The Reformation was a “back to the Bible” movement, begun about 500 years ago, that influenced both the doctrine and the worship practices of the church. One of the Reformation’s primary ideas was sola Scriptura—the Bible is the sole authority for faith and practice. If the Bible is the primary authority, it only makes sense that both doctrine and practice should come straight from the Bible, not from human tradition. Unbiblical rituals should not have a place in the worship of the church.

Today, we call this idea the Regulative Principle of Worship. It is a Reformation idea that deeply influences how we worship God in our typical church services. It states that the congregational worship of the church must be based on the biblical pattern and not on human tradition.