EssentialChristians do not disagree on this

Do I need a church?

You can't follow Jesus alone — not because the rules say so, but because He designed it that way. The church is not a building or a brand; it's the people He purchased, gathered to hear the word, break bread, and carry each other. Find one that preaches the Bible and loves people, and plant yourself. Imperfect is normal; absent is not.