August 26, 2025 • 27 mins
God's presence changes everything. This truth crystallized during our recent Revival Conference where we witnessed what happens when every distraction is stripped away to make room for divine encounter.
The journey began months before the event when we felt a clear directive from the Lord: remove the merchandise, simplify the marketing, and focus solely on His presence. What emerged was a conference atmosphere repeatedly described as "reverent" and "bathed in prayer." Attendees from 24 churches across five states experienced something rare—a tangible sense of God's holiness that was evident from the moment they entered the room.
What made this gathering extraordinary wasn't elaborate programming but authentic spiritual hunger. During Friday evening's message challenging believers to greater desperation for God, one man walked to the altar before the invitation was even given. This act of surrender—the fruit of years of faithful prayer from his wife—created holy momentum that swept through the room. As one attendee testified: "I didn't hear God speak anything specific, but I experienced the most peace I've ever had in my life."
The prayer panel featuring diverse perspectives on developing meaningful prayer lives became a catalyst for transformation. "That moment wrecked me in the best way," one participant shared, while couples reported receiving fresh fire to pray together and for their families. James Whitford's powerful testimony reminded everyone that revival begins with personal encounter.
Perhaps most encouraging was seeing pastors find rare space to receive ministry rather than always giving it. These spiritual leaders left refreshed and revived, ready to become "fire starters" in their own congregations—fulfilling Rise Up's mission to walk alongside churches rather than competing with them.
As we look toward future worship nights and ministry opportunities in 2026, we remain committed to creating environments where people encounter God's presence so powerfully that no one leaves the same as when they arrived. Will you join us in pursuing revival that begins with desperation for more of Him?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kim McIntire (00:07):
Hey everyone, welcome to the it's Time to Rise
Up podcast.
I'm your host, Kim McIntire.
We know there are so manythings you can do with your time
, so we want to thank you forchoosing to spend your time
listening.
We pray you're encouraged andblessed by what is shared.
If you're not familiar with ourshow, please check out our
website at itstimetoriseup.
org, where you will find oursocial media links.
(00:29):
And as for our podcastplatforms, you can find us on
YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotifyand everywhere else you find
your podcast.
We are excited to announce thatthe Abide Study is now available
on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
The Abide Study is currentlythe discipleship piece of the
(00:50):
Rise Up movement.
There's more about that on ourwebsite, but let's get to
today's episode.
We are here to talk aboutRevival Conference and we're
recapping the highlights of theconference that we had just a
few weeks ago.
I want to welcome back to thestudio Holly Hoyer, Kelli Keener
and Amber Sampson.
(01:10):
Ladies, thanks for being here.
Yes, I'm excited, I'm so excitedto have you and I know you have
been a guest on the podcastbefore, but we're still just
going to just take a moment tojust tell who you are and what
you do with Rise Up, Holly.
Let's start with you.
Holly Hoyer (01:26):
I'm Holly and I'm married to Chris.
We have three adult children,eight grandchildren, and I'm the
leader of Rise Up.
I do my best to lead.
She's our fearless leader.
Kelli Keener (01:41):
Okay, Kelly.
Yeah, I'm part of the Rise Upteam.
I serve on the benevolencepiece of Rise Up and so I've
done that for a couple years andI have three children that are
grown.
I'm an empty nester and fourgrandchildren and just love
being a part of God's work.
Kim McIntire (02:00):
Yeah, it's been amazing, amber.
Amber Sampson (02:03):
I kind of handle the administrative piece of Rise
Up and I'm married and havefour stepchildren and empty
nester as well, like Kelly, andwe have a four-legged child at
home Named Hoss.
Named Hoss, and he keeps usbusy.
He's kind of like a kid.
Kim McIntire (02:24):
I've been to your house.
For sure, he's a really cutekid.
You can lock him in his roomand he's good.
Yeah, exactly For a littlewhile anyway.
Okay.
Well, we're excited to talkabout what the Lord did, because
the Lord, he showed up.
He showed up big at conference,and so we're so thankful.
(02:45):
It was amazing to be at KeterCenter again.
This was our third time and wehad several pastors attend.
I'm just going to lead out withthat.
It's exciting to us thatpastors show up for conference.
They're catching our vision.
They're catching the vision.
Yes, I think we had 25 churchesrepresented.
(03:07):
Amber, is that right?
24.
24?
Yeah, overshot by one, yeah,but that's a good representation
.
Amber Sampson (03:13):
Yeah, that's incredible.
Part of the vision of Rise Upis to cast a wide net, preaching
people of all denominations andchurches and get out of the
Joplin area of all denominationsand churches and get out of the
Joplin area, and so we hadpeople from Nebraska, florida,
oklahoma, obviously here inMissouri where we're located.
So that's a fun piece of it isseeing that people are willing
(03:35):
to come a long ways.
Oh, louisiana, louisiana.
Kim McIntire (03:39):
I know I was like I think there was.
I was like I knew that Ithought there was too.
Yeah, Louisiana, yeah, Well,one of the things that I love is
you talked about it in yourintro, Kelly is the benevolence
piece and just the heart forseeing some people.
We have a budgeted amount thatwe are able to, you know, bless
people.
Do you want to just speak intothat a?
Kelli Keener (03:59):
little bit.
We were just able to bless someindividuals by, you know,
getting them to the conferenceand helping them get there and
just bless them and let themknow that we love them.
The Lord loves them.
They've been seen and theLord's going to meet them.
Kim McIntire (04:13):
Yeah, with expectation, did he ever?
Kelli Keener (04:16):
Really he did, did he ever?
Kim McIntire (04:18):
He sure did.
Holly, tell us.
You know for you what were someof the highlights.
As the leader, I mean, you'rekind of the visionary for this
group, so what did the Lord do?
That really stands out to you.
Holly Hoyer (04:32):
Well, first, with benevolence, we were able to
bring our friends from Louisianain and just bless them and
really spoil them.
I felt like God really lavishedhimself on the sweet family, and
so I was so thankful and reallyblessed by what the Lord did
(04:54):
there.
But I think just overall I wasjust in awe of all that he did
at conference because he met mein a personal way, with just a
freedom to worship him but yetjust to look around and see
pastors and friends, it was justamazing.
(05:14):
It was just amazing to sit backand watch.
Kim McIntire (05:18):
The worship was really meaningful and the team
was just just so.
They were flowing in the HolySpirit so well and I feel like
the presence of God was justevident in the room and I heard
a lot of people saying that assoon as you walked into the room
you just felt the presence ofthe Lord and people could tell
(05:39):
the atmosphere had been prayedover and prepared, prepared by
prayer.
What about you, amber?
Amber Sampson (05:45):
Well, I want to tag into what you said about the
atmosphere.
The Keter Center is a godlyfacility.
It's a godly, it's part of acollege, it's a godly college.
But one of the things thathappened a few months before
conference is that the Lordreally stripped away a lot of
(06:06):
things.
We were in the middle ofmerchandise and we had various
things I can't think of them allright now that were budgeted
out, and we had it all figuredout, you know, and we had an off
meeting about some other thingsand not a regular scheduled
meeting, and we just felt likeGod took the budget line by line
(06:30):
and stripped it away and we allwent with that.
You know, we tossed out theT-shirt ideas, we tossed out all
sorts of these things, becausewe just felt like God was saying
I want to be, I want to be thefocus of this conference, I want
no distractions, all eyes on me, and so, um, yeah, that's where
(06:54):
we went, and even down to Imean I was the one who was
supposed to kind of create thepre-service slides, you know,
promoting this podcast, andabide in some different things,
and I really I couldn't moveinto that and I talked to the
team about it and I mean, I feltkind of crazy because I'm like
really it's not, it's not thatbig of a deal, but it did feel
(07:17):
like a big deal and so, anyways,we just pulled back.
The team was like don't do it.
And so and that's the fun thingtoo about Rise Up is that if
that we all want to movewherever God's moving, and if he
and if he's saying this andwe're all in agreeance on that,
then that's the way we go.
And so it was a real no frills,no fuss conference, and even
(07:39):
the color scheme for themarketing of it was black and
white.
Color scheme for the marketingof it was black and white, and
so and that's kind of how it was.
So and I had, yeah, numerouspeople say you can feel the
prayers, you can feel that thishas been bathed in prayer, and
then somebody shared with methat she said you can if the
atmosphere felt reverent, and Iwas like that's such a
(08:01):
compliment because, that's,that's, that's not.
I would say, that's not exactlylike easy, and I would say that,
sure, that's just special,that's a special thing that I'll
carry with me and carry intoother events of like we want to.
I don't even know how to put it, but that was, that's just so
(08:22):
special to me and I'm thankfulto serve with the team.
That that's everybody's heartis the presence of the Lord and
revering him and honoring himand being in awe of him and
letting him do whatever it is hewants to do, even when we don't
maybe understand it or see it.
Kim McIntire (08:37):
Yeah, A lot of people on our team and in prayer
team on prayer team have readthat book I've referenced more
than once on the podcast.
I'm not getting a kickback fromJohn Bevere people, but the awe
of God by John Bevere.
I think has spoken to all ofour hearts about how there is.
There is something about seekingthe presence of the Lord in
(09:00):
reverence and awe, and I thinkthat was part of the, you know,
stripping things bare.
I think it's all about you, god.
It's all about you, yes, and Ithink from forever.
Holly Hoyer (09:12):
from now on, we'll all have a reverence and an awe.
I don't even look at it thesame after reading that book.
I don't even look at it thesame after reading that book.
I don't even look at it thesame.
I don't desire the same things.
It's truly created a hunger inme for a fear of God, an awe, a
reverence, but just to be ableto lead people into the Holy of
(09:38):
Holies, where they'll be changedin His presence.
Kim McIntire (09:40):
That's so true and that reverence and that awe can
look very different but stillbe very authentic, Because there
were moments of like praise andworship, where people were
clapping and raising their handsand dancing before the Lord,
dancing in the spirit and thenthere were moments of holy hush
(10:04):
and utter silence before theLord and the awe of God, the
reverence of God can be both.
Right and I feel like thatreally set the conference apart
this year is just those momentsof you just knew the Lord is in
this place.
So the Lord is present, he'somnipresent.
(10:27):
We know his presence is with us, but then there is the manifest
presence of God, and I knowthat's what people were
experiencing.
I feel like this would be agood time to share a testimony.
This is written by a friend ofmine and I love to get the
testimonies from people, peoplethat take the time to write them
out.
Holly Hoyer (10:46):
Thank you, just a shout out, if you were a person
that wrote a testimony.
Kim McIntire (10:49):
Thank you, we read them, we read all of them and
they encourage us.
And, by the way, listeners, ifyou were there and you did not
write a testimony, it's not toolate.
Amber Sampson (10:57):
Yes, please do.
Yeah, message us on our socialmedia.
You can email us.
You can reach out to usdirectly if you know us.
But yeah, we would love to hearwhat God did for you at
conference.
Kim McIntire (11:10):
It's just.
It's a way of saying Lord, doit again.
Testimony means do it again.
Here is her story or hertestimony of those prayers.
(11:49):
Are felt and experienced inways which cannot be
communicated in a normalconversation, but God is the
only understandable explanationand somehow, you know, the
effects of those prayers willcontinue throughout eternity.
I'm so thankful to all thatparticipated in making prayer a
priority.
I've attended conferences beforeand sometimes have felt a
letdown after leaving.
This did not happen.
I have felt a continued renewaland encouragement since
returning home.
(12:09):
There are still scriptures andwords which I am meditating on
and pondering and praying tohave a permanent place in my
heart.
The speakers were incredible.
James Whitford particularlyimpacted me with his personal
testimony.
Scriptures and phrases such asNumbers 23, 24 and the phrase
but God and rise up.
(12:31):
It's a prophetic condition andposition.
I loved when he said don't playit safe, rise up now, which is
exactly what I plan to do.
I mean thank you, my friendJackie, for sending that, and I
didn't know she sent it.
She texted me a few days ago.
Did you know I wrote atestimony?
I was like thank you.
(12:57):
So how?
I mean that's one of manytestimonies of what the Lord has
done so.
Kelly, what's what stands outto you from conference?
Is there anything specific?
Kelli Keener (13:04):
For me personally, I feel like the Lord.
You know the Lord.
Just every time you go before astone, he meets you right in
some way and I just really, Ireally felt like this conference
.
I was praying for family, right.
That was my goal was to prayfor family, so that was
something that was really on.
My heart is Lord.
I'm not expecting anything fromme, but I'm expecting for my
(13:27):
family, and Cindy got up for herprayer time.
She got up to speak and shequoted Psalms 24-7.
That says I'm going to read itfor you.
It says Lift up your heads, oyou gates, and be lifted up you
everlasting doors, and the kingof glory shall come in.
And it's repeated three times inthat scripture.
Come in, and it's repeatedthree times in that scripture.
(13:48):
And when she said, lift up yourhead, I literally felt the hand
of God lift my chin up.
I was bowed out of reverence, Ithought.
And the Lord said you're bowingyour head out of shame and you
don't have to do that anymore.
Lift up your head, praise God.
And every time I would go tolike, be reverent, right,
(14:11):
because that's what we do asgood Christians.
Right, we bow our heads whenwe're supposed to, and the
Lord's like, lifting to my chin.
Literally the hand of Godtouched me and raised my head
and said lift up your head.
Wow, there is no shame, there'sno shame.
And so I have just really walkedaway with just a different
confidence in the Lord, Like amI doing things because I'm
(14:34):
really being reverent or isthere something in me that is
still that the Lord wants towork on?
What is the Lord doing insideof me?
And just every day there's likemore and more confidence in the
Lord.
You know, just walking in moreGod confidence, that's beautiful
.
I hadn't got to hear that yet.
Yeah, so good, the Lord just.
And it was really interestingbecause several times I felt
(14:54):
like the Lord, it was justreally literally, and I was like
, and then so it became thischuckle within me right, yeah,
like, okay, lord, I'm not veryobedient, am I, you know?
Yeah, and so he's just so goodto us.
Kim McIntire (15:06):
So, yes, holly's husband brought the word Friday
night and I loved that.
You know, just call to checkyour heart.
Are you desperate?
Are you desperate for the Lord?
Are you hungry for the Lord?
And that challenge that hebrought forth, and it brought a
(15:31):
response at the altar.
I would say that's probably ifI had to choose one moment, I
would say the altar, call Fridaynight and seeing, oh, this many
people are desperate for theLord, this many people are
hungry for more of God, and Iconsider myself to be desperate
for God, but I, after hismessage, I was like you never
(15:53):
reach a ceiling of desperate,you never reach a ceiling of
hunger for him.
There's always more and I won'tmention any names, but this was
precious and Everett, and Iwill never forget this.
Before Chris Hoyer closed hismessage, a man responded to the
altar before an altar call waseven given and he just walked
(16:14):
forward in such humility likeI'm going to be the first one at
the altar because this word isfor me and that's I'm desperate.
Yes, and I feel like that was ananswer to prayer, because we
were asking God, put thatdesperation in people's hearts,
that hunger for more of you,lord, because that's what.
That's what starts.
(16:35):
Revival is when God's peopleget desperate, when God's people
get hungry.
And did we ever see?
Kelli Keener (16:41):
it and you know, for that situation there were.
There's a wife that was prayingfor that man for years, and so,
for the wives that are prayingfor their husbands, you keep
praying that man.
You know there's a woman, awife, praying for him.
Continue to do that.
Lift your husbands up.
Don't lose hope.
Lift up your chin.
That's so cute Well somebodysitting behind me.
Kim McIntire (17:03):
Because you know, this man just humbly walks
forward and the message is stillcoming forth and the altar call
hasn't officially been givenand he just goes and stands up
there at the altar like I'm justgoing to wait here till the
altar call is given.
And this lady behind me waslike what's he doing?
And I wanted to turn to him.
Like he's getting humble beforethe Lord, he's hungry for the
Lord, he's desperate for theLord.
(17:25):
But I mean, it's just a sweetmoment.
You know it's just a sweetmoment.
You know it's just a sweetmoment.
Okay, I'm talking a lot, soI'll share the mic.
Holly Hoyer (17:37):
Other thoughts, other moments we need to bring
to light.
I had a friend text me that Ijust thought it was so precious
what she said.
During the impartation I didn'thear the Lord speak anything,
but I had the most peace I'veever had in my life.
She said that was the greatestfeeling ever.
(18:01):
Peace yeah.
And if you haven't, you knowshe's a single mom, she worries
about bills and all the thingsyeah.
But when the Prince of Peacemet with her there and gave her
a peace that maybe she had neverfelt in her whole life, I just
was like thank you, lord, that Idon't want to take even that
moment for granted.
I want to say thank you, lord,for meeting her in that way.
Kim McIntire (18:23):
That's right.
Well, let's talk a little bitabout Saturday, the Saturday
sessions and what stands outabout Saturday.
Amber Sampson (18:33):
I think the prayer panel was really
impactful.
We've heard a lot of people saythis, that and the other about
the prayer panel.
That was some fun.
We hadn't done that before.
Kim McIntire (18:41):
So, yeah, so I'll share a little bit about the
prayer panel, but not too much,because it's actually going to
be an episode.
Our podcast producer recordedit and I didn't know he was
going to record it.
He's like I didn't want to tellyou because I wasn't sure if it
would turn out because of thesound system, but it did.
But we were talking about how,as a team, we would like to have
(19:05):
a focus on prayer and how thatlooks different for different
people in different seasons oflife and how people can grow in
prayer, and so the Lord gave usfour names, and so we're really
honored to have four people sayyes, jay St Clair, chantel
Coffey, christy Marion and CindyRitter were all part of that
(19:26):
panel and they really poured outtheir hearts about prayer and
it was impactful, and I had alot of people make comments
about that after, and so, yeah,it was kind of an interview
format, so we would encourageyou to stay tuned after this
episode.
That should be the next episodethat drops, and so a couple of
(19:46):
weeks from now, listeners,you'll be able to listen in to
the prayer panel, and I thinkit's going to give people some
direction and clarity, yeah,especially if you're feeling
stuck in prayer or maybe youdon't have a prayer life at all
and it might spark that desirewhere that's what we're praying,
that it sparks a desire inpeople to have time with the
(20:08):
Lord in a way they haven't hadbefore.
Because it's a gift, we want tosteward it, yeah, so we had the
prayer panel that morning andthen we had a special speaker
later that morning, holly.
Holly Hoyer (20:21):
Yeah.
So James Whitford was ourSaturday speaker and I thought
he just did a tremendous job.
He shared his testimony butalso just shared the word of God
through his testimony, and itwas just really powerful.
Amber Sampson (20:39):
Mm, hmm.
Kim McIntire (20:41):
Yeah, I had never heard James Whitford speak
before, and so that was a realjoy.
He's the director, executivedirector at Watered Gardens,
which is a homeless ministry inJoplin, missouri, and we were
honored that he said yes.
So thank you, james Whitford,if you're listening, we're very
grateful for your yes, yes.
(21:03):
Other thoughts about Saturday.
Amber Sampson (21:07):
Well, I'm just kind of looking through
testimonies here and you know,one person got a life changing
moment.
God really spoke to him throughthat prayer panel and he said
that moment wrecked me in thebest way and it's changed him
ever since.
Another lady said her and herhusband have a fresh fire to
pray for each other and pray fortheir families, and so and I've
(21:31):
heard other people you knowjust really reference the prayer
panel and of how it'sencouraged them to, you know,
pray for their spouse ordifferent things, so for sure,
tune into that episode.
But I just it's just so fun tosee.
You know, you never know whatmoments are going to really
(21:52):
impact people, but but that's,that's been something that's
really kind of keep surfacing.
It's just the impact of that,of that prayer panel.
Kim McIntire (22:02):
So good.
Well, conference is behind usand I'm sure there are people
who are wondering what's comingnext.
So what can we share about that, holly?
What can we share about whatpeople can be anticipating for
the future?
Holly Hoyer (22:18):
well, we're just seeking the Lord, but we really
feel like the Lord's are gettingready to open some doors for
Rise Up, to maybe go in to someplaces that we haven't been
before.
So we're praying about that.
We're going to make an ask andsee if the Lord opens that door,
(22:40):
if he's in it or not, and itcould be really transformational
for our community if, if thesedoors begin to open, I think it
could really set our city andthe four state area on fire for
God.
Amber Sampson (22:54):
Amen, yeah, but I think we can really kind of say
we feel good to say like mostlikely there'll be a worship
night in the first few months ofnext year, with no specific
date set.
But so be, stay tuned to oursocial media accounts.
Kim will share those at somepoint here, but make sure you're
staying tuned to that to be umto know when those dates drop
(23:17):
yeah, and I think it's also tocontinue our mission of walking
beside the church.
Kelli Keener (23:21):
I think that's going to be a piece of next year
is coming along the church withthe church.
Yeah, I love that.
Kim McIntire (23:28):
Because Rise Up is not a church, nor do we seek to
be a church.
We want to just reiterate thatwe are all part of different
churches in our local communityand we support pastors and
pastors, wives and people whoserve in leadership roles, who
maybe don't have a title, butthey're leaders within their
(23:48):
churches.
Those people need encouragement, and that's what I've had
pastors tell me.
They were so encouraged bybeing at the conference, being
in a place where they're notpouring out and they're not
ministering, but they are beingpoured into and they are being
ministered to in the altars.
There's a place for pastors togo, and that shouldn't be the
(24:11):
exception to the rule, and so Ifeel like part of our vision is
we want to see a shift in that,where pastors have a place to be
refreshed and restored in theirwives and their staff and then
they take it back to theirchurch and they go back revived
and restored.
Holly Hoyer (24:27):
Fire starters Fire starters Fire starters yes.
Kim McIntire (24:30):
So we all have a passion for revival, we have a
passion for prayer.
It's what Rise Up is rooted in,and we continue just to
champion the local church, thepastors of our area and all
across the nation.
We know we have listeners inalmost every state and in many
countries, and so we just wantto be a source of encouragement,
(24:51):
strength and light and hope.
Before we close this episode,are there any final thoughts
that anyone wants to share?
Amber Sampson (24:59):
I would just say if you haven't been to a Rise Up
event, pay attention to whenwe're going to, when our next
events are, and come be a part,because people's lives are
changed, and my life's beenchanged at conference.
I've obviously been to all ofthem, but my life, god's done so
many things in my life.
I've seen God do things in myhusband, I've seen God do things
in my friends, and I mean a lotof the testimonies that we see
(25:22):
is I left changed, I left free.
I left this way, that way, andso I left free.
I left this way, that way, andso Invite your pastor.
Kelli Keener (25:32):
Yes, invite your worship leader yes, yeah.
Holly Hoyer (25:36):
It's true, it just takes one invite and, kelly, I
think you and Marcus really hadpart of inviting your pastor and
he came.
Kelli Keener (25:54):
And he's on fire.
Yes, it's so exciting to seethat, that spark and how he's
taken it.
It's a flame now within him.
You can just see it.
It's amazing.
Kim McIntire (26:00):
It is amazing Super cool.
And that's one of our prayersis, when we meet as a prayer
team is may no one leave thesame as when they arrived.
And as I think about thatcomment, I think about how,
three years ago, we're around atable planning a conference, and
I think about how none of usare the same oh for sure.
Amber Sampson (26:22):
None of us are the same as when we came to the
table Right.
Kim McIntire (26:26):
He's done such a work in every one of our hearts
and spirits and lives.
To God be the glory, amen.
To God be the glory, amen.
Ladies, thank you so much foryour time.
This has been super encouragingto me.
Yes, it's been fun.
Thank you, listeners, for beingpart of today's episode.
Thank you for taking your timeto listen to our podcast.
(26:46):
We would love to hear yourfeedback.
Thank you for taking your timeto listen to our podcast.
We would love to hear yourfeedback.
Please rate or review or leavea five-star review on Apple
Podcast.
May God's grace and peace bewith you all, in Jesus' name.
Hey everyone, welcome to the it's Time to Rise
Up podcast.
I'm your host, Kim McIntire.
We know there are so manythings you can do with your time
, so we want to thank you forchoosing to spend your time
listening.
We pray you're encouraged andblessed by what is shared.
If you're not familiar with ourshow, please check out our
website at itstimetoriseup.
org, where you will find oursocial media links.
(00:29):
And as for our podcastplatforms, you can find us on
YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotifyand everywhere else you find
your podcast.
We are excited to announce thatthe Abide Study is now available
on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
The Abide Study is currentlythe discipleship piece of the
(00:50):
Rise Up movement.
There's more about that on ourwebsite, but let's get to
today's episode.
We are here to talk aboutRevival Conference and we're
recapping the highlights of theconference that we had just a
few weeks ago.
I want to welcome back to thestudio Holly Hoyer, Kelli Keener
and Amber Sampson.
(01:10):
Ladies, thanks for being here.
Yes, I'm excited, I'm so excitedto have you and I know you have
been a guest on the podcastbefore, but we're still just
going to just take a moment tojust tell who you are and what
you do with Rise Up, Holly.
Let's start with you.
Holly Hoyer (01:26):
I'm Holly and I'm married to Chris.
We have three adult children,eight grandchildren, and I'm the
leader of Rise Up.
I do my best to lead.
She's our fearless leader.
Kelli Keener (01:41):
Okay, Kelly.
Yeah, I'm part of the Rise Upteam.
I serve on the benevolencepiece of Rise Up and so I've
done that for a couple years andI have three children that are
grown.
I'm an empty nester and fourgrandchildren and just love
being a part of God's work.
Kim McIntire (02:00):
Yeah, it's been amazing, amber.
Amber Sampson (02:03):
I kind of handle the administrative piece of Rise
Up and I'm married and havefour stepchildren and empty
nester as well, like Kelly, andwe have a four-legged child at
home Named Hoss.
Named Hoss, and he keeps usbusy.
He's kind of like a kid.
Kim McIntire (02:24):
I've been to your house.
For sure, he's a really cutekid.
You can lock him in his roomand he's good.
Yeah, exactly For a littlewhile anyway.
Okay.
Well, we're excited to talkabout what the Lord did, because
the Lord, he showed up.
He showed up big at conference,and so we're so thankful.
(02:45):
It was amazing to be at KeterCenter again.
This was our third time and wehad several pastors attend.
I'm just going to lead out withthat.
It's exciting to us thatpastors show up for conference.
They're catching our vision.
They're catching the vision.
Yes, I think we had 25 churchesrepresented.
(03:07):
Amber, is that right?
24.
24?
Yeah, overshot by one, yeah,but that's a good representation
.
Amber Sampson (03:13):
Yeah, that's incredible.
Part of the vision of Rise Upis to cast a wide net, preaching
people of all denominations andchurches and get out of the
Joplin area of all denominationsand churches and get out of the
Joplin area, and so we hadpeople from Nebraska, florida,
oklahoma, obviously here inMissouri where we're located.
So that's a fun piece of it isseeing that people are willing
(03:35):
to come a long ways.
Oh, louisiana, louisiana.
Kim McIntire (03:39):
I know I was like I think there was.
I was like I knew that Ithought there was too.
Yeah, Louisiana, yeah, Well,one of the things that I love is
you talked about it in yourintro, Kelly is the benevolence
piece and just the heart forseeing some people.
We have a budgeted amount thatwe are able to, you know, bless
people.
Do you want to just speak intothat a?
Kelli Keener (03:59):
little bit.
We were just able to bless someindividuals by, you know,
getting them to the conferenceand helping them get there and
just bless them and let themknow that we love them.
The Lord loves them.
They've been seen and theLord's going to meet them.
Kim McIntire (04:13):
Yeah, with expectation, did he ever?
Kelli Keener (04:16):
Really he did, did he ever?
Kim McIntire (04:18):
He sure did.
Holly, tell us.
You know for you what were someof the highlights.
As the leader, I mean, you'rekind of the visionary for this
group, so what did the Lord do?
That really stands out to you.
Holly Hoyer (04:32):
Well, first, with benevolence, we were able to
bring our friends from Louisianain and just bless them and
really spoil them.
I felt like God really lavishedhimself on the sweet family, and
so I was so thankful and reallyblessed by what the Lord did
(04:54):
there.
But I think just overall I wasjust in awe of all that he did
at conference because he met mein a personal way, with just a
freedom to worship him but yetjust to look around and see
pastors and friends, it was justamazing.
(05:14):
It was just amazing to sit backand watch.
Kim McIntire (05:18):
The worship was really meaningful and the team
was just just so.
They were flowing in the HolySpirit so well and I feel like
the presence of God was justevident in the room and I heard
a lot of people saying that assoon as you walked into the room
you just felt the presence ofthe Lord and people could tell
(05:39):
the atmosphere had been prayedover and prepared, prepared by
prayer.
What about you, amber?
Amber Sampson (05:45):
Well, I want to tag into what you said about the
atmosphere.
The Keter Center is a godlyfacility.
It's a godly, it's part of acollege, it's a godly college.
But one of the things thathappened a few months before
conference is that the Lordreally stripped away a lot of
(06:06):
things.
We were in the middle ofmerchandise and we had various
things I can't think of them allright now that were budgeted
out, and we had it all figuredout, you know, and we had an off
meeting about some other thingsand not a regular scheduled
meeting, and we just felt likeGod took the budget line by line
(06:30):
and stripped it away and we allwent with that.
You know, we tossed out theT-shirt ideas, we tossed out all
sorts of these things, becausewe just felt like God was saying
I want to be, I want to be thefocus of this conference, I want
no distractions, all eyes on me, and so, um, yeah, that's where
(06:54):
we went, and even down to Imean I was the one who was
supposed to kind of create thepre-service slides, you know,
promoting this podcast, andabide in some different things,
and I really I couldn't moveinto that and I talked to the
team about it and I mean, I feltkind of crazy because I'm like
really it's not, it's not thatbig of a deal, but it did feel
(07:17):
like a big deal and so, anyways,we just pulled back.
The team was like don't do it.
And so and that's the fun thingtoo about Rise Up is that if
that we all want to movewherever God's moving, and if he
and if he's saying this andwe're all in agreeance on that,
then that's the way we go.
And so it was a real no frills,no fuss conference, and even
(07:39):
the color scheme for themarketing of it was black and
white.
Color scheme for the marketingof it was black and white, and
so and that's kind of how it was.
So and I had, yeah, numerouspeople say you can feel the
prayers, you can feel that thishas been bathed in prayer, and
then somebody shared with methat she said you can if the
atmosphere felt reverent, and Iwas like that's such a
(08:01):
compliment because, that's,that's, that's not.
I would say, that's not exactlylike easy, and I would say that,
sure, that's just special,that's a special thing that I'll
carry with me and carry intoother events of like we want to.
I don't even know how to put it, but that was, that's just so
(08:22):
special to me and I'm thankfulto serve with the team.
That that's everybody's heartis the presence of the Lord and
revering him and honoring himand being in awe of him and
letting him do whatever it is hewants to do, even when we don't
maybe understand it or see it.
Kim McIntire (08:37):
Yeah, A lot of people on our team and in prayer
team on prayer team have readthat book I've referenced more
than once on the podcast.
I'm not getting a kickback fromJohn Bevere people, but the awe
of God by John Bevere.
I think has spoken to all ofour hearts about how there is.
There is something about seekingthe presence of the Lord in
(09:00):
reverence and awe, and I thinkthat was part of the, you know,
stripping things bare.
I think it's all about you, god.
It's all about you, yes, and Ithink from forever.
Holly Hoyer (09:12):
from now on, we'll all have a reverence and an awe.
I don't even look at it thesame after reading that book.
I don't even look at it thesame after reading that book.
I don't even look at it thesame.
I don't desire the same things.
It's truly created a hunger inme for a fear of God, an awe, a
reverence, but just to be ableto lead people into the Holy of
(09:38):
Holies, where they'll be changedin His presence.
Kim McIntire (09:40):
That's so true and that reverence and that awe can
look very different but stillbe very authentic, Because there
were moments of like praise andworship, where people were
clapping and raising their handsand dancing before the Lord,
dancing in the spirit and thenthere were moments of holy hush
(10:04):
and utter silence before theLord and the awe of God, the
reverence of God can be both.
Right and I feel like thatreally set the conference apart
this year is just those momentsof you just knew the Lord is in
this place.
So the Lord is present, he'somnipresent.
(10:27):
We know his presence is with us, but then there is the manifest
presence of God, and I knowthat's what people were
experiencing.
I feel like this would be agood time to share a testimony.
This is written by a friend ofmine and I love to get the
testimonies from people, peoplethat take the time to write them
out.
Holly Hoyer (10:46):
Thank you, just a shout out, if you were a person
that wrote a testimony.
Kim McIntire (10:49):
Thank you, we read them, we read all of them and
they encourage us.
And, by the way, listeners, ifyou were there and you did not
write a testimony, it's not toolate.
Amber Sampson (10:57):
Yes, please do.
Yeah, message us on our socialmedia.
You can email us.
You can reach out to usdirectly if you know us.
But yeah, we would love to hearwhat God did for you at
conference.
Kim McIntire (11:10):
It's just.
It's a way of saying Lord, doit again.
Testimony means do it again.
Here is her story or hertestimony of those prayers.
(11:49):
Are felt and experienced inways which cannot be
communicated in a normalconversation, but God is the
only understandable explanationand somehow, you know, the
effects of those prayers willcontinue throughout eternity.
I'm so thankful to all thatparticipated in making prayer a
priority.
I've attended conferences beforeand sometimes have felt a
letdown after leaving.
This did not happen.
I have felt a continued renewaland encouragement since
returning home.
(12:09):
There are still scriptures andwords which I am meditating on
and pondering and praying tohave a permanent place in my
heart.
The speakers were incredible.
James Whitford particularlyimpacted me with his personal
testimony.
Scriptures and phrases such asNumbers 23, 24 and the phrase
but God and rise up.
(12:31):
It's a prophetic condition andposition.
I loved when he said don't playit safe, rise up now, which is
exactly what I plan to do.
I mean thank you, my friendJackie, for sending that, and I
didn't know she sent it.
She texted me a few days ago.
Did you know I wrote atestimony?
I was like thank you.
(12:57):
So how?
I mean that's one of manytestimonies of what the Lord has
done so.
Kelly, what's what stands outto you from conference?
Is there anything specific?
Kelli Keener (13:04):
For me personally, I feel like the Lord.
You know the Lord.
Just every time you go before astone, he meets you right in
some way and I just really, Ireally felt like this conference
.
I was praying for family, right.
That was my goal was to prayfor family, so that was
something that was really on.
My heart is Lord.
I'm not expecting anything fromme, but I'm expecting for my
(13:27):
family, and Cindy got up for herprayer time.
She got up to speak and shequoted Psalms 24-7.
That says I'm going to read itfor you.
It says Lift up your heads, oyou gates, and be lifted up you
everlasting doors, and the kingof glory shall come in.
And it's repeated three times inthat scripture.
Come in, and it's repeatedthree times in that scripture.
(13:48):
And when she said, lift up yourhead, I literally felt the hand
of God lift my chin up.
I was bowed out of reverence, Ithought.
And the Lord said you're bowingyour head out of shame and you
don't have to do that anymore.
Lift up your head, praise God.
And every time I would go tolike, be reverent, right,
(14:11):
because that's what we do asgood Christians.
Right, we bow our heads whenwe're supposed to, and the
Lord's like, lifting to my chin.
Literally the hand of Godtouched me and raised my head
and said lift up your head.
Wow, there is no shame, there'sno shame.
And so I have just really walkedaway with just a different
confidence in the Lord, Like amI doing things because I'm
(14:34):
really being reverent or isthere something in me that is
still that the Lord wants towork on?
What is the Lord doing insideof me?
And just every day there's likemore and more confidence in the
Lord.
You know, just walking in moreGod confidence, that's beautiful
.
I hadn't got to hear that yet.
Yeah, so good, the Lord just.
And it was really interestingbecause several times I felt
(14:54):
like the Lord, it was justreally literally, and I was like
, and then so it became thischuckle within me right, yeah,
like, okay, lord, I'm not veryobedient, am I, you know?
Yeah, and so he's just so goodto us.
Kim McIntire (15:06):
So, yes, holly's husband brought the word Friday
night and I loved that.
You know, just call to checkyour heart.
Are you desperate?
Are you desperate for the Lord?
Are you hungry for the Lord?
And that challenge that hebrought forth, and it brought a
(15:31):
response at the altar.
I would say that's probably ifI had to choose one moment, I
would say the altar, call Fridaynight and seeing, oh, this many
people are desperate for theLord, this many people are
hungry for more of God, and Iconsider myself to be desperate
for God, but I, after hismessage, I was like you never
(15:53):
reach a ceiling of desperate,you never reach a ceiling of
hunger for him.
There's always more and I won'tmention any names, but this was
precious and Everett, and Iwill never forget this.
Before Chris Hoyer closed hismessage, a man responded to the
altar before an altar call waseven given and he just walked
(16:14):
forward in such humility likeI'm going to be the first one at
the altar because this word isfor me and that's I'm desperate.
Yes, and I feel like that was ananswer to prayer, because we
were asking God, put thatdesperation in people's hearts,
that hunger for more of you,lord, because that's what.
That's what starts.
(16:35):
Revival is when God's peopleget desperate, when God's people
get hungry.
And did we ever see?
Kelli Keener (16:41):
it and you know, for that situation there were.
There's a wife that was prayingfor that man for years, and so,
for the wives that are prayingfor their husbands, you keep
praying that man.
You know there's a woman, awife, praying for him.
Continue to do that.
Lift your husbands up.
Don't lose hope.
Lift up your chin.
That's so cute Well somebodysitting behind me.
Kim McIntire (17:03):
Because you know, this man just humbly walks
forward and the message is stillcoming forth and the altar call
hasn't officially been givenand he just goes and stands up
there at the altar like I'm justgoing to wait here till the
altar call is given.
And this lady behind me waslike what's he doing?
And I wanted to turn to him.
Like he's getting humble beforethe Lord, he's hungry for the
Lord, he's desperate for theLord.
(17:25):
But I mean, it's just a sweetmoment.
You know it's just a sweetmoment.
You know it's just a sweetmoment.
Okay, I'm talking a lot, soI'll share the mic.
Holly Hoyer (17:37):
Other thoughts, other moments we need to bring
to light.
I had a friend text me that Ijust thought it was so precious
what she said.
During the impartation I didn'thear the Lord speak anything,
but I had the most peace I'veever had in my life.
She said that was the greatestfeeling ever.
(18:01):
Peace yeah.
And if you haven't, you knowshe's a single mom, she worries
about bills and all the thingsyeah.
But when the Prince of Peacemet with her there and gave her
a peace that maybe she had neverfelt in her whole life, I just
was like thank you, lord, that Idon't want to take even that
moment for granted.
I want to say thank you, lord,for meeting her in that way.
Kim McIntire (18:23):
That's right.
Well, let's talk a little bitabout Saturday, the Saturday
sessions and what stands outabout Saturday.
Amber Sampson (18:33):
I think the prayer panel was really
impactful.
We've heard a lot of people saythis, that and the other about
the prayer panel.
That was some fun.
We hadn't done that before.
Kim McIntire (18:41):
So, yeah, so I'll share a little bit about the
prayer panel, but not too much,because it's actually going to
be an episode.
Our podcast producer recordedit and I didn't know he was
going to record it.
He's like I didn't want to tellyou because I wasn't sure if it
would turn out because of thesound system, but it did.
But we were talking about how,as a team, we would like to have
(19:05):
a focus on prayer and how thatlooks different for different
people in different seasons oflife and how people can grow in
prayer, and so the Lord gave usfour names, and so we're really
honored to have four people sayyes, jay St Clair, chantel
Coffey, christy Marion and CindyRitter were all part of that
(19:26):
panel and they really poured outtheir hearts about prayer and
it was impactful, and I had alot of people make comments
about that after, and so, yeah,it was kind of an interview
format, so we would encourageyou to stay tuned after this
episode.
That should be the next episodethat drops, and so a couple of
(19:46):
weeks from now, listeners,you'll be able to listen in to
the prayer panel, and I thinkit's going to give people some
direction and clarity, yeah,especially if you're feeling
stuck in prayer or maybe youdon't have a prayer life at all
and it might spark that desirewhere that's what we're praying,
that it sparks a desire inpeople to have time with the
(20:08):
Lord in a way they haven't hadbefore.
Because it's a gift, we want tosteward it, yeah, so we had the
prayer panel that morning andthen we had a special speaker
later that morning, holly.
Holly Hoyer (20:21):
Yeah.
So James Whitford was ourSaturday speaker and I thought
he just did a tremendous job.
He shared his testimony butalso just shared the word of God
through his testimony, and itwas just really powerful.
Amber Sampson (20:39):
Mm, hmm.
Kim McIntire (20:41):
Yeah, I had never heard James Whitford speak
before, and so that was a realjoy.
He's the director, executivedirector at Watered Gardens,
which is a homeless ministry inJoplin, missouri, and we were
honored that he said yes.
So thank you, james Whitford,if you're listening, we're very
grateful for your yes, yes.
(21:03):
Other thoughts about Saturday.
Amber Sampson (21:07):
Well, I'm just kind of looking through
testimonies here and you know,one person got a life changing
moment.
God really spoke to him throughthat prayer panel and he said
that moment wrecked me in thebest way and it's changed him
ever since.
Another lady said her and herhusband have a fresh fire to
pray for each other and pray fortheir families, and so and I've
(21:31):
heard other people you knowjust really reference the prayer
panel and of how it'sencouraged them to, you know,
pray for their spouse ordifferent things, so for sure,
tune into that episode.
But I just it's just so fun tosee.
You know, you never know whatmoments are going to really
(21:52):
impact people, but but that's,that's been something that's
really kind of keep surfacing.
It's just the impact of that,of that prayer panel.
Kim McIntire (22:02):
So good.
Well, conference is behind usand I'm sure there are people
who are wondering what's comingnext.
So what can we share about that, holly?
What can we share about whatpeople can be anticipating for
the future?
Holly Hoyer (22:18):
well, we're just seeking the Lord, but we really
feel like the Lord's are gettingready to open some doors for
Rise Up, to maybe go in to someplaces that we haven't been
before.
So we're praying about that.
We're going to make an ask andsee if the Lord opens that door,
(22:40):
if he's in it or not, and itcould be really transformational
for our community if, if thesedoors begin to open, I think it
could really set our city andthe four state area on fire for
God.
Amber Sampson (22:54):
Amen, yeah, but I think we can really kind of say
we feel good to say like mostlikely there'll be a worship
night in the first few months ofnext year, with no specific
date set.
But so be, stay tuned to oursocial media accounts.
Kim will share those at somepoint here, but make sure you're
staying tuned to that to be umto know when those dates drop
(23:17):
yeah, and I think it's also tocontinue our mission of walking
beside the church.
Kelli Keener (23:21):
I think that's going to be a piece of next year
is coming along the church withthe church.
Yeah, I love that.
Kim McIntire (23:28):
Because Rise Up is not a church, nor do we seek to
be a church.
We want to just reiterate thatwe are all part of different
churches in our local communityand we support pastors and
pastors, wives and people whoserve in leadership roles, who
maybe don't have a title, butthey're leaders within their
(23:48):
churches.
Those people need encouragement, and that's what I've had
pastors tell me.
They were so encouraged bybeing at the conference, being
in a place where they're notpouring out and they're not
ministering, but they are beingpoured into and they are being
ministered to in the altars.
There's a place for pastors togo, and that shouldn't be the
(24:11):
exception to the rule, and so Ifeel like part of our vision is
we want to see a shift in that,where pastors have a place to be
refreshed and restored in theirwives and their staff and then
they take it back to theirchurch and they go back revived
and restored.
Holly Hoyer (24:27):
Fire starters Fire starters Fire starters yes.
Kim McIntire (24:30):
So we all have a passion for revival, we have a
passion for prayer.
It's what Rise Up is rooted in,and we continue just to
champion the local church, thepastors of our area and all
across the nation.
We know we have listeners inalmost every state and in many
countries, and so we just wantto be a source of encouragement,
(24:51):
strength and light and hope.
Before we close this episode,are there any final thoughts
that anyone wants to share?
Amber Sampson (24:59):
I would just say if you haven't been to a Rise Up
event, pay attention to whenwe're going to, when our next
events are, and come be a part,because people's lives are
changed, and my life's beenchanged at conference.
I've obviously been to all ofthem, but my life, god's done so
many things in my life.
I've seen God do things in myhusband, I've seen God do things
in my friends, and I mean a lotof the testimonies that we see
(25:22):
is I left changed, I left free.
I left this way, that way, andso I left free.
I left this way, that way, andso Invite your pastor.
Kelli Keener (25:32):
Yes, invite your worship leader yes, yeah.
Holly Hoyer (25:36):
It's true, it just takes one invite and, kelly, I
think you and Marcus really hadpart of inviting your pastor and
he came.
Kelli Keener (25:54):
And he's on fire.
Yes, it's so exciting to seethat, that spark and how he's
taken it.
It's a flame now within him.
You can just see it.
It's amazing.
Kim McIntire (26:00):
It is amazing Super cool.
And that's one of our prayersis, when we meet as a prayer
team is may no one leave thesame as when they arrived.
And as I think about thatcomment, I think about how,
three years ago, we're around atable planning a conference, and
I think about how none of usare the same oh for sure.
Amber Sampson (26:22):
None of us are the same as when we came to the
table Right.
Kim McIntire (26:26):
He's done such a work in every one of our hearts
and spirits and lives.
To God be the glory, amen.
To God be the glory, amen.
Ladies, thank you so much foryour time.
This has been super encouragingto me.
Yes, it's been fun.
Thank you, listeners, for beingpart of today's episode.
Thank you for taking your timeto listen to our podcast.
(26:46):
We would love to hear yourfeedback.
Thank you for taking your timeto listen to our podcast.
We would love to hear yourfeedback.
Please rate or review or leavea five-star review on Apple
Podcast.
May God's grace and peace bewith you all, in Jesus' name.
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