The more liberal, metaphoric interpretation is, I'm quite convinced, the correct one.  If it makes people less inclined to belief, that's fine with me.
In the past, for odd reasons, I "had" to attend one of these newer, evangelical places, something called The Vineyard.  Instead of a choir, there was a "worship team" -- essentially, a rock band.  There wasn't a liturgy (I'm an atheist, but certainly admire the poetry of the liturgy) but instead a Pastor who opened with a joke and "shared".  The there was an altar call - people coming forward to get "saved".  The theology was terrible -- pure fundamentalism.  Only Christians go to heaven -- everyone else is banished to hell.  Homosexuals are "deceived" or "trapped" by Satan.  Women should submit to their husbands.  Once, "Pastor John" even said that karate is a deception of Satan! There was absolutely no gravitas or sense of mystery. If that's the option to declining numbers in mainline churches, well, pardon the pun, but God help us!