access for free?​

Free users can browse and preview all illustrations, search by topic, scripture, emotion, and tradition, access the lectionary calendar, view public illustrations in full, and download 1 sermon slide per week. Creating a free account unlocks additional free-tier content.

How do I subscribe?​

Visit the Pricing page and click "Subscribe to Premium." You will need a free account first (sign up takes seconds). After subscribing, you get immediate access to the full library. We accept all major credit cards through Stripe.

Is there an annual plan?​

Yes. Annual billing is $99.50/year (about $8.29/month), saving approximately 17% compared to monthly billing. You can switch between monthly and annual on the pricing page.

Can I cancel anytime?​

Yes. No contracts or cancellation fees. Cancel from your Profile page at any time. Your Premium access continues until the end of the current billing period.

Account Management​

How do I create an account?​

Click "Sign Up Free" in the header. You can sign up with your email address. A verification email will be sent to confirm your account. Once verified, you can sign in and access free-tier content and favorites.

How do I sign in?​

Click "Sign in" in the header. Enter the email address you used when creating your account. You can also use the magic link option if you prefer not to use a password.

How do I manage my subscription?​

Visit your Profile page (click your name in the header, then "Profile"). From there you can view your current plan, manage your subscription through the Stripe Customer Portal, update payment methods, download invoices, or cancel.

I forgot my password. How do I reset it?​

Click "Sign in" and then "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in page. Enter your email address and you will receive a password reset link.

How do I delete my account?​

Contact us at support@churchwiseai.com with your account email and request account deletion. We will process your request and confirm when complete.

Content Guidelines​

What types of illustrations are included?​

IllustrateTheWord includes 26 content types: sermon illustrations, historical illustrations, stories, quotes, movie analogies, TV analogies, devotionals, poetry, biblical insights, theological reflections, character profiles, prayers, spiritual disciplines, fables, analogies, application points, vivid retellings, and more.

How is content quality maintained?​

Every illustration is quality-scored and reviewed for theological accuracy. Content is tagged with appropriate traditions, topics, scriptures, and emotions. We use both AI-assisted generation and human editorial review to maintain high standards.

Are illustrations denominationally neutral?​

Illustrations are tradition-tagged, not denomination-neutral. Each is written from the perspective of a specific theological tradition (or marked Universal). This means you get content that genuinely reflects your tradition rather than generic content that tries to please everyone.

Can I submit an illustration?​

We do not currently accept user submissions, but this is on our roadmap. If you have a suggestion or correction for an existing illustration, contact us at support@churchwiseai.com.

SermonWise AI Integration​

What is SermonWise AI?​

SermonWise AI is a companion product that generates full sermon outlines using illustrations from the IllustrateTheWord library. It combines AI-powered outline generation with tradition-aware illustration matching to help pastors prepare sermons faster. Subscription: $19.95/month at sermonwise.ai.

How does SermonWise use IllustrateTheWord illustrations?​

When you generate a sermon outline in SermonWise, it automatically searches the IllustrateTheWord library for relevant illustrations matched to your sermon topic, scripture, and theological tradition. The illustrations are embedded directly in your outline.

Do I need a separate subscription for SermonWise?​

Yes. SermonWise AI is a separate product with its own subscription ($19.95/month). Your IllustrateTheWord Premium subscription gives you direct access to browse and search all illustrations independently. The two subscriptions complement each other but neither requires the other.

Contact​

Still need help? Email support@churchwiseai.com or call (888) 603-0316. One-business-day response. Include your account email and, if generation-related, the illustration ID or title.

See also​