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Produced by Faith: Enjoy Real Success without Losing Your True Self

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STRAIGHT FROM HOLLYWOOD comes a dynamic business model for building a thriving career without compromising your faith. DeVon Franklin, vice president of production for Columbia Pictures, shares how being bold about his Christian faith while being driven and ambitious has actually worked in his favor to help him excel in a high-profile, fast-paced, competitive industry. You are the movie. Produced by Faith parallels each step of the Hollywood filmmaking process with the faith-making process God uses to turn your career into a success. You will discover that it is possible to be both wildly successful and completely committed to God—and that you will be even more successful when you place your faith at the center of your career. You can unleash the power of your faith as your greatest professional advantage and use the compass of God’s Word to guide you to your true passion and purpose in life. In this informative, inspiring book, DeVon reveals the secrets to maintaining your faith while advancing in your career. Here he shows * How to discover The Big Idea for your life * How to take your career to the next level * How to recognize the signs God sends you that indicate when it’s time to movein a new direction * How to stand firm on your Christian principles without compromise * How to work with people who don’t understand your beliefs * How to choose a profession, industry, or company that is in tune with your purpose DeVon says, “I know from my own experiences that if you will put your career in God’s hands and trust Him, you can’t account for all the ways He will bless you. When you step out in faith, He will open doors and bring you opportunities that will surpass even your wildest expectations. . . . If I have learned anything, it’s To get where you want to go, you’ve first got to become the person God wants you to be.”

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 3, 2011

129 people are currently reading
1186 people want to read

About the author

DeVon Franklin

15 books203 followers
DeVon Franklin is a bestselling author, spiritual success coach, former Sony Pictures executive, and the CEO of Franklin Entertainment, a production company in conjunction with 20th Century Fox. Variety named him one of the “10 Producers to Watch” and Beliefnet called him one of the “Most Influential Christians Under 40.” Franklin is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Wait (co-written with his wife, award-winning actress Meagan Good) and Produced by Faith. He lives with Meagan in Los Angeles, California.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
Profile Image for Tiara Shareef.
6 reviews
January 19, 2014
Liked it.

This book was great but sometimes he went to deep in trying to explain the movie business to prove his point. I enjoyed reading it and the fact that he didn't give up his faith for money or career and in the end he was blessed with even better opportunities. Overall a very inspiring story
Profile Image for K.L. Brady.
Author 29 books277 followers
August 10, 2011
As an author, I love to read books and watch biographic programs that detail the authors', musicians', and entertainers' personal and professional journeys, struggles with faith, and the determination and grit it takes to succeed in whatever field they may be in. I watch every biopic, television show (Behind the Music, UnSung, etc), and read books by Russell Simmons, Barack Obama and others who are at the top of their games. Such accounts truly give me perspective, energize and inspire me. Today, I will count Produced by Faith among the best of the lot.

In Produced by Faith, Mr. Franklin details his struggles to balance his Christian faith and ambition in an industry replete with immoral excesses--and the successes that he's achieved because he's steadfastly adhered to his religious beliefs. He masterfully integrates his lessons on faith while describing the entire movie creation process, from development to production, and includes a multitude of relevant and often inspiring anecdotes from his professional and personal lives to expand on his experiences and drive home his points without being even slightly preachy. At the end of each chapter, he includes a set of questions that allow each reader to reveal his/her own struggles and apply life lessons designed to help propel them forward in faith. His bottom line: You never have to compromise faith to achieve success, rather your faith will take you to heights you never believed you could reach as long as you stay true to yourself and submit to God's will for your life.

This was just what God ordered. The timing couldn't be more perfect as I endure many of the obstacles and tribulations Mr. Franklin faced in the past. This book truly spoke to me on so many different levels, the experience felt surreal. As an author myself, I am deep in the thick of Developmental Hell and endure daily struggles with patience and wanting everything to happen yesterday, wondering if writing is truly God's will for my life. Mr. Franklin's book helped me to realize that I'm not alone, that it's okay to have doubts and wonder, and it's okay to struggle. The key is to let your faith in God pull you through, persevere, and trust in Him to provide what you need when the timing is best for you to take the most advantage of every opportunity.

This is indeed one of the most inspiring books I've read in ages. Finished it in less than 24 hours. I highly recommend this book for authors, screenwriters, or anyone anyone in need of some inspiration and a reminder to stay in faith when you're going through professional and personal valleys. God is in control and every trial and struggle will work out for your greater good.
Profile Image for Sonja Lewis.
Author 5 books8 followers
March 5, 2014
A friend who saw the author in an interview with Oprah recommended the book. Since this person doesn't necessarily relate to faith based books, i thought it must be an intriguing read. And I was right.

A little pricey for an e-book, still I downloaded to my Kindle and read it in about a week, stealing time at the end of the day mostly.

Produced by Faith targets those at the beginning of their career, although any purpose driven person will benefit from the book. The author shares his personal story and parallels it with the making of a moving to demonstrate how his faith has been integral to his success.

A must read I think for young faith driven individuals. On that note, I'm buying up a few, especially for the young men in my life, at least two of them headed to college in the autumn.

Though it takes more than a book to get on and stay on a successful career path, Produced by Faith is a so tastefully done that it no doubt has already and will continue to become a part of the a young person's must have reference book. I think I'll keep it around, too.

Well done!
Profile Image for James Fant.
Author 16 books146 followers
September 13, 2012
The Word admonishes us to strengthen others after we have been strengthened. I am going to do that now. I have found strength after reading "Produced by Faith," a powerful testimony written by Devon Franklin. So now I want to strengthen someone else.

Devon goes into great detail about the inner workings of the film industry and draws several parallels to how his knowledge might be beneficial in other disciplines. I found myself immediately applying the tools that Devon laid out about how to be truly successful vocationally. But the book doesn't stop at the job. Readers can apply the tools laid out in all aspects of their life.

"Produced by Faith" was written in such a way that even a non-believer can apply the tools that Devon laid out in the book to their lives. One of the major themes of the book was purpose. Why do you work? What are your goals. Chasing money is an empty goal. Your goal should be to enrich the lives of others. As I read the book I found myself hustling harder at work, taking more ownership. The needs of my team became my goals. I asked myself, "How can I facilitate? How can I be a blessing to someone else?" As a result of reading this book, my passion for seeking the wealth and well-being of others increased exponentially.

The take home message of the book for me was to make your faith central to work, home, church, everything. Your faith is actually an asset, empowering you to be intelligent and honorable no matter the setting. The scriptures admonish us to seek the Kingdom of God first and all other things will be added for us. Devon Franklin drove that point home extremely well.
11 reviews1 follower
May 24, 2016
I had a great experience reading Produced by Faith because of the message I received during the reading of this book. This is one of the best book I've read because the message helped me become a better person and staying true to myself.

“Take the initiative. Go out on a limb. Make the first move. No one but God can define who or what you are. When you step out in faith, he will bring you opportunities and opportunities that surpass even your wildest expectations” (Franklin 256).

Some people think that the american dream is about making money and having all the luxuries in life. In todays age people strive for material instead of having a greater purpose which can cause corruption within. This book is a guide of sorts, it allows you to chase your dreams while staying connected to god. When people become famous they tend to forget how and why there are there. Instant success is also something that is offered to people instead of hard work. This is a guide on how stay true to yourself and not allow the corruption of success to damage you, by following some of the messages that I have read I have been able to have more success without gaining an ego or forgetting my purpose.

I suggest this book to anybody that would like to get closer to god. This allow you to continue to be successful but it shows you that there is a higher reason behind why you are successful. I also recommend this book to anyone that feels that they don’t have a path to success and need something to follow while staying true t themselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Jasmyne Jackson.
15 reviews
June 28, 2011
I'm on the last few pages of the book. This book has me dreaming (with faith) above and beyond! I really love how DeVon Franklin incorporates God in all decisions that go on in his work life. I find this book helps me more with my personal life more than anything else. Learning to really lean on God and let Him lead (Proverbs 3:5-6). I'm going to read the book again and answer all the questions that DeVon has at the end of each chapter. Faith is the key to ALL!
Profile Image for Gregory.
324 reviews5 followers
June 22, 2012
I had just finished reading this book. Mr. Franklin knows what he is talking about. It is refreshing to hear from someone who is from Hollywood to offer both advice and inspiration as opposed to what you normally hear from books about Hollywood.

The difference is that it is from a Chrisitian perspective that is just simply inspirational. Even if you aren't a Christian, I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Noma.
6 reviews
June 10, 2011
Just what I need at this time of my life...to know who is producing my life story. I believe this book will be a best seller because of the timing-people are struggling and searching for something more in life and this book directs them to their maker, God, who knows the purpose of each of our lives.
Profile Image for S. Marlene.
3 reviews2 followers
November 28, 2012
God works in interesting ways. A few years ago, I asked someone "how do I maintain my faith in the entertainment industry?" Produced By Faith has answered my question and given me a valuable tool for life. I keep reading it over and over again.
Profile Image for Tamiko.
210 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2014
Appreciated the movie analogy as it relates to your career. There were lots of things I highlighted for future reference. As someone currently in "development hell" it's good to know there is a plan and if you are faithful great things are to come.
Profile Image for Lexie.
31 reviews29 followers
June 26, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. My cousin recommended this book to me particularly because I am kind of going through a career crisis and needed some direction and support in navigating my current choices vs. passions.

I just have to say that from the MINUTE I started reading, this book spoke to me. I wasn't even expecting to fall in love with this book as much as I did. It's incredibly practical and thought provoking. Devon includes questions after every chapter to encourage reflection and conversation.

I loved his parallel between the movie making business (which I'm obsessed with so that also gave me a reason to love it) and God's direction in our life. As I am someone who loves producing content and acting, I could really see his analogy and it gave me the permission I needed to allow myself to pursue my dreams.

I have filtered myself, assuming, that some of my dreams weren't "Godly" but I hadn't ever prayed over them or asked God what He thought. I just assumed. Through this book, I got the conviction I needed to make some steps in the direction I would like to go and I love it. His questions allowed me to have clear direction and gave me the vocabulary I needed to know what to ask God for.

I look forward to hopefully Devon writing another book because this was great.

If you're wondering how you can practice your faith and live out the career of your dreams, PLEASE check out this book. It's worth every penny. I intend to read this at least a few more times this year to really get the concepts into my head and I definitely plan to give this to others!

Catch my video review of it here: http://youtu.be/flhXA8gDQhI
Profile Image for Adrienna.
Author 18 books242 followers
October 8, 2013
DeVon Franklin writes a timely, exemplary book that underlies his own life experiences and examples how he stayed focused, trusted God, and kept the faith. Moreover, he tells the reader that he will not compromise his godly values for a career in movie production, even though he was assigned as an executive director on countless projects.

I was glued to his definition on "success" and proceeding with your development, things that need to be edited and deleted to see your future lying ahead of you, and accepting God's timing for it all to come forth. Moreover, some of us will go through development hell before we see our plans come to fold...yet we have to hold on to our binding faith by believing all these tests will come to pass and see the promise land at last! I loved how he mentioned some celebrities you already know their story or had an idea and how successful they are today like Tyler Perry, who now defeated the odds of Hollywood with his own studio production in Atlanta and plans to expand.

We are written in the script and God will cast people in and out of our lives to get to our future destination but he is the ultimate director and producer on this script...

I wrote a couple pages of reminders to remain encouraged and inspired to do what God has assigned me to do, and regardless of the unemployment sequels, I know God has a purpose in mind and willing to walk into it on purpose.

Adrienna Turner
www.adriennaturner.webs.com
Profile Image for Lynecia.
250 reviews133 followers
July 24, 2012
I think DeVon Franklin is an amazing young talent and this is only the beginning of an a great career for him. I liked this book as he compared the movie making process to building a career. At some points the metaphor did not fully connect with me, but I was able to still rock with him. What was also a tiny disappointment was that the book was written from a religious point of view - I think that a lot of people who could benefit from what he has to say, would be turned off by that. Not to say that its a bad thing as he is a devoted Christian (as well as a preacher)and plenty people of faith will be galvanized and inspired by this dynamic young man spiritual leader.

I will definitely put it on the re-read list for further study.
Profile Image for Natalie.
10 reviews2 followers
February 24, 2013
I love how DeVon Franklin compares his life as a studio executive to his life as a studio executive. He showed us the faith it takes to make your way in this world against all the odds. How a man of faith can make it big in the cesspool of Hollywood where you have to be able to interrupt peoples expectations of how people act and help them overcome them so that you can survive in an environment where most Christians do not survive or thrive. This book inspired me because it showed how his courage and faithfulness won out over taking the easy road, and allowed God to help him produce a happy and fulfilling life, right in the middle of the type of environment where this lifestyle is counterintuitive.
Profile Image for Mary Stanwood.
37 reviews2 followers
August 4, 2014
This book is a great read for anyone who aspires to live out their purpose in life, whether you're in the film biz or not! Devon uses the stages of film development, production, and distribution to illustrate how God divinely orchestrates our steps in life, whether it's through agonizingly long seasons of "development," or the humbling "notes" we're given in areas that need refinement. But ultimately, the Lord desires to bring us through Production and Distribution, though the road may be longer and more arduous than we ever thought it would be. There are some great nuggets of wisdom on leadership drawn from his personal experience. I met him recently, and can testify that he definitely lives out everything in this book!
1 review6 followers
January 4, 2013
I loved this book. I enjoy "parable style" writing, a story told that holds an unexpected meaning. I am not a producer, but as an actor, I clearly understood how my personal life story was a great "dramedy!" Though sad at times, it was also very funny. The "Production Process" has been long with a great "cast" of characters and "intricate plot lines" along the way. A few "Oscar" worthy performances and definitely a cult following strong enough to support a "sequel!" I've accepted the truth that,"I AM SUCCESSFUL JUST AS I AM." If you appreciate the movie industry or believe that life has a BIG picture, you will equally enjoy "Produced By Faith".
Profile Image for bruinbutterfly.
20 reviews
May 31, 2014
This book has greatly helped me prepare for interviews by simply reminding me to ask myself, "Why do I want this job? How is it going to help me in my overall life plan? Is this the job God wants for me?" Simple questions that I sometimes forget to ask.
I saw his interview with Oprah and had to get the book. He was energized and inspirational on the show and I can feel that in his books. I love his real life experiences and his boldness to share his struggles. As a writer and movie goer, I can easily follow his discussion of a movie development and how it applies to maturing as a person. It is also helping me think about my career path and how to align this move with God.
Profile Image for MK.
6 reviews1 follower
June 12, 2012
DeVon is an inspiring speaker and writer. "Produced by Faith" is a compelling and uplifting look at how to conduct yourself as a person of sincere faith (Christian faith) in the workplace, couched in the metaphor of our life being a "movie" being Directed by Christ. Now an Executive at Sony Pictures, DeVon shares how dying to "self" and being faithful to God's calling has been a difficult, yet rewarding path in his life. I am enjoying a chapter every morning and always have to stop myself from continuing and get to work!
Profile Image for Rejoice Jackson .
6 reviews
March 15, 2013
This book gave helpful advice on how to keep your mind on God's plan for your life and how to remain a servant to him first in all aspects of life including your career. I enjoyed the general idea for this book however I couldn't get into it. Great idea, he just could've done a better job at it. The book was pretty boring. Took me like 2 or 3 months just to get to page 100 and give up on reading it.. He could've used a bit more humor or something! The bible says laughter does the body good like a medicine. Nice try but, I suggest he try again.
Profile Image for Kendra.
198 reviews
August 7, 2013
Exceedingly blessed by this book and keep recommending it to my students. As others have mentioned, film-making as a metaphor for the spiritual journey of success worked well here. The books points are thoughtful and expansive, and very relevant. Franklin is obviously not just loosely acquainted with Scripture. It is clear that he reads it--deeply, absorbs it, and applies it. I am a Seventh-day Adventist, as well, and found Franklin's commitment to living out his faith an inspiration as well as an excellent guide.
Profile Image for Jarika Tucker.
29 reviews3 followers
Read
July 9, 2022
Long Time Coming

i have been reading this book for years, a little here, a little there. It has always felt like a lot to ingest. I let it sit with me, and I'm glad I have. This books parallels Hollywood and making it in the film industry to God's movement in our lives so well. As a writer, director, and actress of faith trying to find my way in this industry, it is inspiring to know that God ALWAYS has a plan for me that He is enacting now and that we are cooperating together to that end. This book helps me to continue believing and to move forward in faith!
Profile Image for Chris Jackson.
16 reviews
July 15, 2018
This book changed the way i viewed my journey in this entertainment industry, especially as a young Christian man. I loved it. Growing up in church, i wasn't really encouraged to pursue music or anything in entertainment due to it being the "devil's playground". However, it was sincerely a literal breath of fresh air to read this book and have someone confirm what i've always felt: you can definitely be a light amidst darkness.

and come on, it ain't all bad LOL. if you're tryna delve into the entertainment field, whether or not you grew up in church, yeah read this.
Profile Image for Jill Kemerer.
Author 118 books621 followers
February 23, 2013
DeVon Franklin wrote a practical and inspiring book on becoming the best we can be in our vocation (and he has tips on figuring out that vocation too). I liked the emphasis on listening to God, paying attention to the signs He sends us, and working hard in whatever we do. I took notes throughout and know I'll be looking back often whenever I need encouragement.

Life, work, and achieving our dreams is not easy, but DeVon shows it is possible. Great book!
Profile Image for Dina Dalia.
2 reviews2 followers
October 16, 2013
This was a greatly helpful and insightful book on ways to happiness and success without losing your belief in God. Devon Franklin used the film industry process and his personal experiences to describe helpful ways to stay true to yourself as you succeed. (Ignoring the typos sporadically present throughout the book) This was a greatly inspirational and applicable manual to life. Perfect for those trying to figure out their career path. I greatly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Bryan Tanner.
14 reviews5 followers
February 20, 2017
This was a Christmas gift from my family 2011. Once I started reading this book I didn't want to stop. Coming from the entertainment (music) industry it was refreshing to hear an educated brother parallel life to the TV/Film side of the business. It was an easy yet POWERFUL read, explaining the different phases of your journey to a SUCCESSFUL Life. This book set up my 2012 year for success, and the other years to follow.
Profile Image for Renee Goodwin.
65 reviews1 follower
October 13, 2012
This book puts God into the role of movie producer, and you are the movie. The author is quite arrogant and self-righteous and he is clear that the reason he is successful as a movie studio executive is because of God's favor. I read the first few chapters and then skimmed the rest. Didn't like it at all.
Profile Image for Christian Cashelle.
Author 17 books5 followers
February 26, 2016
Produced by Faith is a very good book that is thought provoking and eye opening. Using his career in Hollywood as a metaphor for life was very entertaining while staying true to the message. Standing firm on your faith not only enriches you spiritually, but Franklin shows how it can enrich your career as well. Great read!
1 review
September 14, 2016
Average read

Excellent read. Because the author is a film producer he uses the film industry as an analogy to describe his faith walk. He does this in an excellent way but there are areas in the book where this analogy appears to drag a little but. And St times seems to deviate too far off topic. But he does always seem to bring it back effectively. Good read!
Profile Image for David Acuff.
Author 1 book1 follower
April 28, 2020
There are too many books by Christian Filmmakers with very little Hollywood experience which is why DeVon's story is so powerful. It's as encouraging as it is informative of how to successfully navigate a large studio with faith and conviction. We need more stories of Christians at the top of their Hollywood game.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews

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