Many congregations have as many ex-elders as elders and little will budge the ex-elders to "reach out" again.
Very, very true. Once the allure is gone, the attraction is gone. You couldn't budge most ex-elders back to that mess with a bulldozer. They already know the deal.
On my way out I saw so many bros. reaching for that dangling carrot and I just shook my head. Contrary to what a lot of JWs and even X-JWs think, I found the job draining and confining. I found out much more than I ever wanted to know about a lot of people -- esp other elders and COs. It is a lot more political/corporate than a lot of JWs realize.
Axel