Hi Bill,

Your Christian background resembles my own in many ways, baptized at 11 with three good friends, went through a time of spiritual fog during college, and found my way again shortly afterwards.  Although I am 20 years (maybe a little less) older than you, I have done my best to keep up with the pop Christian writers of our time, the right-leaning Driscolls and the left-leaning McLarens.  

Back in the day, one still had a notion of what the social-gospel debate was all about in the early 20th century, and conservative evangelicalism was still wary of anything that might be considered "watering down the gospel", among these suspect activities, well, almost anything that didn't include a sermon full of biblical texts.  Oh, and bands in the church were almost unheard of.  

Rob Bell resonated with me, as well as with so many others, when he talked about living for the here and now, and not just for a sort of escapism heaven.  I liked his emphasis on social activism, because it was missing for so long.  But now, well, I wonder if he and others haven't gone a bit too far with it all.  I long to here more talk about plain 'ol discipleship, real community living and yes, changed lives.  Worship talk has become a bit mushy.  An intimate God is great, but what about a transcendent One.  Neil Cole has filled in a lot of those gaps for me.  He is nothing if not practical, and in a fun way.

Recently I have discovered Timothy Keller, who seems to balance the two...an unapologetic adherence to traditional Christian theology, with a keen sensitivity to his urban, "ironic" New York City audience.  I'm reading everything I can get my hands on (or downloaded into my Kindle, which just locked up, tragedy of tragedies for someone living overseas!).

But regarding your question...and at the risk of seeming too simplistic...I think young people are (still) primarily personally impacted in two ways: by people who they are convinced love them (community) and  2.  certain circumstances that bring out the creation/fall/redemption narrative and makes it relevant and personal in their lives.  Often times these circumstances are very difficult and come as a result of personal failures, but not always.

We have hosted hundreds of high school and college students over the last 10 years.  Obviously there are some conversion experiences that would mirror our own.  But many have come to experience God in a deeper, personal way because of sorrow or hurt.  And some, frankly, are probably still floating, not having, as of yet, really nailed down their faith.  But all of them (us) were touched by truth in some way in the greenhouse of love.  

There's a lot to be said for love, and all of its wild concepts, including tolerance and brutal honesty, sincerity and rebuke, tenderness and truth-telling.  We need to embrace the warm middle of love, and the radical extremes as well...may God grant us wisdom.