When religion and the world of arts and entertainment come together, Adventists are known for certain lifestyle practices that many think would keep them out of the industry altogether. But for many Adventists, faith and work can work out to their liking.
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Francine Bell left for Paris in 1980 with a one-way ticket and $52 to her name. She toured the churches of France singing negro spirituals. Another move to Australia gave her an opportunity to perform at the Sydney Opera House, among other venues.
Bell now lectures in Contemporary Performance and Presentation at the University of Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, also in Australia. She landed a role in the sequel to “The Matrix,” “Matrix Revolutions.”
A model, actor and gospel singer, she is also a Seventh-day Adventist Christian.
When religion and the world of arts and entertainment come together, Adventists are known for certain lifestyle practices that many think would keep them out of the industry altogether. But for many Adventists, faith and work can work out to their liking.
“My faith determines everything I do,” says Bell. “I pray about every job opportunity and I don’t do anything that might compromise my faith.”
Seventh-day Adventists get the “Seventh-day” part of their name from the fourth commandment in the Bible, which says believers are to keep the seventh day holy—not working on Sabbath, or Saturday.
Initially, Bell saw Sabbath as a roadblock in her chosen industry. Now she sees it as a means to determine whether or not God wants her to do a job.
“If the Sabbath is a problem for my prospective employer, I simply don’t do the job,” says Bell. “I figure that there might have been a problem with the job situation that God is protecting me from.”
However, if she’s asked to do something on Sabbath that she feels will “genuinely help someone” (such as a fund-raiser for cancer research), she’ll do it.
“You have to be prayerful and discerning,” she says.
Bell feels God has placed her in her present position to talk about her faith on radio, film and television, and with industry crews.
“How great is that?!” she says. “Often I don’t have to say anything at all. People know you’re a Christian and they observe you. My job then is to walk in love as an example.”
Bell gave her CD, entitled “Jesus Told Me I can Fly,” to Larry and Andy Wachowski, Laurence Fishburne, Keanu Reeves, Olivia Newton-John, and Nicole Kidman. “Even if all they do is read the front cover, not even listening to the CD, the word ‘Jesus’ has gone into the brain,” she says.
Bell’s spiritual influences include Jesus, the Apostle Paul, her late grandmother, Billy Graham, and Joyce Meyer.