Thanks a lot Rod.  It's always so good to have your input.  I read Neil Cole's Organic Church right after being in Mexico City with y'all, and that has shaped my conception of church ever since.  It revolves around everything you've just named - discipleship, community and changed lives (both materially and spiritually).  And I don't think the two ways that you mentioned about how people are primarily impacted are too simplistic.  It seems like most stories I hear can fall into one of those narratives in some sense or another.  What stuck out to me most though maybe, out of everything you said, was the comment about transcendence in comparison to immanence.  If there's anything I've come to take more seriously as a result of my studies, this one is it.  We need the former insofar as the latter has been unduly stressed, and in our tradition, it certainly has been.  I think that's exactly what I meant by having a conversion to not knowing.  It's just important to point out - and maybe I should have - that <em>not </em>knowing can be caused by either a lack of "evidence" for who God is or a saturation of evidence.  I usually mean to imply the second, which leads to our systems and categories being overwhelmed rather than emptied.    

As for Keller and Bell, well, I've probably said enough about that <a href="http://billwalker.wordpress.com/2011/03/15/is-this-really-about-theology-the-test-case-of-rob-bell-and-tim-keller/" rel="nofollow">elsewhere</a> :)  Sadly, I'd have to amend that post somewhat if I were to write it again, but I don't feel the need to comment too much further about either of them right now. Suffice it to say, Keller obviously deserves credit.  I've read a few of his books, and The Prodigal God in particular really spoke to me.  On the other hand, I think he's been too roped into and cooperative with the neo-Calvinist/Gospel Coalition crowd, and I find that regrettable, but that is to say little if anything about the Spirit-led nature of his church's ministry or his own integrity, both of which I think are commendable.  Bell is on to new things soon, and I'm sure his creative path will be blessed as well - irrespective of his eschatological hope (which I partly happen to share).  

I'm right with you on your final two remarks about experiencing God as a result of sorrow and hurt, and then about love.  Every ministry context should work from this center.  Nonetheless, I'm continually disenchanted with the inability of so many privileged churches (though not all) to appreciate the practical implications of the socio-historical and political-economic differences between being, say, in the "shadow of volcanoes" (Mexico) vs. "the shadow of Empire" (U.S.).  Guess I'll just have to recommend some time in Ixtapaluca.  May God grant us wisdom indeed.