Band leader Randall Koehler writes about how the Voices Together hymnal inspired him and his musical choices at MC USA’s Follow Jesus ’25 Convention.
Randall Koehler served as the band leader and guitarist for the Follow Jesus ’25 Convention music team in Greensboro, North Carolina, July 8-12, 2025. Koehler is in his fourth year of pastoral ministry, serving as the pastor of Hutterthal Mennonite Church, in Freeman South Dakota, and has been a volunteer music leader and worship leader since he was a teenager. He earned an associate degree in education from Illinois Central College, in East Peoria; a Bachelor of Science in elementary education from Illinois State University, in Normal; and is currently working on a Master of Divinity at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, in Elkhart, Indiana. Koehler enjoys exploring the details of daily life with his young children, listening to people’s stories and curating playlists.
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When Rachel Ringenberg Miller asked me to be band leader at the MC USA Follow Jesus ’25 Convention, now almost 15 months ago, I knew where I would begin searching for possible songs: the Voices Together (VT) hymnal.
Photo by Mackenzie Miller.
I did not grow up in the Mennonite tradition. I had heard “Praise God From Whom” (aka 606, VT #70) many times, but I only fully learned it while preparing for Convention. I had spent much of my childhood and teen years in fundamentalist, charismatic spaces, where the latest Christian radio songs (mostly Hillsong and Integrity Music) were top of the music list in my familiar worship spaces.
At this time in my life in 2025, though, much of the production of the industrial worship music-making machine rings hollow to me, which was why I was really excited about the new hymnal. As I began scouring its pages for the familiar, the new, the diverse, the “traditional” and the “biblical,” I realized how much of our time at Convention could be rooted in Voices Together, our denomination’s latest musical contribution to us, its members and the wider church.
At the MC USA Convention, 75% of the music in worship services came directly from Voices Together, both in their original languages and translations into English. The songs below are just 16 of the hundreds of songs available. If you have not had the chance to explore Voices Together, use these now-familiar songs as a starting point for becoming more familiar with its resources.
Song Title and VT #
“Akekho Ofana” (“There’s No One In This World Like Jesus”) – 68
“Abre Mis Ojos” (“Open My Eyes”) – 732
“Beautiful Things” – 551
“Blessed Assurance” – 435
“Build Your Kingdom Here” – 393
“Come Away from Rush and Hurry” – 9
“Could It Be That God is Singing” – 42
“Draw the Circle” – 802
“God of the Bible” – 420
“God of Wonders” – 178
“Praise God from Whom” (“Dedication Anthem”) #70
“Segala Puji Syukur” (“All Our Praise”) – 82
“Singing Alleluia in ASL” – 73
“Somlandela” (“We Will Follow”) – 566
“Tu Eres Todopodoreso” (“Because You’re Holy”) – 89
“You Are Salt for the Earth” – 297
Maybe you’re still singing one of these songs that are not in the hymnal:
“Declaring Glory” – The Porter’s Gate
“Espíritu de Dios” – Roberto Orellana
“God of Every Daughter” – Sus Long
“I Will Follow You” – The Soil and Seed Project
“Just the Mention of His Name” – The Belonging Co.
Many of these songs are also available on the Follow Jesus ’25 playlist on Spotify. Listen to it here.
I am looking forward to seeing you in Cincinnati in 2027.
The views and opinions expressed in this blog belong to the author and are not intended to represent the views of the MC USA Executive Board or staff.
