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, "e;It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us . . ."e; (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, "e;What led to this pivotal moment in Acts?"e; and "e;What can we learn about discernment for churches today?"e; 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.