A review of Lee Strobel’s “The Case for Miracles”

The latest project from well-respected Christian apologist Lee Strobel is sure to spark important conversations. Strobel’s work, titled The Case for Miracles, began its four-day theatrical run on December 15. Based on a book with the same title published in 2018, the feature-length film presents an opportunity for Strobel to share about how God operates in supernatural ways to a broad audience.

Strobel is most frequently recognized for The Case for Christ, the first book in a decades-long series. Highlighted in the book is Strobel’s conversion story of going from an atheist and a skeptic to a devout believer dedicated to bringing others to Jesus. Strobel’s background as an investigative journalist permeates his ministry as he often leans on physical evidence to construct his arguments. 

The Case for Miracles stands out because physical evidence can only take you so far with a topic so dependent on belief in the supernatural and trust in the stories of individuals. Strobel acknowledges the unique nature of this focus in the film. His arguments in favor of miracles are based on a combination of scientific evidence and personal experiences.

The movie runs for a total of 1 hour and 20 minutes and presents itself as a cinematic documentary. Strobel and Mani Sandoval, the film’s director, embark on a dialogue-filled adventure through the western United States, exchanging miracle stories as they go. Dramatizations of miraculous events are interwoven throughout Strobel and Sandoval’s conversation in the film.

Two more types of miracles

The purpose of The Case for Miracles is to answer the question, “Does God still intervene in supernatural ways?” Its answer is an unequivocal “yes.” 

Multiple examples are provided of incredible physical miracles occurring in ways neither doctors nor science can explain. From individual medical cases of terminal illness disappearing, to recorded and studied instances of regular healings taking place in a community on the other side of the globe, Strobel makes the case for their legitimacy.

While the film does highlight several similar experiential stories of supernatural intervention, it also broadens its approach to miracles to incorporate two additional examples of God’s divine action.

First, eternal salvation is presented as a miracle. Strobel sees the breaking down of his own hardened heart as a miraculous work of God. The same is true for Sandoval when he talks about the radical transformation of his father, which can only be explained in Christ. 

Every time someone is brought from death to life, adopted into the family of God, that is a supernatural work of God. The message is clear: if you are a follower of Jesus who questions the reality of miracles today, look no further than your own testimony.

Second, the film examines the miracle of our existence within the broader universe. Christian apologist and astrophysicist Dr. Hugh Ross is featured in the film to display the miraculous nature of creation itself. Ross walks through just how impossible our existence is, unless we believe in intelligent design, orchestrated by the God of the Bible.

A reminder of God’s power and grace

Miracles are all around us. From the parting of the Red Sea, to the unexplainable healing of a loved one, to the moment of salvation, all the way to our very existence, we are reminded that we are completely dependent upon a perfect and righteous God. This remains true, even when a miracle you are hoping for does not happen. 

Strobel has been praying for a miracle for his wife, Leslie, for years. She has fibromyalgia–an incurable chronic illness that causes her pain daily. The film reconciles the reality that God can be glorified, and good can exist, in both the miracle and in the suffering. Leslie’s own wisdom on her desire for a miracle is to surrender, noting that “Surrender is not the same as giving up.”

Miracles are a reminder of how powerful God is, but his grace truly is an undeserved gift. The greatest gift of grace, the greatest miracle, comes by way of Christ’s death and resurrection, making a way for the unrighteous to be declared righteous and receive eternal life.

The Case for Miracles will certainly tug on your emotional heartstrings, but it will also leave you encouraged and grateful to serve such a good God. Limited to just 80 minutes, the film does not get granular in its examination of the evidence, but it would still be valuable for a skeptic to view. Pray that God will use this film to strengthen believers, spark important Gospel conversations, and even witness the miracle of salvation in the lives of many.
The Case for Miracles will be in theaters until December 18 through Fathom Events. For more information on the film and how to watch it, click here. Check out our exclusive interview with Lee Strobel on The Faith & Clarity Podcast, released today.