When Southern-rooted, Christian alternative band Third Day started writing songs together seven years ago, it wasn’t with a half-hearted effort.

“It was a time in our lives when we rededicated ourselves to serving Christ,” bassist Tai Anderson says. “We were passionate about God, so making Christian music was the best music we could make because we were passionate about it.”

Over the last few years the band’s passion and music has grown stronger.

What started as five guys playing a home-grown style in a garage in Marietta, Ga., has blossomed into a nationally recognized phenomenon.

But Anderson said national recognition was never part of the plan — it was just the fruit of their passion.

“We didn’t promote ourselves,” Anderson says. “We just played shows. However you start something, you have to keep on doing it the same way until you finish it. We don’t feel the pressure to always promote ourselves because we didn’t promote ourselves in the beginning.”

Despite their laid-back, roll-with-the-punches southern pace, the band eventually snagged the attention of independent record label, Gray Dot, who produced the group’s 1995 self-titled debut. Due to the album’s popularity, Third Day was able to attract and sign with major Christian label, Reunion Records, who re-mixed the indie project for a national audience.

“Our first record was more of the basic songs,” Anderson remembers. “We recorded it for no money and lyrically, the songs were very basic.”

Though the debut raised awareness and attracted fans, it also caught its fair amount of criticism. Some claimed that the album was too basic, while others said the music was too similar to the sounds of acts like Pearl Jam and Hootie & the Blowfish.

With a mission to validate their sound and prove their geniuses, Third Day released “Conspiracy No. 5,” which earned the band a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Gospel record.

“With our second record, we wanted to prove everybody wrong,” Anderson says. “We showed everyone we were a rockin’ band and we were trying to show people what we could do.”

In the process of proving themselves, the band detoured from the path they had paved with their debut. Everything they had been criticized for, including their straightforward message and Southern rock style was gone, leaving their established fanbase wondering what happened.

Committed to reclaiming their own style, the band recently released “Time,” an album that has managed to peak at the top of the Christian charts with the sound that is uniquely Third Day.

“On this record, we show people what we want to do,” Anderson says. “We’ve found that people everywhere like Southern rock. It has a good feel and it’s coming from a band that’s not trying to prove anything, but is just happy to make a record.”

“Time” was recorded at Southern Tracks studios, a place used by bands such as Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots and Black Crowes for live recordings. Anderson said the band decided to record all the instruments together to capture the group’s live chemistry.

“We go to the studio maybe two months out of the year, whereas we play together live all year,” he notes.

So far, the release has sold a record number of copies, and still remains a sought-after album among fans and new listeners alike. As the group gears up for its 40-city tour, Anderson says he hopes the fans enjoy the music, but also hear the passion.

“Good music is passionate music,” Anderson attests.