Book excerpt: Why, when relevance is at the very heart of the gospel, are Christians today so irrelevant? And why do we compromise in the face of modern pressures? The culprit, says Os Guinness, is our starry-eyed pursuit of relevance in a highly modern form. In this short but penetrating book, Guinness uncovers the influence and pressures of the modern clock culture, which we take as natural and self-evident even though it's not. And he outlines strategies for a wise handling of time -- today's ultimate currency. To become "untimely people" -- those who are faithful despite the mesmerizing lure of the present age -- we need fresh and creative thinking coupled with a life of integrity. For our true timeliness lies finally in the untimeliness of rejecting modern timeliness. Then, and only then, will we make sense to the world around us while remaining faithful to God. Book jacket.