Hollywood producer DeVon Franklin talks new book, strong faith, and going on Oprah’s ‘Super Soul Sunday’

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Let’s talk about your book. What is it really like being a devout and vocal Christian in Hollywood? How do you do that successfully?

Success is often defined as destination-focused and subsequently we only believe ourselves to be a success when we arrive at a destination or goal.  I don’t agree with that point of view. Real success is actually developing into and becoming the person you were meant to be. The truth is, we are the stars of our own movie. God is the director. It’s not really about how you end up in life; it’s about who you become along the way. The thing that makes a character great in a movie is the development that the character goes through. For me, success is all about character. And true success is having peace with who God created you to be. I live by a set of principles and I don’t deviate from them.

Do I make mistakes? Sure. Do I fall short? Yes. But the key is to live by a set of values that allow you to get back up and keep doing what is right. It is one thing to become successful. It’s another to stay successful. That takes character, humility, and a living faith that keeps you there. Your character will always impact your position. Always.

Some of those principles that I have developed came out of being in this business for 15 years, struggling, hitting roadblocks and wondering what it is all about. I had to come up with some guidelines that would help me navigate my business and keep my integrity and my relationship with God intact.  So I developed a Code of Conduct:

• God’s will has priority over mine.
• God has the authority to put my ambition in check.
• Don’t take shortcuts; if I want to be true to my purpose, then shortcuts don’t exist.
• To remember on the down days of life to never give up on myself or my dreams.
• Strive to let the love of Christ be apparent in everything I do. Faith without works is dead.

How do you deal with the “haters”? Because when you are so vocal about your faith and live by the aforementioned principles, some people are going to dislike you.

Here’s the thing: Any story is only as good as the conflict in the story. We are only as victorious as the villains that we face. Haters validate what we are doing in life. If I wasn’t on my path, I would not face conflict. Conflict is there to make us better.  In terms of dealing with “haters,” most people hate from an idea of who they think you are. That is why it is so important to meet people with the love of God every time they interact with you.  Interpersonal relationships matter. Ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the time “hating” is based on people not having had a genuine interaction with you; it has to do with them feeling less than, because you have something they do not, or you are somewhere they desire to be. So I deal with hate by being a person who sows and shows love. It is that simple.

You are getting married to the lovely actress Meagan Good — and you are both young, physically attractive, successful black people, who took a vow of celibacy until marriage. Tell us about that, and how you see the institution of black marriage in this modern time.

Here’s the thing — I have committed myself to a life of faith.  I love the fact that whoever we get married to is the single most important decision we make outside of coming to know God. I could not be the man I am if I am preaching one thing and living another. So in order for me to have peace, we both agreed to honor our faith.  It was important for us to model what we wanted in our relationship.  We are going to hold on to our virtue. If our modeling this helps our community to be better and stronger, that is even better.

The blessing for me is that I am ready to be married. I always wanted to be married, but you get caught up in working, etc. God has the perfect fit, if we would just wait. I have fallen in love with the woman of my dreams. I am so excited about our relationship now and what is to come. Some advice I would offer to those who want to be married is as follows:

1. Do the work on yourself first before you get married.
2. Be patient. Get to know you.
3. Tear up the list. Get rid of the list of who you think you need. Let God bring your mate.
4. Meagan is beyond my list, so I am blessed — but you either marry a list, or you marry a person.
5. Love is an endeavor of faith. It is an endeavor of long-suffering. Sometimes, marriages fail because we get caught up in the image of marriage, versus the reality of marriage. We have to accept people for who they are.
6. The same way God loves us is the way we need to love our mates.

How exciting is it that you are going on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday on her OWN Network?

I am thrilled. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I mean, Oprah is amazing. History has not yet been able to put into context the impact she has made on the world. To meet her, and to have her ask me to do the Super Soul Sunday series was a dream come true.  I cannot wait for people to see this interview. I think it will change people’s lives. We are at a time in our culture where this generation needs to understand that faith is still necessary. My hope is that this interview and my book will help us get there. Oprah is a great example of what happens when you let God produce your life by faith.

Are you living your passion in life? Is this it for DeVon Franklin?

Everything I am doing right now comes from a place of passion. And my hope is that as I continue to develop as an executive, an author, a preacher, and a faith leader, that my passion will grow. So while I am living my passion now, I know there is much more to come. I want to help people. I want to inspire people. In moments of inspiration, lives can change. When you get inspired, you live your life differently. I want to get this generation back to faith, back to integrity, back to hard work. I hope to model God’s love. As a husband, or a preacher, when you exhibit love in whatever you do, it is life changing. And when you can change lives, you are living out your passion.

Sophia A. Nelson is a journalist, award winning author and entrepreneur. Her book, Black Woman Redefined, has been discussed in various media outlets. Follow Sophia A. Nelson on Twitter at@SophiaRedefined.