diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index e7ded2f9c..aa75e5c31 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -2,9 +2,13 @@
 
 // Initialize application framework.
 const express = require('express');
+const bodyParser = require('body-parser');
 
 const app = express();
 
+app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({extended: true}));
+app.use(bodyParser.json());
+
 app.use('/api/v1', require('./routes/api'));
 
 module.exports = app;
diff --git a/models/setting.js b/models/setting.js
index dd82b3e42..59de7374e 100644
--- a/models/setting.js
+++ b/models/setting.js
@@ -12,12 +12,22 @@ const SettingSchema = new Schema({
   }
 });
 
+/**
+ * gets the entire settings record and sends it back
+ * @return {Promise} settings the whole settings record
+ */
 SettingSchema.statics.getSettings = function () {
-  return this.findOne();
+  return this.findOne({id: '1'});
 };
 
+/**
+ * this will update the settings object with whatever you pass in
+ * @param  {object} setting a hash of whatever settings you want to update
+ * @return {Promise} settings Promise that resolves to the entire (updated) settings object.
+ */
 SettingSchema.statics.updateSettings = function (setting) {
   // there should only ever be one record unless something has gone wrong.
+  console.log('new setting', setting);
   return this.findOneAndUpdate({id: '1'}, {$set: setting}, {new: true});
 };
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b7fb48d34..7d561d926 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
   },
   "homepage": "https://github.com/coralproject/talk#readme",
   "dependencies": {
+    "body-parser": "^1.15.2",
     "debug": "^2.2.0",
     "express": "^4.14.0",
     "mongoose": "^4.6.5"
diff --git a/routes/api/settings/index.js b/routes/api/settings/index.js
index fa5d3a620..cda9a3806 100644
--- a/routes/api/settings/index.js
+++ b/routes/api/settings/index.js
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ const router = express.Router();
 const Setting = require('../../../models/setting');
 
 router.get('/', (req, res, next) => {
-  Setting.getSettings().then(res.json).catch(next);
+  Setting.getSettings().then(res.json.bind(res)).catch(next);
 });
 
 router.put('/', (req, res, next) => {
-  Setting.updateSettings(req.body).then(res.json).catch(next);
+  Setting.updateSettings(req.body).then(res.json.bind(res)).catch(next);
 });
 
 module.exports = router;