Soft rock quintet Mercy Me only has one person to thank for its platinum record, three Dove awards, an ever-increasing legion of nationwide fans and critical acclaim.

“God had his hand in it,” says bassist Nathan Cochran. “We make God the center of attention in everything we’ve done because of everything he’s done to us.”

Cochran and his bandmates had their first taste of success in 2001 when their acoustic-driven ballad, “I Can Only Imagine,” made an unexpected crossover to mainstream radio. Cochran says he believes it was a stroke of luck.

“Honestly, if we tried to do it ourselves, it wouldn’t have happened,” Cochran says.

The song first played on air when disc jockeys on a Dallas morning show played the song on a dare and watched with wide eyes as the phone lines flooded with requests for the song.

“If there was a list of the top five songs that couldn’t cross into mainstream, ‘Imagine’ would probably be on that list,” Cochran says.

Although Cochran says the Christian-themed song was an unlikely contender for such mainstream success, radio stations scattered across the country gradually began to receive frequent requests for the song, which helped the album become certified platinum.

“It’s pretty cool — it’s not the reason we do what we do, but it’s great to make new accomplishments,” Cochran says.

After the success of “Almost There,” returning to the studio to record a follow-up album was a simple process for Mercy Me. Cochran says the band wasn’t trying to make another “Almost There.”

For its second effort, “Spoken For,” the band was able to record in a different manner, with each instrument recorded at one time and vocals added at the end.

“It was the first time we had pretty much a bunch of music with no lyrics,” Cochran says. “When we got the album back, it was like hearing someone else’s album. It was a cool experience.”

In addition to the improved recording methods, Mercy Me says it was also happy to enter the studio with the album’s title track. The band members already knew the song was a fan favorite, since they had been playing it live since the beginning of their last tour.

“‘Spoken For’ almost went on ‘Almost There,’ but time ran out,” Cochran says. “It made us feel better to go into the studio with that song.”

The album’s lyrics remain true to the Mercy Me formula, incorporating faith into most of the songs. The band members say they also write about personal experiences because they feel it is easier and hope it will help listeners understand their message.

“I hope that they come away realizing for the first time, we have been spoken for by the king of kings,” Cochran says.

“I hope they walk away with a greater appreciation of what Christ did for us.”

Since the release of “Almost There,” all of the band members have married and most of them have started families. Even though they dislike being away from home, the band has embarked on a national tour supporting Michael W. Smith and its new album.

“The way you travel changes because you want to be home more,” Cochran says. “But at the same time, God called on you to do this.”

Who: Michael W. Smith, Mercy Me

Where: Hilton Coliseum

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

Cost: $26.50 — $36.50