This is how the Catholic Church operates. Vatican II was the latest update to the church's structure and message, and it was the works of THOUSANDS of delegates from around the world from different congregations and positions in Catholicism. They debated and worked on the documents for months before coming up with the finished version. The Pope didn't sit alone in a room and unilaterally write up the Vatican II documents himself. In fact, I don't believe he wrote any of it. He just presided over the council, which is the way Christianity has always worked since the 1st century A.D.
>> SBC church's are autonomous. <<
Hence, you have nuts like the Westboro Baptist Church getting away with calling themselves a "Baptist" group even though their "church" is a lunatic hate filled cult that not only is nothing like what Baptists believe, but doesn't even represent anything remotely Christian. The risk of "fully autonomous" congregations is anyone can claim to be Baptist and the message gets deluded. What if you had a Baptist congregation that professed that Muhammad was their savior?
>> We don't answer to a church “head” <<
No, you appoint a powerless "head" and give him a title of "President of the SBC", while bashing such things as "unbiblical" when other Christan's do it. We both know there is no biblical basis for the office of SBC President. The fact he has a ceremonial job and has little power to "run" Baptists as the Queen does in "running" England is irrelevant. The office ITSELF goes against the claim that all Baptists are equal. Clearly this guy enjoys more prestige and clout when he says something, even if on paper he can't do anything.