How do you approach a Buddhist temple?

I come from a Christian background, and since I was 19, I've been a Buddhist. I'm often estranged from my faith. When I was young, it was easy -- just join Nichirin Shoshu Buddhists of America and buy a 12-dollar gohonzon, and voil�! You're a Buddhist. These days, though, I feel as though I'm groping around in the dark. I think I expect it to be like Christianity. If you want to be a Christian, your first steps are simple -- just buy a Bible and go to church on Sunday. The last time I attempted to visit a Buddhist temple, the monk cleaning the parking lot didn't understand a word I was saying.