It Seemed Good to the Holy Spirit and to Us

The letter sent at the conclusion of the Jerusalem council to gentile Christians includes the line, &quote;It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us . . .&quote; (Acts 15:28). Contemporary congregations desire similar moments but are simply not built for them, lacking the discernment postures and practices that would make such a moment possible. This work undertakes a deep reading of Acts 1-15, asking the questions, &quote;What led to this pivotal moment in Acts?&quote; and &quote;What can we learn about discernment for churches today?&quote; Along the way we learn that discernment is not simply a process that conjures the Holy Spirit but the byproduct of a way of life shaped by participation in the mission of God.