WhatGodWants.info is neither funded nor otherwise supported by any organization or church. It is a personal effort, an attempt to share what I have learned through the years and to convey the understanding I have reached. I set out to make WhatGodWants.info relevant and concise... relevant, in that it ties the "big picture" of God's plan to each of us personally... and concise, using as few words and pages as possible to express what God wants, what salvation means and what God has planned. I hope you find it helpful, and I thank God for the opportunity to share.
People often ask me what church I belong to. I don't belong to a church and I don't go to a church. I prefer to think I belong to God rather than a church organization. I am part of a small group of believers that meet in homes to study the Bible. We have none of the trappings of organized religion: no rituals, no hierarchy, no rank, no collection plate, no religious clothing, no icons. We are very similar to the house "churches" Paul wrote to (see Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2). In the past I have associated with a number of different church organizations, and have learned from them, and have also learned to be very wary of them. If you're looking for a church my advice is beware, beware, beware. For information about God refer first to God's Word, the Bible. Ask God to help you understand it. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." That's God's promise in Matthew 7:7. Always compare everything you read or hear from a church to the Bible; if they disagree, the church is wrong.
Beware of any church that claims to be the only true church. Jesus is the head of the only true church, and that true church is spiritual in nature, neither defined by nor limited to any sort of human organization. God and Jesus do not need organizational help from anyone: they work through their spirit and are working with many otherwise unassociated people.
Beware of any church that has a structured hierarchy: that hierarchy will likely get between you and God, and in many cases will be happy to be your God, having you idolize and follow them, rather than God... although of course they'd never tell you that. Hierarchical organizations are fertile ground for many vices: greed for power over others, egotistical vanity in having others "look up" to you and sycophant groveling to be accepted/promoted by those in authority. Hierarchical structures often host control freaks and those who rule by fear. It's all a very human vanity/ego trap to be avoided. Never let the ailing sociology of such churches interfere with your relationship with God.
Beware of any church that uses anything other than the Bible for its teaching and doctrine. If a church follows tradition, ceremony, ritual or the latest social trend it is likely following them instead of God. Traditions and trends become a god when people are loyal to them or follow them rather than God.
If you have questions just email me at webanswers@att.net. All Bible quotes are from the King James Version. Finally, I'd like to recommend a very useful website: http://www.blueletterbible.org.
George Burdick April 19, 2012
last updated: September 9, 2019