The apostles were involved in the early church, and did good work for it to be sure — but the church survives due to the Holy Spirit, without whom the apostles would have been powerless to spread the gospel. (This is why Jesus told them to wait for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that happened on Pentecost.)
How many times are they listed in the Bible?
How many times is Abraham mentioned in the bible? A lot!
But it would be a big mistake to assume that salvation came from Abraham, as John the Baptist said And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
(Matt 3:9) — the church was established on and by Jesus with who he is and what he's done, it is likewise sustained by the holy spirit.
Beautifully stated. Thank you for that.