4 March 2026

I was talking to a group of people about the ministry and, in particular, the duality which exists within the minister of Word and Sacrament. In our tradition, we talk about ‘the Minister and Kirk Session’.  It is a neat phrase which reveals the danger of the tight-rope walker.

Minister as tight-rope walker is evident in the two roles which she is called to fulfil. In Kirk Session, the minister acts as moderator, chairing the meeting and ensuring that all points of view are heard and discussion is contained within parameters of politeness, theological integrity  and legal requirements.

This role ensures that the minister cannot favour one side or another in any discussion or argument in Kirk Session. As moderator he must remain impartial. This means that he cannot exercise undue influence over the other elders. Some decisions will be made with which he will not agree.

In the phrase ‘minister and Kirk Session’, the minister is detached from the Kirk Session. Whilst the minister is a part of the Kirk Session, she is also ordained and inducted by the Presbytery. The Presbytery supervises her work. This provides some detachment and enables the Kirk Session to benefit from a fresh pair of independent eyes.

This detachment is crucial in searching the landscape and discovering what is really going on within a Kirk Session and congregation and how the kirk can be developed.  The collaborative role and the leadership role are both essential in a well-rounded ministry. The tension is sometimes difficult to resolve.

When all is said and done, the calling of the minister has a twofold objective – ‘to equip the saints for the work of ministry’ as St. Paul says and ‘for building up the body of Christ’. It is not a vocation for promoting self. It is a vocation for building up other people and enabling them to minister when the minister is no longer there.

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