Congregations could soon have the right to cast out unwanted ministers.

While Church of Scotland members historically had the right to choose their spiritual leader, in most cases ministers cannot be removed from their post, with security of tenure until they retire.

The Kirk will today debate giving congregations the right to vote out ministers they feel are not suited to the job, as well as voting them in.

In a submission before he was sworn in as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rev David Lunan backed the move.

He said: "Eventually, once you are in, you have complete security of tenure. If you empty the church, or you do nothing for the presbytery; if you do little more than turn up on a Sunday, you are secure.

"If presbytery wants you to readjust with your neighbour, you don't need to co-operate. You have security of tenure.

"Security is great, but it can become complacency and even, subconsciously, disdain. It is not healthy for the minister psychologically or spiritually."

Ministries Council will ask the General Assembly to initiate a wide-ranging examination of plans for tenure, which is thought could last three years. Options include allowing ministers to continue in status as office-holder with "adjustable" tenure, meaning they could be made redundant with "appropriate compensation", or specific contracts of employment.

The fact the church sees a need for a more fluid approach towards congregational linkages or changes in parish boundaries makes changes to tenure crucial.

The Ministries Council will also outline plans to devote £1.5m over five years to a new Emerging Ministries Fund.

This could include grants for work on "new church growth alongside or beyond the existing congregation, and work that looks at experimenting with new approaches to ministry". Grants would be made at a maximum level of £30,000 per annum for a three-year period.

The Ministries Council reports come just past the midway point in the week-long assembly, which also saw the Prime Minister address church members on Saturday.

Tomorrow, the assembly will hear an appeal to the UK government to do "all in its power" to prevent foreign military intervention in Iran. The church and society council's appeal is for the government to make its opposition to the possible development of Iranian nuclear weapons "credible" by scrapping nuclear weapons held by the UK. Renewal of Trident is criticised by the Kirk as "gross hypocrisy".