The title is a question that our counseling center has been asked more than once. Our answer to that is “No.’ However, a better answer is “No, We definitely use the Bible… when it is appropriate.” Let’s talk about this…

There is a wide spectrum of perspectives with regards to the role of the Bible when it comes to Christian or Pastoral Counseling. At one end, the Bible has more of a symbolic role. It is valued because of what it symbolizes or what it means to the client. In other words, the Bible is valuable based on what people think about it, rather than what it is. We would view this as an inadequate position, while still recognizing that the symbolic value of the Bible should never be ignored.

At the other extreme are those that use the Bible as a counseling book, or even as their ONLY counseling book. For these, the Bible is “sufficient” for all questions relating to pastoral care and counseling. For example, if a person is struggling with moodiness or dysphoria, this sort of counselor is likely to open the Bible and start reading verses that he or she believes gives answers to this issue that will ‘fix things.” A sort of related group is Nuothetic Counseling. They also make strong use of the Bible. However, for them it is more common that problems are seen as springing from behavioral sin. Therefore the Bible is used to identify the sin and to call upon the client to confess, and then repent. So if someone comes who is moody or dysphoric, the goal would be to figure out in what way are they sinful, point to the Bible to where such a sin is identified, and then address the sin. Looking at the Bible as an ethical work or quote book is as inadequate.

Neither of the extremes describe how we use the Bible. The Bible is, first of all, a story book— telling the story of the complex relationship a loving God has for his, often unloving, creation. There is great wisdom, doctrines, ethics, and more in the Bible, but those are secondary to the overall story and theme of the Bible. It is within this story that we find our place and how we are to act. Our story becomes part of the story as well.

Consider the following Biblical passage

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.

II Corinthians 1:3-7

This is direct guidance in the Bible in how to do an aspect of pastoral care and counseling. The passage states that God comforts us in all of our troubles. That is comforting… it is a good statement of belief. However, it goes on to say that this comfort as we experience it in our lives is to help us to effectively comfort others who are suffering. The passage also goes on to explain that suffering is not always bad… in part because it leads to our recognizing God’s comfort in our lives, but also helps to develop patient endurance.

So what is a “Biblical” use of this particular passage. Most likely it is not simply quoting. . The client most likely is not experiencing that comfort simply by being told this. Quoting that verse does not suddenly give them that comfort, and the passage does not recommend it. It recommends that we share our own story of struggles and how God has proven ultimately faithful in bringing us through them.

Another way of saying it is that the passage suggest a number of things (if we are to break things into steps):

1. Listen and be present with those who are suffering. This seems to be implied in this passage. If you don’t feel so, don’t worry. Other parts of the Bible support this idea in both words and in examples.

2. Be empathetic to the troubles and sufferings of others because we have gone through our own troubles and sufferings.

3. Put ourselves “in their shoes”— in part because we HAVE been in those shoes— thus being slow to judge and slow to speak.

4. Share (cautiously, I think since we are not seeking to trample on their story with our own story) our struggles and how God has helped us through.

Of course, this is far from the full guidance on pastoral care and counseling. This is just one passage on one subtopic of PC&C. Still, proper use of the Bible is more about learning from the Bible and applying it, rather than simply quoting it. Consider Proverbs 15:22 ‘Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.’ Or consider Proverbs 11:14, ‘Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.’ What type of counsel are these two passages suggesting. I would argue that certainly the most narrow understanding, quoting Bible verses, is not meant here. After all, if counsel is simply quoting Bible verses, it is hard to see how many advisors would be preferable to one. Presumably, good counsel would be express godly wisdom honed very much through an understanding of God’s will as seen in His Word, and through personal reflection and experience.

Do we use the Bible in our pastoral counseling? Absolutely. Do we fling around Bible verses? No. We use them when they are appropriate, but we are quick to listen, slow to speak (James 1:19-20), trying to treat everyone with gentleness and respect, focusing on what their concerns are (1 Peter 3:15), listening non-judgmentally (Matthew 7:1-3), dealing with each person compassionately (Ephesians 4:32).

Using the Bible is putting it into practice, not simply quoting it.