How could Paul claim to be an Apostle?

Paul claimed his apostleship by divine commission. He said he had been ordained an Apostle by Jesus himself on the road to Damascus, when the risen Christ appeared and called Paul to take up his ministry. From that moment on, Paul became, in his words, "a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God." The many churches that Paul established and the lives that he helped transform became the living certification of his claim.

Why did Paul choose to preach among the Gentiles?

Besides confirming Jesus as God's Messiah and Son, Paul's vision on Damascus road convinced him that he had been chosen to take the message of Jesus to non-Jews. Paul said, "God was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles." His vision placed him among those Christians who had already begun seeking converts throughout the Mediterranean world.

What is the Day of Pentecost?

The Day of Pentecost is described in Acts 2:1-47, when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples to equip them for their mission in the world. Pentecost was the final, unique act of the saving ministry of Jesus before the Parousia (second coming of Christ). The Day was the inauguration of the new era of the Spirit. Although the inspiration of the Spirit was given to the apostles alone, the fullness of the Spirit is available for all believers in the gospel of Christ.  

What is a house church?

As Christian communities broke away from Jewish synagogues, converts to the new religion had no buildings of their own. Paul sometimes hired a lecture hall for teaching people, but the communities he established seemed always to have met in the homes of believers. The household setting was well suited to groups whose worship centered around a common meal consecrated as the Lord's Supper. House churches also contributed to the way Christian communities began to think of themselves as "the household of God," in which the family's love, mutual concern, and authority were in harmony.

Where did the term 'Christian' come from?

The term 'Christian' occurs only three times in the New Testament and always seems to be used by non-Christians. Acts 11:26 places the origin of the term in Antioch around the fourth decade of the Christian era. The original Greek term, Christianos, combined the word Christ with the ending -ianos, a suffix derived from Latin and meaning belonging to or slave of.

Did early Christians continue to offer sacrifices in the temple?

During the early days of Christianity, the Apostles and other believers continued to participate in temple worship. Attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes," as described in Acts, was a daily routine in Jerusalem. Peter and John, for example, went to the temple "at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour," or 3 p.m. Acts also relates that Paul "purified himself...and went into the temple" in preparation for making a sacrifice. But his plans were interrupted when he was arrested.