In the congregation I was raised in, it was the same elders for a good 20 years. They were either related - father, son or brother, brother or long time serving men. You didnt have a chance in hell of being appointed. They liked to keep it in the family. We had the same min servants for like 20 years.
Eventually, some of those elders died and one ran off with his secretary and was DFd. Then, lo and behold, within a year they appointed a load of min servants to elders. This was taken as wonderful guidance from Jehovah. The min servants were replaced by appointing brothers who were absolutely unsuitable. My brother in law being one. He was on the fence about the religion at the time he was made a servant, then suddenly the religion was the best thing in the world.
In my last congregation it was all about power. They only appointed their friends. It was an open joke in the congregation that in order to be an elder you had to live on "__________ Street". The street where all of the elders just so happened to live.
Some congregations, it seemed like you just collected so many tokens on cereal boxes and mailed them off and became an elder. Zero bible knowledge.
None of them were in it to serve others and provide encouragement. In fact, of all the elders I've known I can think of only one from when I was a kid who seemed to genuinely love the brothers and sisters and was very kind.
One brother, a WWII veteran, turned down being an elder 4 times. And ironically he was absolutely the kind of person I respected and thought should have been one.
The desire to be an elder should disqualify for life anyone ever being one.
