In the OT different words are used for priestly service and service of the congregation. In the NT we see a parallel for priestly service, when it is used about an individual (Romans 15:16) and about the congregation(1 Peter 2:9) . But the overriding characteristic word for service in the NT is "diaconia". The Lord when He says, " the Son of man came to serve", it is this word that is used. The root meaning is serving at the table.
In the early Church, the organism i.e. life in the Church had to give way to organization as functioning became necessary. We see this in the 6th chapter of Acts with regard to the 7 deacons. We notice that they were functioning even before they had been ordained and given an office. So, functioning first and office next. Office is only for giving a platform for recognized official service.
The "body of Christ" analogy makes things clearer. Every organ has a function to serve within the body for edification and outside the body to show Christ's love. The Holy Spirit gave a gift to each member of the body for this purpose. The division as Clergy and Laity in exercising the function should be understood as superficial. According to Luther every believer is a priest before his God ! It is Universal Priesthood ! It is the Peter's understanding of service(2 Peter 2:9).
The pattern presented in the early Church should make us see elders as officials facilitating individual members to exercise their gifts for the edification of the Church. It is a gift of administration.
A parallel could be drawn here. All the specialized ministries are, to be apt, not ministries but platforms created by administrators ! They are expected to be wise in allowing different members with different gifts to function for the edification of the Church at large. Strictly speaking, in Acts there is nothing like Sunday school ministry, Student ministry, Youth ministry, Women ministry, Village ministry, Church ministry etc. The ministry in Acts is Administrating ministry, Preaching ministry, Teaching ministry, Healing ministry etc which cuts across all platforms. The phrase I am forced to coin here is "charismatic division", in other words functioning according to the gifts. The earlier we realise this and facilitate one another the better it would be. Each one of us have the responsibility to edify the body of Christ and to do our bit for the extension of His kingdom noticing that there is nothing like full time and part time as we belong to Him round the clock. There is nothing like sacred and secular according to the Bible when we offer our bodies as living sacrifice.
May the Lord enable us to shed the notions which are not according to the scriptures.