“If your take the Rebbe out of the picture the whole thing falls apart”
I respectfully disagree. However, what you’re talking about with the upbringing based around kiruv and being “Hashem’s soldiers” etc. is exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned the kiruv culture in Chabad. I think that’s exactly why it works in Chabad. It, however, causes the problem of people “graduating from Chabad.” It’s always a trade-off I reckon.