The Power of Pentecost in the lives of the disciples

An overview of the identities of the twelve

Extrabiblical accounts of the apostles’ lives include the fantastic as well as grains of truth

Who became the twelfth apostle, and why were 12 necessary?

Stories of other notable followers of Jesus

Though often creatively hyperbolic and of dubious origins, apostolic legends have inspired believers through the ages

Readers respond to Christian History

God reveals himself to us in a true story

The apostles’ boldness after Pentecost

Not much is known about the life of the apostle Thaddeus (aka Jude)

Church tradition versus current scholarship 

The apocryphal Acts of Peter and Paul dates back to the fifth century. 

The lives and afterlives of the other disciples closest to Jesus

Was he really protected from boiling oil

The World of the Apostles, Designed by Douglas Johnson, 2025.

How did the church remember the apostles? 

The cult of saints

The witnesses of Philip and Bartholomew

Facts and myths About “brothers” Matthew and James, disciples of Jesus 

History’s most famous doubter recovered his faith and pioneered a bold mission to the East

Debating the apostle’s steps eastward

Apocryphal events of Thomas’s evangelistic efforts

Accounts of Judas Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot, and Matthias help explain the Gospel’s far reach

Who were the women who followed Jesus, and what roles did they play in the fledgling church?

Questions to guide your discussion or personal reflection on the stories of the apostles

Investigate what happened to the apostles with these recommendations from CH’s authors and editors.