Universe Designed is a thought-provoking documentary that explores the question at the heart of human existence-Is God real?-through the lenses of science, philosophy, and Christian faith. Directed by former atheist Michael Ray Lewis, the film examines the universe as a work of intentional design, presenting evidence that points to a purposeful Creator rather than random chance.
Featuring insights from leading Christian thinkers and apologists such as Frank Turek, Sean McDowell, Alisa Childers, Stephen Meyer, Hugh Ross, and Allen Parr, Universe Designed invites viewers into a compelling conversation about meaning, belief, and truth. Timed for release during the Christmas season, the documentary connects the wonder of the cosmos with the celebration of Christ's birth, encouraging reflection on faith, purpose, and the reality of God.
We are honored to chat with the film's director Michael Ray Lewis for this exclusive interview.
Q: What pivotal moment or question first disrupted your atheism and opened the door to your journey toward faith?
For me, everything changed the day my wife came home and said, "I feel like Jesus is calling me back." I remember thinking, Oh no... here we go.
At the time, I wanted nothing to do with Christianity. I didn't believe in God, and the Christians I encountered on street corners had not left a good impression. But because I loved my wife, I agreed to go to church with her. As I sat in the congregation, I remember thinking, Well, these Christians aren't as bad as I thought. I get it-it gives them something to hope in. I simply didn't believe any of it was actually true.
Eventually, I grew tired of attending church, so I decided the quickest way out was to show my wife that Christianity wasn't true. I began hitting her with difficult questions she couldn't answer, but no matter what I asked, she remained absolutely convinced of her faith.
Then one day, a video appeared in my YouTube feed: a talk by an astrophysicist explaining the creation days in Genesis from a scientific perspective. For the first time, I saw that the biblical creation account actually does align with what we observe in science. That got my attention. It sparked a three-year journey of intense research into cosmology, biology, philosophy, and history, it was a journey that ultimately led me to see that Christianity offers the best explanation for the reality we live in.
Q: Universe Designed brings together science, philosophy, and theology. How did you determine which voices best communicated the case for intentional design?
When I began exploring these questions, I was devouring books by astrophysicists, biochemists, New Testament scholars, philosophers, and Christian apologists. So when it came time to decide who should appear in the documentary, the answer was simple: I invited the very people whose work had convinced me of the truthfulness of Christianity.
After conducting the interviews, I had more than 36 hours of content. The challenge was to condense that into a film just under an hour and a half while still presenting a strong, compelling case for God's existence and for Jesus being who He claimed to be. My goal was not to overwhelm viewers with information, but to spark curiosity and give them a solid foundation that motivates them to explore Christianity more deeply on their own.
Q: Many skeptics point to science as a reason to doubt God's existence. In your own search, what scientific evidence became impossible to ignore?
The most compelling scientific evidence for me was the fine-tuning of the universe. There are fundamental constants, quantities, and parameters that must be set to incredibly precise values in order for life to exist on our planet. The odds of all of them being correctly set by chance are astronomically low.
To put it in perspective: the odds are worse than picking out a single proton from all the protons in the entire universe while blindfolded.
The universe is intentionally structured and ordered in a way that not only allows for life, but for intelligent life. And whenever we encounter something finely tuned for a purpose, It always requires an intelligent mind behind it. The fine-tuning argument became impossible for me to dismiss.
Q: You interviewed respected thinkers such as Frank Turek, Stephen Meyer, Hugh Ross, Sean McDowell, and Alisa Childers. What insight or exchange from these conversations most surprised or challenged you?
Throughout my journey, I had already come to see how compelling the case for the Christian worldview truly is. But speaking personally with the scholars featured in the film only strengthened that conviction.
Every conversation added another layer of insight that pointed even more clearly toward the truth of Christianity. As I interviewed them, not only did my intellectual confidence grow, but so did my relationship with Jesus. Each moment reinforced the reality that Christianity is not just meaningful-it's true.
Q: With the documentary releasing during the Christmas season, why is this story about the Creator and the meaning of existence especially timely right now?
The timing of the film's release has been fascinating to me. I've been working on this project for four years, far longer than the one year I originally planned. There were countless obstacles, delays, and moments of struggle, but through it all I continually prayed for the film to be completed on God's timing, not mine.
Now here we are, releasing during the Christmas season, a time when we celebrate the astonishing truth that God stepped into His own creation and became a human being. It also happens to be a cultural moment where people are once again asking life's biggest questions:
Why are we here? What is our purpose? What does all of this mean?
I can't imagine a better moment for a film that speaks directly to those questions and offers clear, compelling answers rooted in the person of Jesus.
Q: Having lived on both sides of belief-first as an atheist and now as a follower of Christ-what do you hope viewers of all backgrounds take away from Universe Designed?
My hope is that the film opens the eyes of those who do not yet believe, challenges their assumptions, and shows them that Christianity is absolutely worth considering. It has explanatory power unlike any other worldview.
For believers, I hope it will serve as an encouragement. The evidence that what we believe is not blind faith but grounded in truth. I hope it inspires Christians to have conversations about what they believe and why. Universe Designed can be a powerful evangelistic tool for those discussions.
Ultimately, this is a film for both believers and skeptics. My prayer is that it reaches people who are genuinely searching for truth and points them to the One who is Truth.
