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About Beyond Belief Expressions Ministries Inc
Mission Statement
Beyond Belief Expressions is a nonprofit ministry engaged in a mission that endeavors to inspire individuals and families to know Jesus and then to trust God to help them to move beyond limiting beliefs and stressful life experiences. We want to inspire people to believe God for beyond what they could previously ask, think, or imagine so that they can practically put feet and wings to hidden dreams and purposes.
Our aim is to address the whole person: body, soul, and spirit. We offer programs, activities, and products to inspire and motivate growth. We believe God is the center of all we do so we invite Him into everything; we worship Him, ask Him for direction. and wait with expectancy. He is here. He shows up with wisdom. Part of what we do is teach you how to listen, learn, and watch for what He wants to do in your life.
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MEET THE BOARD:
President
P. Becky Oakes, BCMHC, CPLC
Her favorite verses are Ephesians 3:14-21:
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14 For this reason [[a]seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ], I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 For Whom every family in heaven and on earth is named [that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name].
16 May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].
17 May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love,
18 That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God’s devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it];
19 [That you may really come] to know [practically, [b]through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses [c]mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] [d]unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and [e]become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
20 Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]—
21 To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
Vice President
P. Doug Oakes
2 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”
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Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Board Member
Doris Nieves
Advisor
Psalm 32:4-8. NLT
"Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude
Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude
Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
For you are my hiding place;
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you."
Board Member
Dr. Diane Coflin
Advisor
Psalm 133:1
Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! AMP Classic
Board Member
Pastor Amy Peterson
Treasurer
The Lord your God
wins victory after victory
and is always with you.
He celebrates and sings
because of you,
and He will refresh your life
with His love.”
Zephaniah 3:17
Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]... Ephesians 3:20
Pastor Becky Oakes was born in Western New York, raised in Maine and traveled with her family in evangelistic ministry in New York and New England. She had a love for the Lord from a young age and was saved at five years old. She attended her first Christian college majoring in Elementary Education, intending to teach at church-run schools as a pastor’s wife or missionary, as she felt a call on her life, and this was the path available.
After experiencing some trauma with overbearing religious systems, abusive relationships, hardships, poverty, a traumatic divorce, depression and backsliding, the Lord sent some dear people on a special mission from Florida to NYS, to find her and
pull her out of the cave of darkness. Through this, she recommitted her life to the Lord and began to realize again hidden dreams and visions. With new resolve, she
returned to the Lord, and He gave her the desires of her heart.
Soon after, she met Doug in a Christian musical when they both served together at a ministry where he worked. They became best friends, later fell in love and married in the summer of 1997. Not much later, she was diagnosed with several
“irreversible” autoimmune diseases, almost died from meningitis, renal failure, then pericarditis, and yet, God put these diseases into remission so the two could follow the call on their lives.
They adopted and fostered several children and raised them while doing children’s and youth ministry at churches. She taught in private schools and homeschooling co-ops.
Becky returned to college again, majoring in Counseling and Pastoral Theology, with a Bachelor’s in Christian Ministry Leadership from Lee University.
She became a licensed, ordained minister with experience in prison and re-entry ministry, overseeing addiction recovery homes. She has assisted with pastoral administration, and taught Christian school, led youth and children’s ministries, and taught Bible classes as well as counseled people of all ages. She raised and educated special needs foster children and worked in group homes. Her varied experience has given her a heart to reach people with the hope that she and her husband have found in
Christ.
Additionally, she is a published author, a board-certified mental health coach, certified professional life coach and a member of American Association of Christian Counselors.
Although she feels education can be important and often wise to maintain a good testimony and trust, Becky believes that the most important pre-cursor to ministry, is to be a Holy Spirit filled and led servant-leader. The best training is found on the ground listening to God's voice. She believes that prayer is key to all that they will do at Beyond Belief Expressions. She likes to say,
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“The best answer to all our problems is His Presence. His Presence is the best therapy. There is no power without His Presence. There is no peace without His Presence. There is no Prudence without His Presence. There is no Presence without Prayer.”
Pastor Doug Oakes was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Western New York State. He traveled across the country with his family in an evangelistic puppet and music ministry. As a result, he gave his heart to the Lord at five years old and lived his whole life faithful to the Lord.
He has five years of formal Bible college training and is a licensed, ordained minister. A true servant of God, Doug answered the call helping in many avenues, including children and family ministry, Christian radio, Gospel plays and musicals, puppets and drama, janitorial work, youth ministry, homeschool and private school ministry, church music directing, drug and alcohol recovery, foster care, and pretty much anything that needed to be done. He is a bi-vocational pastor and will help with prayer counseling, support groups, Bible study groups, and the technical aspects of Beyond Belief Expressions.
Doug’s specialty areas are worship, sound, and prayer ministry but he is a go-to for many life issues wherever God places him, even on his daily job as a postal carrier. He plays bass guitar for worship whenever the Lord leads and he is a professionally trained singer, whose heart is focused in on intense worship of the Lord. He insists that the lyrics and the music must be clear communications of a heart focused on Jesus. Songs to entertain are good for everyday encouragement but when we go to worship, the songs must be directed toward ministering to the Audience of One. He delights in the Word of God also and in an accurate interpretation of it.
Minister Doris Nieves was born in Long Island, NY, raised in Puerto Rico, returned to NY as an adult. She has spent much of her adult life serving the community in the fields of teaching, counseling, advocacy, human services, and recovery ministry.
She came to these fields from a need a first to heal the inner child within and then, as she found wholeness, she found her source of strength and hope in Jesus Christ and continued to carry out her passion to help others. This formed in her a decisive intention to pour out into others that same grace and mercy which was so freely given to her, and she has since become an inspiration to many.
She became a Christian at a young age and became discouraged by a legalistic church environment and slid away at age twelve until adulthood, with many poor choices and devastating circumstances but with each failure, the Lord drew her back to Him and she grew through the process to the point where she has been able to walk out faithfully what she truly believed all along but couldn’t bring herself to do without the help of Jesus and the power of His Spirit. She believes now she has a responsibility to mentor and comfort others with the same love with which God comforted her and this is one thing that brings her to support the mission of Beyond Belief Expressions Ministries. She says,
“I know I cannot keep what I have unless I give it away. I KNOW the more mercy I have received from Abba has been to be able to pour it out to others in their brokenness and need.”
Doris has worked closely in ministry and in daily life with the Oakes for last past few years, and they have seen each others’ hearts for showing love and caring for the needs of those around them and they know they will work well together in helping people move past difficult life situations as they have watched each other live those exact things out. They have seen the faithfulness of each other’s testimonies in that process and built great trust. Doris has a wonderful heart for others and loves the Lord with a great passion. She teaches others vicariously how to worship God with a beautiful sense of abandon. She is a certified counselor, a licensed minister, and has led worship choirs and testimony tours in ministries across the United States. One of her strong spiritual gifts is that of encouragement and she does it well. Her tenacious spirit will never give up on people has helped her to mentor and help people even when others might give up.
Doris will serve the Board in an advisory capacity, helping to impact the counseling and educational programs with her expertise and experience. She will bring wisdom in decision making about sponsorships and scholarships for those in need of the ministry programs as well as possibly bring ideas to the table for fundraising, public relations, and possibly the development of the arts portions of our program. She will also bring understanding and discernment from her experiences and education about how best the ministry can help those coming from both the obvious difficult places and the unsuspecting places.
Doris is a very expressive, passionate person. She hopes it will speak to you as it does her.
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Dr. Dianne Coflin was launched into ministry in 1977 when she and her husband Dan became part of the pastoral staff at a growing charismatic Church just north of Tampa, Florida. They served the pastor and congregation at that location for 22
years. At the direction of the Holy Spirit, they were asked to become the Senior Pastors at River of Life Church in Lutz, Florida where they have served for the past 23 years. During that time Dr. Dianne Coflin has ministered internationally in
Romania, Turkey, Slovakia, and Switzerland, as well as in Tampa, as a conference speaker.
Pastor Dianne has long carried in her heart the Great Commission Jesus gave to make disciples not just converts to His kingdom. Dianne has developed an 18-week discipleship program to help believers become rooted and grounded in the Word of God. Her approach has given believers practical steps to spiritual growth.
Dr. Coflin earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology from Faith Theological Seminary. She earned her Master’s in Theology & Pastoral Counseling, completing her Doctorate of Ministry from Life Christian University where she did serve as
Director of Assessments and head of the counseling program until 2017.
Dr. Coflin is a dynamic speaker and worship leader who often flows in the prophetic ministry as she ministers to the Lord and to those who need a word of comfort and encouragement. Her strong and direct approach is tempered with much love and
mercy for the broken-hearted, the spiritually wounded and those in great distress.
Dianne always seeks the Lord for every service to bring a fresh word, coupled with
the anointing of the Spirit to see those who are discouraged find a renewed hope and much assurance in the love of God.
Dianne has been married for 49 years and she and her husband have one daughter and 2 grandchildren. They reside in Tampa, Florida.
We are extremely blessed to have Dr. Diane join our Board. Her experience, education, and heart to be led by Holy Spirit will be a huge help to the ministry. She will be an advisor over the counseling ministry aspects as well as taking part in Board decisions for the whole ministry. We welcome her and look forward to working with her.
Pastor Amy Peterson serves as the Administrative Pastor at River of Life Church in Lutz, FL where she has ministered for the last 14 years. She often speaks at River of Life and brings a word of encouragement with prophetic insight. She has an earned a Bachelors degree in Theology and an Associates in Christian Counseling, which serves as a great support in her role at both River of Life and Beyond Belief Expressions Ministry. She is married to Associate Pastor Justin Peterson and together, they have two amazing adult children.
Amy, our President, and all the board members became acquainted through joint ministry at a residential recovery/re-entry program where Amy's husband, Justin also served as Interim Worship Pastor alongside the ministries of the Oakes (who worked in Administration) and Doris Nieves (who was Women's Site Director).
Amy's administrative experience will be quite an asset to our ministry as she operates in multiple spiritual gifts that show true Spirit-led leadership.
We are grateful to have her on our ministry team and look forward to what the Lord is going to do through her.
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