Characteristics of Apostles

Characteristic	Apostle	Scripture
Hard working, but suffer homelessness and poverty due to travel and persecution.	Paul	1 Corinthians 4:11-13***
Lay replicable Church foundations that others can build (grow and plant churches) upon.	Paul	Corinthians 3:10
· Typically built on Unreached, not churched.	Paul	Romans 15:20
Collaborate with each other and with their progeny** to contend for and maintain sound doctrine and unity in the faith across churches, groups, and regions.	Paul/Peter	2 Peter 3:15-17, Jude 1:2-4, Gal 2
Received their message by revelation from Jesus Christ.	Paul/Peter	Galatians 1:11-13 (Paul) Matt 16:13-18 (Peter)
Saw and heard Jesus in person or miraculously.	All	Acts 9:5 (Paul)
Signs and wonders follow them.	All	Act 2:43
Persecuted, imprisoned, and tortured until martyred.	All except John who died in prison.	2 Timothy 3:11, 2 Corinthians 11:23
Collect and distribute donations according to need.	Peter, Paul,	Acts 2:44-45, 5:1-11
Not greedy or flattering.	Paul	1 Thessalonians 2:5-12
Harmonize faith, grace, and works - instead of pitting them against each other*	Paul	Romans 1:5*
Spiritual father** to the Apostles, Pastors, and Disciples whom you led to Christ.	Paul	1 Corinthians 4:15

*Romans 1:5 (New American Standard Version) speaking of Christ 'through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles, for His name's sake...'

**1 Corinthians 4:15

***1 Corinthians 4

The Nature of True Apostleship

To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. ¹² We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³ when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.

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