Good subject and good questions.  I agree with you that there is no doubt about the existence of Hell in scripture, but I do agree it is debatable as to what happens to those have not heard the gospel and die. 

First, as for the concept of Sheol.  There was various ideas during the Old Testament period.  Some of the ideas would correspond with the idea of hell and some of them that would correspond with the idea of "Abraham's Bosom."  I do not think it is beyond contemplation that Sheol is a shadow of Hell.

I think there are scriptures that point to the fact that unbelievers will face Hell, but there isn't any scripture that blantantly states this.  Scirptures like Revelations 20:13-14 and 21:8 and Romans 1:18-32 (as the death talked about could be the physical death, but I think it really means spiritual death in that all people face physical death even believers, but the hope is in the resurrection). 

Finally, since scripture is pretty silent on the issue I think one has to be careful to how and what degree the speculate on an it.  I think it would not be good to use silence as a basis to radically change missiology.  If one takes it to it's logical conclusion one could think that it is best to leave in total spiritual darkness because they may avoid hell.

@Chicken_Pax - That is a false dichotomy if I ever heard one.  So one cannot bring the light and healing of the Good News to the world if they bring forth a teaching (a debatable teaching) of hell (an essential part of the NT) and wants to be bring a balanced teacing of hell as it is taught in Scripture (never perfect, but what Christian or ministry is perfect)?  That is ridiculous.  Please do not project your bad fundamentalist Baptist experiences and their teachings to every Evangelical Christian. 

it being easter, resurrection has been on the mind....  here's what i've been thinking:  jesus raises jairus's daughter, the widow's son, and lazarus without securing any kind of confession from them before they died (this is especially true for the widow's son who was personal unknown to jesus before their chance encounter).  in death they made the "decision" to follow Jesus back to life.  jesus made an appeal to the dead that resulted in their resurrection which is a privilege the NT assigns to "believers."  while i realize that these pre-passion resurrections may fall into weird territory, they were definitely performed as demonstrations of eternal life available through Christ.  as such, i think they bring a challenge to the whole decide-before-your-dead doctrine.  have you got anything on that tom, exceeding your peter I comments?

@theotica - I do not think Tom's post is all that convincing in that it is basically snippits of NT genre generalizations in the context of a specific subject.  Nevertheless, what I meant by "essential" is the Hell (it's existence within Christian Theology based on the NT) cannot be denied.  Aspects of it is debatable, but it's existence within Christian orthdoxy is not.

Just a note: Hell is conspicuously absent from many of the historic Christian Creeds as well (including the Nicene).  It is included (in English) in the Apostles' Creed and the Athanasian Creed, but the Roman Catholic Church is keen to point out that this reference is identical to the Hebrew concept of Sheol and the Greek concept of Hades - a place of the dead and NOT a burning lake of fire).

That being said, however, I have yet to see an orthodox (as defined by the Nicene and Apostles' Creeds) denomination not hold a pretty traditional view of hell (someone might be able to correct me).  Regardless, judgement is in the historic creeds, and I think this is what needs to be emphasized.

Random comment: I live with a bunch of universalists (literally), and if God is a universalist, I wouldn't mind.  Why would that be bad?

@Beloved_Shepherd -

Great thoughts, man. I hadn't ever thought of some of that. I wonder if you could shed some light on Revelation 14 where the flames of Hell are burning "in the presence of God and his hold angels." It kind of makes me think that Hell is in the presence of God - a more CS Lewis"y" thought.

@caleb -

Depends, Do you think the justice nature of God would be hindered by a universalism position? 

@TheFuerstShallBeLast - I understand what you are saying about the "scare tactics."  Some use it too much or only use it in preaching and ministering to others.  I think this goes with the atonement issue (an issue not just for today, but struggled with between Augustine, Abelard, and Aquinas) in which the multi-fascited representations and appeals of His sacrifice toward unbelievers who are not homogenous in their thoughts and views.  I know some who have come to a saving faith due to a sermon on hell. 

Fear is not a bad thing. In fact it is a rational emotion that helps us from danger (fight or flight).  However, to use exclusive scare tactics is not good either (whether for justification or sanctification).  That is more cultish than a loving obediance. 

I think you are right in that Evangelicals should catch these nuances of Scripture that put into question the total and perfect perpescutiy on some doctrines, but the reaction should not be a total avoidance of what scripture seems to point toward (even if it isn't laid out in detail).