The study is focused on the role of agriculture in development. The problem was to describe major factors that compose agricultural development so that strategic action on the part of the Methodist Church in areas of rapid social and economic change could be developed. Library research was the source for descriptive materials, theories of agricultural development, normative concepts of Christian social responsibility, and criteria and procedures for evaluating institutional tasks of churches. Comparative and synoptic method was used to bring into coherent relationship the variety of materials from ethics, agriculture, and strategy. Normative reconstruction (critical and prescriptive) was used to evaluate and suggest guidelines. The churches have accepted responsibility for development, but there is an apparent discrepancy between firm policy commitments and actual project involvement. Agricultural education by the Methodist Church can be a strategic response to the problem of hunger and development, but this depends upon further knowledge and the use of the guidelines considered in the study. (Author/NL)