The second/conservative approach described above is by far the more confusing of the two, because most of the time it is atmospheric rather than explicitly taught, and because there are myriad exceptions.
One such exception is each believer’s initial experience of conversion or salvation. Every believer is expected to have such an experience and to be able to describe it vividly and powerfully. Even in fundamentalist churches there seems to be a much higher limit to the level of mysticalness that is tolerated when it comes to salvation experiences.
After salvation, though, it is expected that the believer will get down to the business of studying the text of the Bible, and thereafter experience his or her “personal” relationship with God through reading scripture and the changes of circumstances that follow prayer.