Simplicity in Counseling
If you’ve taught children at any level, you’ve seen it. You know…the look: two glazed-over eyes, one slightly furrowed brow, and one partially opened mouth. It’s the face that says, “I don’t get it.” If you’re like me, you might jump to the wrong conclusion when you receive this look. You might think it must be their fault. They’ve got to be distracted. They’re not paying attention. They must be daydreaming. But what if it’s you? What if it’s me? When someone doesn’t understand, perhaps the problem is that we are not speaking with enough simplicity.
I recently re-read J.C. Ryle’s booklet, “Simplicity in Preaching,”¹ and was struck by how much of it can be applied to the biblical counselor as well as the preacher. Consider one of Ryle’s opening statements and ask yourself if it applies to your ministry of counseling: “Of course the first object of a minister should be to preach the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but ‘the truth as it is in Jesus.’ But the next thing he ought to aim at is, that his sermon may be understood; and it will not be understood by most hearers if it is not simple.”
As biblical counselors, our first goal is to “rightly [handle] the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). This is imperative, knowing that it is only the truth that “will set you free” (John 8:32). But the truth will not set you free if it is not first understood. This is where simplicity comes in. By “simplicity,” Ryle is referring to “simplicity in language and style.” As far as I’m aware, this subject hasn’t received much attention in our circles, but I’m convinced that simplicity is an important way for us to love our counselees well. Here are several gold nuggets from Ryle that are transferrable to the counseling room.
Take care that you have a clear view of the subject upon which you are going to [counsel].
Ryle insists that you have a strong grasp on any Scripture passage you will be teaching. As a biblical counselor, you must be careful not to extract verses from the latest counseling book you’ve been reading and dispense them to your counselee without studying their biblical context. As Ryle conveys, “If you yourself begin in a fog, you may depend upon it, you will leave your people in darkness.” Furthermore, if you would be simple, Ryle urges you to use “plain simple texts.” It is not our goal in the counseling room to impress our counselees with our knowledge of obscure texts. These take more time and effort to explain. In no way are you selling your counselees short by using Psalm 23, Romans 8, or Philippians 2. All Scripture is God-breathed, but some texts are clearer than others. These will help you put the cookies on a shelf within reach. Additionally, familiar texts may already be memorized by, or at least very familiar to, your counselees. This means they will more easily remember and apply the truths you’ve taught from those texts throughout the week.
As far as you can, try to use simple words.
Simple words could mean a variety of things, but Ryle primarily means words “in daily common use.” These are words that your counselees are used to hearing. There is generally no need to use long or highly academic words with your counselees. At worst they will be an obstruction, and at best, a distraction. You may love reading deeper, more robust, theological works, but remember to adapt the truths you encounter into something digestible for your counselees.
Think of how Solomon expresses wisdom to his son in the book of Proverbs. These verses use familiar language in a brief, memorable way. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (15:1). “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion” (18:2). “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe” (29:25).
Take care to aim at a simple style of composition.
Here, Ryle calls for the mercy of pause in your communication. He warns against long sentences and long paragraphs, urging us to “[allow] the minds of [our] hearers to take a breath.” This practice may be even more important in the counseling room than in the pulpit. Every biblical counselor must take time in each session to teach the Word. But, teaching without pause will leave you wasting solid material as your counselee is struggling to catch up. Counseling offers a benefit here that preaching does not. As you teach, you are free to stop and ask your counselee reflective questions to determine whether they’re tracking with you or need further explanation. This practice will help you steward your sessions more faithfully.
Find out how [your people] think and how they express themselves.
If you spend time talking to your counselees before and after your sessions (and at church events if they attend your church), you will grow in your ability to communicate with them on their level. You will be able to accommodate your language to them with greater precision. As counselors, we don’t dish out the same pre-packaged counsel to whoever happens to be sitting in front of us. We minister specific truth to each individual in the way that best allows them to understand it, “according to the need of the moment” (Ephesians 4:29).
All the simplicity in the world is useless without prayer.
This is the way Ryle ends his charge. He would have us pray for “the outpouring of the Spirit,” “the grant of God’s blessing,” and “a life corresponding in some measure to what we [counsel].” You can be as clear and simple as possible, but without the Spirit’s power, there will be no transformation. So, let us labor to pray that our counselees “be strengthened with power through [God’s] Spirit in [their] inner being so that Christ will dwell in [their] hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:16–17).
Ryle wants us to understand that simplicity does not mean “childish” or “condescending.” Simplicity is serving our counselees faithfully, both in content and delivery. As Ryle says, our counselees do not need us to let off fireworks in our ministry to them. Let your aim be to counsel so that “what [you] say may really come home to men’s minds and consciences and hearts, and make them think and consider.”
¹ J.C. Ryle. The Upper Room, “Simplicity in Preaching,” p. 36.