They also began writing songs together and released an album in 1996. The album, which was released under the name Sons & Daughters, was called Holy Roar, and featured the contribution of fellow worship leader and friend, Charlie Hall. Louie Giglio, pastor and founder of the Passion Movement, heard the album and invited the Nockels and Charlie Hall to attend the first Passion Conference in Austin, Texas, in 1997.
After this, Christy and Nathan moved to Texas and started leading worship for Metro Bible Study, a weekly gathering of 3,000 young adults at Houston’s First Baptist Church. During that time Rocketown Records, owned by Michael W. Smith, approached them and they signed a contract under the name Watermark. After that, they moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1998. As Watermark, the Nockels recorded five albums and received several Dove Award nominations, including Female Vocalist of the Year for Christy and Producer of the Year for Nathan in 2007.