A lot of small-business owners say they are on a mission. Minister Lynn Dykes actually is.

For the last six years, Dykes has owned and operated the for-profit In His Presence Dance Academy. But unlike most for-profits, Dykes is not in it for the money.

"It goes right back into the studio," she said. "Every time we have what we call our praise and worship ensembles, we sell tickets. Those tickets help us to do renovations. That bus that you see out there is paid for in full. We don't owe anybody anything."

Dykes is a licensed minister of the Covenant Connections International, The Christian House of Prayer. The Army veteran also works full time as a secretary for the U.S. Army Operational Test Command at Fort Hood.

"I am in the studio every day from 6 to 9:30 (p.m.)," she said.

Dykes said In His Presence is the first Christian dance studio in Central Texas. Not surprisingly, she finds herself explaining what that means frequently.

"A Christian dance academy focuses on the biblical foundations of what praise and worship dance is all about," Dykes said. "We go back to the biblical days, when Miriam was the first to praise dance when Moses brought the Children of Israel across the Red Sea."

Dykes and her staff of volunteers teaches students drama, mime, singing and spoken word to depict scenes from the Bible. They even sprinkle in some Hebrew related to praise and worship dance.

The students' "praise and worship ensembles" help keep the studio open. Dykes said her students do not perform, they "minister." They are currently ministering regularly to congregations across the state.

Students pay a monthly fee to learn at the studio. Tuition costs depend on the age of the student. They start out at $50 a month for children between the ages of 3 and 4 and cap out at $65 a month for adults and children age 12 and older. Currently, 76 students are enrolled at the academy.

Dykes has been involved with praise and worship dance since she was about 11 years old. She did not expect to end up doing it professionally, but an unfortunate incident eight years ago made her "feel the call." She answered.

"My oldest daughter, Alicia, passed away when she was 17," Dykes said. "She and I had always talked about opening a praise and worship dance school to teach children and adults. And after she passed, I was sitting on my couch the next day, and I asked, 'Lord, what is she doing right now?' He said that she was doing in heaven what she did on Earth, worshipping Him, that she was in his presence. That is how In His Presence Dance Academy came about."

Dykes said what makes the business so special to her is that it involves the whole community, not just one church.

"One thing I love about it is we have people from all different churches," she said. "It is not just one church. We have many churches that come here that comer here to learn. We don't turn anybody away."