[CA Conservative]

In other passages it's clear that although men called presbuteroi ruled over individual congregations

Hopefully this is just poor wording by the author. It was never the role of the minister, whether you call him priest, bishop, elder or pastor, to rule over the congregation. It was the role of the minister to guide, to teach, to lead, to SERVE the congregation - but never to rule over them.

[Salvation]

to guide, to teach, to SERVE

Role of the priest.

I agree with you on the use of the word “rule”