The simple answer is Jesus is the head of a true Baptist Church. This means that no man or group of men or organization or association can be allowed to usurp the authority that belongs to Christ. True we have a pastor but he is an undershepherd to Christ. He is to study at Jesus's feet and then teach and preach that word to a Church that wholly belongs to Christ. Just like the Holy Spirit always agrees with God's Word, what the pastor teaches or preaches must agree with what the Word Of God Says. While we can cooperate with other Churches of like faith for fellowship, and in the support of missionaries, we have no authority to set up any committee, board or other organization for this purpose. Jesus organized His Church and gave it His authority to preach the Gospel and Baptize saved people into its membership, to organize other Churches, but He did not give the authority to organize any other type of institution and pass on His authority to it. Like begets like.
A certain missionary, I know well, when leaving the United States for the mission field of China, passed a building in downtown San Francisco proudly proclaiming itself to be Baptist Missions Headquarters. He went on to China thankful that that was not his headquarters. You see, it was 1936 the height of the great depression and Baptist Missions Headquarters had great waiting lists of men who would like to go to the mission field, but no money to send them. Later when he was in the clutches of the Japanese, where even the U.S. government could not help him, he was very glad his headquarters were in Heaven where the riches of Heaven could all be used to protect and supply him. We have a great and wonderful God who gave His Son for us.
Jesus said He gave His life for His Church. Ephesians 5:25 If Christ loved the Church so as to give His life for it shouldn't we love it as much? There is no other institution on earth designed by Christ for His service. Not Campus Crusade for Christ, not the Billy Graham Crusade, and certainly not The Southern Baptist Convention. If you are to be a follower of Christ you must serve Him through His Church. As the prophet of Israel once said "To obey is better than sacrifice." 1 Samuel 15:22
Christ Heads His Church with His Word. He is The Word. John 1:1-5 The Word Of God is the only and final authority on all matters of doctrine. His Church is not a democracy as some may think. We are not allowed to do anything contrary to the Word of God. Before we vote in a business meeting we should be sure of the Word of God's position on the subject. If we ask of God He will send His Holy Spirit to guide us to the scripture. The Father, The Son, and The Spirit always are in agreement. If you think you are being lead of the Spirit to do something contrary to God's Word, think again, if it were the Holy Spirit leading it would agree with God. There are other spirits that are not holy, and we are told to try the spirits whether they be of God. 1 John 4:1
Following is an outline of the sermon preached at 11:00 A.M. Thanksgiving Day at the Northern California Missionary Baptist Association, by Elder Charles Crouch, on the Leadership of the Holy Spirit. The most completely covered that I have ever heard on the subject. TEXT: Acts 2:22
If we keep in mind the thing stated in the word, it is no trouble to see and understand the teaching of in Gen. 1:1-3. In this we see that there was a beginning, a creation, a condition of darkness, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God said: "Let there be light, and there was light." In other words, "The Spirit of God moved, and God spoke, and there were results. Things happened according to the moving of the Spirit and the spoken word of god.
Eph. 6:17 informs us that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit. The Spirit uses the Words of God to effect his purposes. The Spirit moves, God speaks and the work is done.1 John 4:1 We are commanded to try the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. II Tim. 3:16,17 informs us that the Scriptures furnish us unto every good work. They are to reprove, indoctrinate, correct and instruct: furnishing the man of God completely unto every good work. With the Scripture the man of God is perfectly furnished unto all good works. We are therefore to try the spirits with the Word of God.