Each island is really a part of a larger land mass known as North America. In terms of this image, those persons who interpret church freedom as radical independence are like the child who misunderstands the nature of islands, thinking them to be disconnected, free floating pieces of land. Those who emphasize cooperation to the point of violating the autonomy of each local church are like the child who thinks that the only thing holding the islands together are the bridges. Each extreme position denies that underneath all our differences there is an underlying connection. That connection does not come in organization or even in full doctrinal agreement, but in a person-Christ Jesus.
Chances are some people find an island they like better than others.
But they like some islands better than others. The Baptist heritage recognizes that each church is different and some people are going to like one church more than another.