Mark and his wife, Jan, first started working with teens when they were just 19 years old, as Young Life Leaders in Tulsa, Oklahoma. All through their college years, Mark and Jan worked with kids, got married, had kids of their own, and poured their life into their passion….struggling teens.
After spending 7 years on the First Methodist Church staff in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Mark and Jan moved to Branson, Missouri and lived at Kanakuk Kamp. During their time in Branson, Mark was the Area Director of Young Life, and started a residential counseling program for struggling teens, only to leave there in 1988 and move to Hallsville, Texas, when he started Heartlight Ministries.
During their 32 years in Texas, Heartlight has become one of the country’s finest residential counseling centers for teens, and known throughout North America as the “place to be” if your teen is struggling and hope is diminishing.
Mark has taken all the experience he has gained in working in the various youth ministry experiences and developed resources to help parents nationwide. He’s authored 18 books, has written hundreds of articles about parenting teens in a difficult culture, and is also the host of the nationally acclaimed radio program, Parenting Today’s Teens, which was honored to receive the 2014 Program of the Year award from the National Religious Broadcasters. These programs are heard on over 1,700 radio outlets throughout North America.
From his 45 years of experience of working with teens and their families, Mark shares his insight and wisdom through seminars, retreats, and conferences, taking up all his free weekends. Mark’s wit and wisdom, shared through stories and reflections of his involvement with teens brings biblical insight and practical help to all who hear him share his heart about families and teens.
Lessons learned from those that have struggled with their teens, are communicated to parents preparing their child for the teen years, or find themselves caught in the turbulent adolescent years with their teen through the mediums of the spoken and written word.
Mark and Jan, have been married for 45 years and have two children, both of whom are married and have blessed them with four wonderful grandchildren. Heartlight is family oriented, and family run. Their children work with them insuring there is always hope and help for families searching for something different in their parenting style.
Mark and Jan live next to the Heartlight property and are actively involved in the lives of the teens and staff at Heartlight.
About the Show
The Parenting Today’s Teens radio program and daily newsletters offers biblical insights and practical wisdom for parents wanting a deeper relationship with their teen. The Parenting Today’s Teen radio program reaches millions of lives every day through a short feature program and a weekend 30-minute program. Broadcasting on XM and over 1,700 stations daily, the radio program’s influence has increased seven-fold in just fifteen years. The National Religious Broadcaster recently awarded the Parenting Today’s Teens with Mark Gregston radio program the prestigious “ 2014 Radio Program of the Year.
Statement of Faith
We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a Godly life.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus.
Endorsements
Michael Blanton
President of Blanton Entertainment
Dr. Jim Burns
Author, radio host of HomeWord
Tracy Byrd
Country Music Artist
Kirk and Chelsea Cameron
Actors & Speakers
Michael Card
Dove Award-Winning singer, songwriter, author (Nashville, Tennessee)
Alan Carter
Director of NBC’s “The Voice”
Steven Curtis Chapman
Dove Award-winning singer, songwriter, author (Nashville, Tennessee)
Ray Davis
Owner of Texas Rangers MLB Club
George Dunklin
President of Ducks Unlimited International
Joey and Rory Feek
Award-winning songwriters and 2010 Academy of Country Music Award recipient for “Top New Vocal Duo” (Nashville, Tennessee)
Bill & Gloria Gaither
Gaither Music & Gaither Vocal Band
Bob Hurley
Hurley International
Dr. Tim Kimmel
Speaker, author, President Family Matters (Scottsdale, Arizona)
Doug Kindy
President of Lucchese Boots
Steve Largent
Former U.S. Congressman, member Pro Football Hall of Fame
Bob Lepine
Co-host of FamilyLife Today national radio program (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Brian Luwis
CEO of America World Adoption
Dr. James MacDonald
Host and teacher of Walk in the Word, Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Church, Chicago
Dr. Paul Meier
Meier Clinics
Jessie Minassian
Author & Speaker
Paul Overstreet
Grammy Award-winning country music singer, songwriter (Nashville, Tennessee)
Randy Sims
Executive Director, World View Academy (New Braunfels, Texas)
Dr. Gary Smalley
Best-selling author, speaker
President, The Smalley Relationship Center (Branson, Missouri)
Dr. John Trent
Speaker, author of The Blessing
President Strong Families (Scottsdale, Arizona)
Aaron Watson
Country Music Artist
Dr. Joe and Debbie Jo White
President, Kanakuk Kamps (Branson, Missouri)
William Yinger
Chairman National Board of Young Life
