In this special Rooted Reflections episode of the Rooted Discipleship Podcast, Walker Davis and Chad Gott check in after a powerful hurricane struck the Florida Panhandle and Pensacola area, explaining why the podcast has been off the air and sharing what the storm and its aftermath have looked like in their community. They describe the unusual path of destruction, the tornadoes that spawned from the storm, and the stark line between neighborhoods left untouched and those completely devastated.

The conversation turns to the long road of disaster recovery and the way the church has responded. Walker and Chad share stories of volunteer relief crews, local churches, and organizations like Samaritan’s Purse serving their neighbors with chainsaws, heavy equipment, and free meals. They reflect on how the first days after a disaster bring people together naturally, while the weeks and months of continued service can only come from God’s love, joy, and grace. They also draw a Scripture-minded lesson from the storm damage, comparing deep-rooted pines to shallow-rooted oaks as a picture of staying rooted in God’s Word through life’s storms, and tie in the previous Malachi study on tithes and offerings by showing what a faithful local church can do with what has been given.

Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that God can use hardship to bring communities together, spark revival in unexpected places, and move His people to serve others long after the cleanup cameras leave. Walker and Chad also share that regular episodes and listener questions return next week, with the Malachi study wrapping up before the series moves into Genesis.

Have a question you want us to answer on a future episode? Email us at: walker@rooteddiscipleship.com chad@rooteddiscipleship.com

In this episode of the Rooted Discipleship Podcast, Walker Davis and Chad Gott continue their verse-by-verse study through Malachi chapter 3, exploring one of the most well-known passages in the book: God's call for His people to return to Him through tithes and offerings.

Walker and Chad unpack why God declares, "I the Lord do not change," and how that unchanging character answers the question of why evil often seems to prosper unpunished. They dig into the meaning of tithing and giving, explaining that this passage isn't ultimately about money but about trust, obedience, and the condition of the heart, and they discuss what it means for God to invite His people to "test" Him by bringing their full tithe, including the danger of twisting this promise into a prosperity gospel.

The conversation also covers practical, personal reflections on tithing with intentionality rather than on autopilot, and closes with the reminder that God's blessings on His people were never meant to stop with them; they were meant to point the nations toward Him. Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that true generosity flows from a heart fully surrendered to God, trusting Him as provider above all else.

Have a question you want us to answer on a future episode? Email us at: walker@rooteddiscipleship.com chad@rooteddiscipleship.com

In this episode of the Rooted Discipleship Podcast, Walker Davis and Chad Gott continue their verse-by-verse study through Malachi, picking up the fourth dispute between God and Israel, where the people question God's justice and ask why the wicked seem to prosper.

Walker and Chad explore God's response through the prophecy of a coming messenger, John the Baptist, who prepares the way for Jesus, and the promise that God Himself will suddenly come to His temple. They unpack the powerful imagery of the refiner's fire, explaining how God purifies His people much like a goldsmith refines silver, holding them in the hardest seasons of life just long enough to remove impurities and reflect His image, and connecting this process to Job, Moses, and the personal testimonies of both hosts.

The conversation also tackles the difference between purification and judgment, why God delays judgment out of mercy, and how life's hardest trials are often God's way of drawing His people to depend fully on Him. Ultimately, this episode is a reminder that God is not distant in our suffering; He is present, purposeful, and refining us for His glory and our good.

Have a question you want us to answer on a future episode? Email us at: walker@rooteddiscipleship.com chad@rooteddiscipleship.com