I think a more pressing crisis is the lack of men who are able to be their local area managers. The “elders” really are the only thing propping up the ship.
That unpaid work force of managers spreading the propaganda, setting the tone locally, making sure people engage in self propagandizing by being at meetings and in field service etc etc is the back bone. Without that segment the org folds and they have issues finding people they think are qualified to handle it. In the washington dc area countless congregations are runnig with 3 or 4 elders. They are burning them out. This area is flush with people, if anywhere shouldnt be short handed its here... but here they are, short handed.