Collective decision-making evidently took place during apostolic times, for the discussion and decisions recorded in Acts 13 regarding the sending of Paul and Barnabas and in Acts 15 opening the way for the reception of Gentiles seem to be historically beyond question, but the traditional reference to the gathering described in Acts 15 as 'the first council', or as 'the Council of Jerusalem' is clearly anachronistic and not accurately descriptive of the actual situation.