I would say God chose 12 fallible and sinful men upon which to build His church, telling them before He ascended to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that He commanded them, as reinforced by the power of the Holy Spirit which came down
upon them at Pentecost.
There were twelve disciples but only one foundation.
1 Corinthians 3:11
For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Eleven