Kirk’s lack of clarity on marriage have contributed to the decisions of the latest ministers to join the Free Church. A Free Church spokesman said: “It is clear from last week’s census figures that many people go about their everyday lives without any thought of God or spiritual things. “The need for preaching and sharing the Gospel is so great in Scotland today, and we believe Rev David Court and Rev David Randall will be important assets in communicating God’s word in a changing environment over the years to come.

Last night Rev David Court, 51, and 42-year-old Rev David Randall were admitted to the denomination, and both men are now available for a call to vacant congregations.

Both preachers, understood to be unhappy at the Church of Scotland’s stance on gay ministers, are well-known to evangelical congregations in the central belt with Mr Court having ministered to New Restalrig in Edinburgh and Balshagray Victoria Park in Glasgow since his ordination to the ministry in 1989.

Mr Randall, whose brother Andrew and father David have also recently left the Church of Scotland – although have not joined the Free Church – had previously pastored the Loudoun Newmilns congregation in Ayrshire as well as Bo’ness Old Kirk.

Mr Court, who had also been convener of CrossReach – the Church of Scotland’s social care arm – for four years, said: “I am excited to be joining the Free Church of Scotland, a denomination that is known to honour the Scriptures; to love the Lord Jesus Christ and to have a passion for the work of the gospel here in Scotland.”

Mr Randall added: “I’m excited to be coming into a denomination that takes the Bible seriously and seeks to engage that biblical message with 21st Century Scotland.

“What Scotland needs most today is the real Gospel of Jesus Christ, presented faithfully in engaging ways, and it seems to me that the Free Church is well placed to do exactly that.

“I’m grateful to the Free Church for the warmth of the welcome extended to me and look forward, under God, to the next stage of ministry that lies ahead.”

The pair are following in the footsteps of several other ministers and congregations thoughout Scotland, particularly in the Western Isles, who have quit the Church of Scotland’s following its decision to allow gay ordination.

Many believe the Kirk has walked away from the Bible on moral issues and it is understood the recent developments on gay clergy and the

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