Editing Point of Grace (section)

=== 1996–1997: ''Life Love & Other Mysteries'' ===

In July 1995, having been featured in publications such as the ''[[Ladies Home Journal]]'' and ''[[TIME]]'' Magazine, the group signed a book deal with [[Simon & Schuster]], co-written with Davin Seay. The book included the life story of each member, and other chapters were divided into question-and-answer sections addressing topics like dating, sex, clothes, family life, and friends.

The group also began work on their third album. John Mays, the [[A&R]] who had signed them to [[Word Records]], had left to join [[Sparrow Records]], and the group were left to make all major decisions, as [[executive producer]]s of the album. The result was ''[[Life Love & Other Mysteries]]'', released on September 9, 1996. The book was released on the same day, subtitled "Advice and Inspiration from Christian Music's No. 1 Pop Group".

On the day of the album release, [[Word Records]] chartered the [[Dallas Mavericks]]' [[DC-9]] jet and the group flew to five different cities in one day to promote the album. At each stop they performed their current single, "Keep The Candle Burning", which went to No.1 on the day their album released, their twelfth consecutive No.1 single. A [[music video]] with footage from the whirlwind promo tour was released a few months later. The group announced a co-headline arena tour with [[4Him]], who had just released their album ''The Message'', which was very successful, leading to the addition of a spring leg which lasted into early summer of 1997. In 1996, the group contributed the song "Follow the Star" to the album ''Emmanuel: A Musical Celebration of the Life of Christ''. They were not able to go on the tour, with [[Avalon (American group)|Avalon]] taking their place.

''[[Life Love & Other Mysteries]]'' has been among their highest-selling albums to date, certified gold by the RIAA in 1997 and platinum in 1999. The album debuted at No.1 and stayed there for 10 weeks, finishing as one of the Top 5 selling albums of 1997 and one of the Top 10 of 1998. The album was nominated for a [[Grammy]] for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 1997, and the group was nominated for the 1997 Group of the Year at the [[Dove Awards]], with "Keep The Candle Burning" nominated for Song of the Year. The group performed the song during the live [[The Nashville Network]] broadcast from the [[Sommet Center]]. They continued touring until September 1997, taking a break when Masters's first child was born in October.