Brian Sturtz, director of spiritual care and longtime minister, is on Christianity Without Compromise (then called Smashing Idols) with host Jake Doberenz to unpack the illusion of control and how it warps Christian faith. Drawing from years as a trauma and hospice chaplain, Brian explains how reactivity—our instinctive effort to manage fear—leads us to overfunction, dominate, or withdraw. He discusses how well-meaning Christian phrases can mask deeper anxieties, how theology shapes power dynamics, and why our obsession with control is often a sign we’ve lost sight of God’s presence. Brian also challenges the way Christians equate control with spiritual authority, and how this tendency fuels both personal anxiety and cultural harm. How can we respond with presence rather than panic in a world spinning out of control? This episode is especially valuable for Christians experiencing burnout, ministry leaders navigating conflict, and anyone questioning the link between anxiety and power.

Key takeaways from this episode:

Reactivity hides in spiritual language. Christians often use comforting phrases to avoid vulnerability, masking deeper fears with statements that feel right but reveal a need for control.

Control is a spiritual illusion. Whether we “go big” to fix problems or “go small” to disappear, both are anxious responses that ignore the presence of God in hard moments.

Peace means wholeness, not calm. Biblical peace isn’t about comfort—it’s about becoming an integrated person whose identity isn’t fragmented by fear, image management, or performance.

Important Links

The Daily Examen - Ignatian Spirituality

Brian personal website - www.bpsturtz.com

Brian Sturtz on Substack

Brian Sturtz is an experienced chaplain and spiritual care leader with over 27 years of ministry and community leadership. Currently serving as the Director of Spiritual Care for a home health and hospice company in Oklahoma, he previously spent seven years as a trauma chaplain at a Level One trauma hospital and 23 years as a church minister. With a Master of Arts, a Master of Divinity, and four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), Brian is deeply committed to listening, kindness, and the spiritual well-being of others.

Follow this show and Jake Doberenz’s writings at jakedoberenz.substack.com.