THEIMPACTOF
Peer
Pressure
ONMISSION
byMickeyBowdon
A
h, the bliss of positive peer
God is the author of positive peer pressure that advances
pressure, the sense of unity of
His kingdom and that the enemy is the author of nega-
purpose—students encouraging one
tive peer pressure.
another to discern the truth and
This is the world our young people live in. Many must
to have the courage to pursue it …
face a world that sucks the life out of them at every turn.
School administrators and faculty
Peer pressure pushes them into options the world offers
are truly blessed when positive peer
as appealing, only to lure them further into lifestyles
pressure helps the institution and
void of fulfillment.
individuals advance the mission.
I recently sat in on an eighth-grade class discussion.
But, oh, the pain and agony of
The teacher asked, “How is your generation different
negative peer pressure! I remember
from the generation of your parents?” One young girl
feeling as if I were standing at the
astutely observed: “By the time you are 11 years old, you
ocean trying to sweep back the waves
are forced to make decisions about drugs, sex, alcohol,
when working in a secular school
lifestyles, and all that the world offers. If you make the
where the peer pressure seemed to
wrong decision, it ages you. If you make the right deci-
make it impossible for vital Christian
sion, it matures you, but either way we are getting older
living to compete with the constant
faster than our parents and teachers realize.” A male
pressure to discard the truth and
student observed that peer pressure is powerful by the
never stand up for what was right. In
third grade and is most obvious on the playground. He
that type of environment, negativ-
said that the pressure to be a member of a group on the
ism, criticism, and despair overcome
playground can be so powerful that students will do
mission achievement.
almost anything to be accepted. Once young people suc-
The contrast between the blessed-
cumb to the pressure, they begin to believe that they can
ness of positive peer pressure and the
find security only from their group, and then they form
despair of negative peer pressure can
a pattern of depending on the group. By the time they
almost be felt. Positive peer pres-
reach middle school, their group becomes their identity.
sure can lift the spirits, encourage
The present generation of young people understands
extraordinary results, and generate
the role of peer pressure better than any previous genera-
great enthusiasm. Negative peer
tion. They have been a “target market” all their lives. Kids
pressure can produce discourage-
today see everything coming at them with market spin.
ment, low performance, and a sense
As a result, I am convinced that young people today can
of hopelessness. I am convinced that
recognize what’s not true with tremendous accuracy.
122005–2006|CSEVolume9Number2|TheImpactofPeerPressureonMission
They are looking for real Christianity. And when they
eternity. In every generation, young people have found
find real, vital, exciting Christianity, they own it
themselves in a great battle: the American Revolution,
passionately.
the Civil War, World Wars I and II, the Korean and Viet-
We may miss the mark in Christian schools if we put
nam conflicts, the Gulf War, and now the war against
too much emphasis on external indicators. I have been
terrorism. Yet the present generation must fight the most
in Christian schools where students seemed polite and
critical war of history—the battle for ideas that will shape
cooperative, appeared to conform to the dress code, and
hearts and minds for the future. Many believe that the
acted well behaved in classrooms and hallways; yet the
present generation will usher in either moral anarchy or
peer pressure in the school was to look compliant but ac-
spiritual revival.
tually work to undermine the mission of the school. This
In order to achieve our mission in kingdom education
attitude of hypocrisy is often hidden from view but well
(to advance the kingdom of God), we must communicate
understood by students. I have also been in Christian
the reality of the war between good and evil. We must
schools where the way things looked was no indicator of
convince our students that our schools are preparing
the vitality of the spiritual commitment of the students
them to be spiritual warriors. We must help them see
and their effort to exert positive peer pressure to advance
Christianity as a powerful offensive weapon in the war.
the school’s mission. In many schools the students have
Christian schools must become boot camps to train a
responded to the leadership and have played a major role
generation of spiritual warriors, equipped and empow-
in creating an atmosphere, a school culture, of positive
ered to make a powerful impact on the world for Christ.
pressure.
Our best strategy to overcome negative peer pressure
When considering the effect of peer pressure in a
and see our schools transformed to places of promoting
school, you must look below the surface. The real issues
positive peer pressure is to engage in the battle and to
that affect peer pressure and spiritual vitality rest in the
engage our students in the battle. Our students need a
We may miss the mark in Christian schools if we
put too much emphasis on external indicators.
vision for God’s
kingdom work that
motivates them to
rise above the pressures of the culture.
student body’s ownership of the school’s culture. I am
In fact, young people today are looking for positive
convinced that students own the culture of the school
peer pressure. Our task is to help them understand how
regardless. Whether the culture is positive or negative
they can operate within their sphere of influence to
results from the attitude of students and what they say
develop a positive atmosphere. When empowered to do
and do.
so, they will contribute in powerful ways.
I have often heard it said that the faculty of the school
We must involve students in leadership roles that give
is the curriculum of the school. Students look to the
them opportunities to help shape the school culture. The
faculty and administration for living examples of real
key to success in generating positive peer pressure is the
Christianity. They long to see Christianity modeled for
development of student leaders (influencers) who have
them in exciting and dynamic ways. They look for the
input into strategies and plans for advancing the school’s
absence of hypocrisy in what is expected of them and
mission. Students who are engaged in leadership and
what is expected of teachers. They look to see if Christi-
empowered to influence can create a sense of ownership
anity is real in relationships. When the faculty, staff, and
within the student body. Perhaps our task as school lead-
administration demonstrate in their actions that their
ers is to give students the opportunities to influence for
attitudes are positive, students respond likewise.
the positive!
When convinced that the mission of Christian education is vital to advance the kingdom of God, students
have a purpose and a cause. That is what they are looking
for—a cause, a purpose, something greater than themselves that gives meaning to their existence. They want
to be caught up in pursuit of something that matters for
Mickey Bowdon, MEd, has served as a high school principal,
a headmaster at 3 Christian schools, and a consultant for
over 300 Christian schools. His role as the vice president
for Christian school education at Columbia International
University includes leading Ben Lippen Christian School’s
administrative team.
The Impact of Peer Pressure on Mission | CSE Volume 9 Number 2 | 2005–2006 13