In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus called his followers to love their enemies and avoid violence. Explore how early Christians responded to war, violence, and government. Discover what it means to give your allegiance to the Kingdom of God.

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Course Content

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What If Jesus Meant Every Word He Said?
Two Kingdoms: An Anabaptist Perspective on Warfare
Yahweh is a Warrior
What If? Practical Questions About Nonresistance
A Change of Allegiance: Questions and Answers – Part 1
A Change of Allegiance: Questions and Answers – Part 2
Survey: A Change of Allegiance
Additional Readings: A Change of Allegiance
Free Course Guide

What This Free Course Covers

Change of Allegiance is a free course with Dean Taylor on Christians, violence, peacemaking, governments, Old Testament warfare, the New Testament kingdom of God, and practical non-resistance. The course begins with Dean and Tania Taylor, former army personnel, encountering Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount and beginning a journey out of the military.

From there, the lessons introduce a two-kingdoms lens, explain non-resistance, and ask how the kingdom of God should shape a Christian’s relationship to surrounding culture. Later lessons address Old Testament warfare, Just War Theory, the shift from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, and the Christian’s relationship to worldly governments.

The course also includes practical “what if” questions, panel discussions, a completion survey, and a page of additional readings for students who want to keep studying.

Sermon on the Mount Enemy love Non-resistance Two kingdoms Kingdom of God Old Testament warfare New Covenant obedience Worldly governments Peacemaking Christian witness

What You Will Study

  • Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about enemy love and avoiding violence
  • Dean and Tania Taylor’s encounter with Jesus’ commands and their journey out of military life
  • The meaning of two kingdoms, non-resistance, and the kingdom of God
  • How Old Testament warfare is often used in discussions of Just War Theory
  • The difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant in relation to war
  • How Christians should relate to worldly governments
  • Practical questions about family defense, injustice, evil governments, and nonviolent obedience
  • Panel responses to hard questions about non-resistance, civic life, media, and Christian witness

Questions This Course Helps Answer

  • What if Jesus meant every word He said in the Sermon on the Mount?
  • How did Dean and Tania Taylor’s commitment to Jesus’ commands affect their military involvement?
  • What do Christians mean by the two kingdoms?
  • What is non-resistance, and how is it related to the kingdom of God?
  • How should Christians think about Old Testament warfare?
  • Why did God permit Israel and ancient nations to engage in war?
  • What changed from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant?
  • How should followers of Jesus relate to worldly governments?
  • What if someone threatens your family?
  • What if violence seems able to stop a greater injustice?
  • What if an evil government threatens innocent people?
  • How can peacemaking and non-resistance become an active witness to the world?

Lesson-by-Lesson Guide

What If Jesus Meant Every Word He Said?

This opening segment introduces Dean and Tania Taylor as former army personnel who encounter Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount. Their commitment to follow Jesus’ commands begins a journey out of the military and brings challenges, promises, and encouragement.

  • What if Jesus meant every word He said in the Sermon on the Mount?
  • How did Dean and Tania Taylor begin rethinking military life?
  • What challenges can come when obedience to Jesus changes a person’s direction?

Two Kingdoms: An Anabaptist Perspective on Warfare

This lesson gives a lens for interpreting Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. It introduces terms such as the two kingdoms and non-resistance while considering how the kingdom of God should affect the surrounding culture.

  • What are the two kingdoms?
  • What does non-resistance mean?
  • How should the kingdom of God affect the surrounding culture?
  • How can this lens shape the way Christians read the Sermon on the Mount?

Yahweh is a Warrior

This lesson addresses appeals to the Old Testament that are often used in support of Just War Theory. It asks why God permitted Israel and ancient nations to engage in war, what changed from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, and how Christians should relate to worldly governments.

  • How is the Old Testament used in arguments about Just War Theory?
  • Why did God permit Israel and ancient nations to engage in war?
  • What changed from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant?
  • How should Christians relate to worldly governments?

What If? Practical Questions About Nonresistance

This segment takes up practical questions that arise when violence is no longer treated as an option. It considers threats to family, the desire to stop greater injustice, and the problem of evil governments threatening innocent people.

  • What if someone threatens your family?
  • What if violence could stop a greater injustice?
  • What if an evil government threatens innocent people?
  • How can practical questions about non-resistance be framed biblically?

A Change of Allegiance: Questions and Answers – Part 1

The course shifts into a panel discussion with Dean and two other brothers answering hard questions about non-resistance. Topics include biblical examples used to support violence, violence in media, civic holidays, and audience questions.

  • How can biblical examples be twisted to support violence?
  • How should Christians respond to violence in media?
  • What questions arise around civic holidays?
  • What hard questions do students raise about non-resistance?

A Change of Allegiance: Questions and Answers – Part 2

Dean and two brothers continue the panel discussion about non-resistance. This lesson asks how God may be calling students to change, how Christians can be ambassadors for Christ and His kingdom, and how peacemaking becomes an active witness.

  • How may God be calling students to change?
  • How can Christians be ambassadors for Christ and His kingdom?
  • How can peacemaking become an active witness to the world?
  • How does non-resistance connect to Christian witness?

Survey: A Change of Allegiance

This course-completion page invites students to complete a survey after finishing the course. It also gives students the option to leave a course review.

  • How can I respond after completing the course?
  • Where can I complete the course survey?
  • How can I leave an optional course review?

Additional Readings: A Change of Allegiance

This supplementary page points students to additional resources connected with the course themes. Listed readings include A Change of Allegiance, Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, In God We Don’t Trust, The Ante-Nicene Fathers, and The Kingdom that Turned the World Upside Down.

  • Where can I find more resources connected with the course themes?
  • What additional readings are suggested after the course?
  • Which books and collections are listed for further study?

What students are saying

4.84 out of 5 — 44 reviews
Angelique van Someren Aug 16, 2026
★★★★★
Highly recommended, it changed my perspective about war, politics, voting, etc.
Timothy Yoder Jul 11, 2026
★★★★★
It was very helpful on the topic of nonresistance. I found this course very inspiring.
Dorcas Martin May 30, 2026
★★★★★
This is a great series on the two kingdom concept and allegiance to Jesus. A challenge to us believers to truly be obedient to the teachings of Jesus.
Jonathan Richardson Mar 21, 2026
★★★★★
Very nice to hear your story and learn a lot of things about moving from the other kingdom into The Kingdom of Heaven. :) This helps me be able to better witness to friends, family, and others. Good work, and good fruit for the Kingdom of Heaven!!!!
Boaz Sweazy Feb 18, 2026
★★★★☆
I like the questions that were asked. They answered some of my own questions.
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Change of Allegiance

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Course Includes

  • 8 Lessons
  • 6 Quizzes
  • Course Certificate