It Seemed Good to the Holy Spirit and to Us: Acts, Discernment, and the Mission of God

The letter sent at the conclusion of the Jerusalem council to gentile Christians includes the line, "It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us . . ." (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, "What led to this pivotal moment in Acts?" and "What can we learn about discernment for churches today?" 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.