Have you ever wondered if there have always been faithful kingdom Christian movements? Explore movements throughout church history who remained faithful to the kingdom gospel, from the early church through the Radical Reformation.

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Course Content

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The Novatianists
The Donatists
The Nestorians
The Waldensians
The Lollards
The Anabaptists
Finding Fellowship in the 21st Century
Survey: Historical Kingdom Christian Movements
Additional Readings: Historical Kingdom Christian Movements
Free Course Guide

What This Free Course Covers

This free course follows David Bercot’s series on “Kingdom Christians Through the Centuries.” The lessons look at movements and churches that, in different ways, sought to live by the teachings of Jesus, especially the Sermon on the Mount, while resisting compromise with the values and powers of the world. The course begins with early groups such as the Novatianists and Donatists, then turns to the Church of the East, the Waldensians, the Lollards, and the Anabaptists.

Along the way, Bercot discusses questions of holiness, persecution, separation from the world, church and state, oaths, warfare, wealth, reform, and restoration. The final teaching lesson brings the discussion into the present by asking how Christians with kingdom convictions can seek fellowship in the 21st century. The course is historical, but it is also practical: it asks what these movements can teach believers who want to follow Jesus faithfully today.

Kingdom Christianity Sermon on the Mount Church and state Separation from the world Persecution and witness Restoration of primitive Christianity Oaths and nonresistance Holiness and obedience Fellowship and church life

What You Will Study

  • How David Bercot defines “kingdom Christians” as believers committed to living by the teachings of Jesus, including the Sermon on the Mount
  • The Novatianists as an early movement outside the established church that sought a purified and uncompromising Christian witness
  • The Donatists in North Africa and their conflicts over church purity, persecution, and the relationship between the church and the state
  • The Church of the East, often called “Nestorian,” and why Bercot argues that the common label is misleading
  • The Waldensians and their emphasis on following Jesus’ commands, including poverty, preaching, honesty, and non-oath-taking
  • The Lollards as a movement shaped by reform concerns and partial kingdom convictions, especially in relation to church practices and worldly power
  • The Anabaptists as a Reformation-era kingdom movement that emphasized visible obedience, nonresistance, and a separated Christian life
  • Practical counsel on seeking Christian fellowship today when a perfect or simple church situation is not available

Questions This Course Helps Answer

  • What does Bercot mean by a “kingdom Christian”?
  • When have Christians concluded that reform within an established church was no longer possible?
  • Why did the Novatianists separate from the wider church in Rome?
  • What issues placed the Donatists in conflict with the Catholic Church and the Roman state?
  • How did the Donatists understand separation between church and state?
  • Why does Bercot say “Nestorian” is a misleading name for the Church of the East?
  • What role did theological language and church politics play in the Nestorian controversy?
  • How did the Waldensians seek to follow Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler?
  • Why were oath-taking, wealth, preaching, and honesty important issues for the Waldensians?
  • In what ways were the Lollards close to kingdom Christianity, and where did Bercot see limits in their understanding?
  • How did the Anabaptists differ from both Roman Catholic and magisterial Protestant approaches to the Christian life?
  • What counsel does Bercot give to Christians looking for kingdom-minded fellowship in the 21st century?

Lesson-by-Lesson Guide

The Novatianists

This opening lesson introduces Bercot’s definition of “kingdom Christians” and uses the Novatianists as an early example of Christians who separated from the established church over compromise, holiness, and faithfulness under persecution. It also frames the recurring question of when reform gives way to separation.

  • What does it mean to live as a citizen of God’s kingdom now?
  • When should Christians try to reform an established church, and when might separation become necessary?
  • Why did the situation in the church at Rome matter beyond Rome itself?
  • How did the Novatianists become a witness for later kingdom movements?

The Donatists

This lesson surveys the Donatists of North Africa, their conflict with the Catholic Church, and their witness on separation from the world and from state control of the church. Bercot also distinguishes the Donatist leaders from violent groups associated with them and highlights their suffering and influence.

  • Who were the Donatists, and where did their movement arise?
  • What controversies brought them into conflict with the Catholic Church?
  • How did the Donatists respond to the growing union of church and state?
  • Why did Bercot connect their witness to later discussions of religious freedom?

The Nestorians

This lesson argues that the people often called Nestorians are more accurately known as the Church of the East, a church with roots older than Nestorius himself. Bercot explains the controversy surrounding Nestorius, the role of theological language, and why he believes the alleged “Nestorian” heresy was based on misunderstanding.

  • Why does Bercot call the term “Nestorian” a misnomer?
  • What is the Church of the East, and how is it distinct from Eastern Orthodoxy?
  • How did the Council of Ephesus and later persecution affect the Church of the East?
  • How can Christians create confusion by going beyond the language of Scripture?

The Waldensians

This lesson traces the Waldensians from the example of a wealthy man who responded to Jesus’ call to give up his possessions and follow Him. Bercot discusses their practices, including poverty, preaching, honesty, refusal of oaths, and their later loss of distinct kingdom convictions after joining the Reformation.

  • How did the story of the rich young ruler shape Bercot’s introduction to the Waldensians?
  • What practices made the Waldensians stand out in medieval society?
  • Why was refusal to take oaths such a serious challenge to the social order?
  • How does Bercot describe the Waldensians’ later relationship to the Reformation?

The Lollards

This lesson places the Lollards between a kingdom movement and an Augustinian reform movement. Bercot reviews their criticisms of late medieval church practices, their partial grasp of the two kingdoms, and the way their distinct identity faded after the English Reformation.

  • Why does Bercot describe the Lollards as partly, but not fully, a kingdom movement?
  • What did the Lollards criticize in medieval church practice?
  • How did they understand, or misunderstand, the relationship between spiritual and temporal authority?
  • Why did the Lollards eventually disappear from the historical record?

The Anabaptists

This lesson presents the Anabaptists as a Reformation-era kingdom movement that remains significant because many of their descendants still preserve kingdom convictions. Bercot contrasts their visible discipleship, nonresistance, and separated life with the assumptions of both Roman Catholic and magisterial Protestant critics.

  • Why does Bercot describe the Anabaptists as unique among the movements in the course?
  • How did the Anabaptists arise from the setting of the Reformation?
  • What did even their critics acknowledge about their outward conduct?
  • What challenges does Bercot see among later Anabaptist groups and newer kingdom-minded Christians?

Finding Fellowship in the 21st Century

This practical lesson addresses the difficult question of where Christians with kingdom convictions can find fellowship today. Bercot gives cautions and counsel about personal spiritual priorities, conventional churches, Anabaptist churches, house churches, and realistic expectations.

  • Why does Bercot say there is no easy answer to finding fellowship?
  • Why must a person’s own spiritual life come before the search for the right church situation?
  • What are the possible strengths and weaknesses of staying in, or moving to, a conventional church?
  • Why does Bercot urge caution about high expectations for house churches?

Survey: Historical Kingdom Christian Movements

No transcript was supplied for this survey item. Based on the title, it appears to be a course survey connected to Historical Kingdom Christian Movements.

  • What response or reflection does the course survey ask students to provide?
  • How does the survey relate to the completed lessons?

Additional Readings: Historical Kingdom Christian Movements

No transcript was supplied for this additional readings item. Based on the title, it provides reading material connected to the Historical Kingdom Christian Movements course.

  • What additional readings are provided for this course?
  • How do the readings support the historical movements covered in the lessons?

What students are saying

4.85 out of 5 — 20 reviews
Clay Yoder Jan 30, 2026
★★★★★
I knew little about the first three groups he talked about in this course, so it was very informative for me.
Verified Student Sep 1, 2025
★★★★☆
I enjoyed learning about the different Kingdom groups. This lesson filled in a few gaps in my understanding of Church History.
Verified Student Jun 20, 2025
★★★★★
I really loved the well-balanced approach to this entire study. The humility and the life experience of David Bercot bring so much benefit to this teaching that it can not be overstated. I wish I had done this study earlier in my journey of seeking the Kingdom Chruch's
Verified Student Jul 10, 2024
★★★★★
Thank you, Mr. Bercot for this very educational course on church history. The only negative comment I have is that I felt the last lecture had a fair amount of over generalization and stereotyping. I do appreciate the openness you expressed that there are different ways to do the right thing, we can tend to become close minded and think our way is the only way. So I appreciate that you presented these different ways. But again, I thought that some of the statements you made were certainly opinion, and they should have been clarified as being opinion and not fact.
Verified Student Feb 10, 2022
★★★★★
I really like history, and this really helped me understand it. Thanks
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Historical Kingdom Christian Movements

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Course Includes

  • 9 Lessons
  • 7 Quizzes
  • Course Certificate